MICROBRAND CORNER

From avant garde design to accessible haute horology, the latest and greatest from the creative world of microbrands

THE SPECS

• 44mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance • Ronda quartz movement • €585 (approx. £500), klokers.com

Klokers

Klok-01 Blue Note Blue notes are one of the characteristic elements of jazz, the notes ‘between the cracks’ of conventional pitches, so it’s not hard to imagine where the inspiration for Kloker’s latest release came from. The French brand’s unique dial layout is already about as unconventional as they come with its rotating timekeeping discs and the new watch pairs a lovely blue colouring with their first ever black PVD case.

It’s not groundbreaking but the result is an almost painfully cool watch, complete with the brand’s signature quick-change strap system. The grey Alcantara is particularly lovely, though we’d opt for a couple of straps to choose from.

klokers.com

Maen

Greenwich Automatic GMT

Inspired as much by Greenwich Village as the meridian, Maen’s latest New York inspired timepiece takes the elegant 38mm case of their previous Hudson model, strips off the bezel completely and adds a second time zone function. Combined with oversized, square hour markers, it’s about as streamlined a traveller’s watch as you can get.

The Greenwich GMT is available in a few variations, including with a blue grid dial or eye-catching red indexes. For us though it’s all about the orange – don’t worry, it’s just the GMT hand that’s orange – for the classic jet-setter look at a distinctly non-jet-setter price.

maenwatches.com

THE SPECS

• 38mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance • SwissTech S24-045 automatic movement with 40-hour power reserve • $770 USD (approx. £550), maenwatches.com

Von Doren

Runde RivaBlue

We all need a splash of colour now the sun’s out and the Runde from Von Doren has you covered. The elegant small seconds timepiece is the perfect accompaniment to bright summer prints in yellow, blue, brown or this fantastic turquoise. It’s a quartz movement so it’s a few rungs down on the horological ladder from Von Doren’s flagship Uraed timepiece, but that makes it all the more affordable, which is pretty much what you want out of a summer accessory. Let’s be honest, British weather being what it is you might not have all that long to wear it. vondoren.com

THE SPECS • 39mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance • Ronda 1069 quartz movement • €248 (approx. £210), vondoren.com

ZRC GF 3000

Titanium

300m is a good level of water resistance, the kind needed by professional divers for some of the toughest underwater work around. In which case, God only knows what things are like 3,000m down, but the GF 3000 Titanium is one of the scant few watches that can find out. In fact, while it’s been proofed to 3,000, this beast of a watch has been tested to 5,100m. It’s pretty insane.

It’s also a good deal different from the heritage French Navy watches ZRC are perhaps more famous for, with a lightweight titanium construction and cool, tricolore-inspired dial. It’s available in satin or sand finishes but either way it’s an extreme timepiece. zrc1904.ch

THE SPECS

• 42mm titanium case with 3,000m water resistance • Sellita SW200-1 Elaborated automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve • CHF 3,990 (approx. £3,150), zrc1904.ch

THE SPECS

• 42mm titanium case with 50m water resistance • La Joux Perret manual-wind movement with eight-day power reserve • $3,900 (approx. £2,750), zeloswatches.com

Zelos

Mirage 2 Glacier

The follow-up to Zelos’ ten-piece tourbillon run proves that the microbrand is upping their game considerably by forgoing the usual Sellita and Miyota movements of their contemporaries in favour of a masterpiece movement courtesy of La Joux Perret. This time they’ve opted for a streamlined but no less excellent automatic, visible front and back thanks to the openworked dial. In typical Zelos fashion, the case materials are distinctly atypical, with titanium being the baseline and joined by heavyweight tantalum and a zirconium titanium alloy that looks like a more colourful Damascus steel. There’s even a full sapphire version, though for our money the entry-level titanium is the most impressive for its distinctly accessible price tag. It’s a seriously impressive watch – and if you want to find out more about it, check out our YouTube review. zeloswatches.com

Oracle RECOMMENDS

WHAT’S ON OUR SHOPPING LIST AND WHY

BAVARIAN WATCH – ROYAL BLUE BAVARIAN

Germany has a rich watchmaking history, especially around Glashütte, but Bavaria isn’t to be discounted from the conversation either. Bavarian Watch has been singing the watchmaking praises of the region since 2018 and create a variety of stylish dials and straps for their timepieces available through Kickstarter. The 40mm stainless steel watch stands out for its large lugs, which look great on powerful wrists, without overwhelming thinner ones. We particularly like the Royal Bavarian Blue piece combined with Summer Sunset strap.

€160 (approx. £135), for more information visit kick.bavarian-watch.com

ARTEM STRAPS – SAILCLOTH STRAPS

It’s an old adage that if you can’t find the thing you’re looking for, build it yourself. This is the philosophy that led to the creation of Artem Straps when the founders were thwarted in their search for high quality sailcloth watch straps. Sailcloth, whether it’s made from genuine cloth or synthetic and leather alternatives, can be stiff and uncomfortable – making Artem’s focus for their strap’s flexibility and comfort, a mission they have more than succeeded at. Artem Sailcloth Watch strap $85 (approx. £60) from artemstraps.com

CuleM – Portal GMT Gold Everyone needs to play a part in protecting the environment and the watchmaker CuleM has already embraced their role – planting over 15,000 trees in Madagascar with a pledge to plant 100 more for every timepiece they sell. Their watches are designed to capture their global outlook, with all of them being GMT timers depicting a vision of the world. This version is presented in 18k gold plating. On the reverse side is a list of 24 time zones, which is both pretty and a handy reference guide for setting the GMT hand.

CuleM Portal GMT Gold £1,195 available from culemwatches.com

Sólás – Starlight

There are many reasons microbrands are created and the story behind Sólás is a classic story of creativity. This is because the Starlight watch is the first microbrand timepiece to feature an accessible aventurine dial with a microrotor movement. The aventurine glass provides an elegant backdrop for the dress watch display, made unique by the sole use of Irish (Gaelige) text on the watch, as exemplified by its dial declaration of ‘deartha in Éirinn’ or ‘designed in Ireland’.

Customers can choose from date/no-date and silver/ rose-gold dial variants at the Sólás store now. Pre-order €449, full price €549 (approx. £380/£470) available from solaswatches.com

CARAPAZ – WATCH CASES

The name Carapaz comes from the word carapace, meaning a hard outer shell – which is what the Swiss leather goods company specialise in, creating cases to protect your phone and tablet. Based in Neuchâtel, the home of many top watchmakers, it was inevitable that they would develop skills in creating high quality watch cases. The rail technology and stands make them ideal for display or travel and you can choose from cases that hold between one and eight timepieces in variety of colours of high quality soft leather.

Three-Watch Case £240, available at carapaz.com and thewatchspy.net

Ross Oliver – Bridge-bit Loafers

Ross Oliver is a relatively fresh name to the arena of luxury footwear, bringing a new vision to the UK scene. Their high quality Cactus leather loafers and boots are both stylish and sustainable, crafted by specialist artisans in the UK. The Bridge-bit Loafers in particular took over a year to develop and feature a handmade brass buckle inspired by the Clifton suspension bridge. They were also finalists at the Draper awards in two categories, Best New Footwear Brand and Footwear Designer of the Year.

Bridge-bit Loafer in Navy £240, available at rossoliver.uk

RED PRESTIGE – GRAIL FRAMES

Finding your own style is the key to creating a confident and comfortable outfit and self-expression is at the core of what RED PRESTIGE do. Their sunglasses come in a variety of frames that each have a unique appeal. The Grail frames from the Black Collection are bold with acetate decoration in the style of chiselled marble and gold-plated accents. Whether you’re a high achiever or an underdog, this Amsterdam based eyewear specialist have the right frames for you.

Grail Marble Black £87, available from redprestige.com

Oliver Brown – Eaton Jacket

Oliver Brown may have been known as the premium top hat supplier for Royal Ascot over the past five years but their wider range of bespoke and ready to wear clothing is of an equally high standard. This Eaton Jacket is part of their new summer collection and features a full lining, working cuffs, pick-stitch detailing, and a canvassed chest-piece – produced in Irish linen. The Glen Check in tan is a wardrobe essential for any modern gentleman. Eaton Jacket Glen Check Tan £345, available at oliverbrown.org.uk and in store

SEVEN LAYER

Seven Layer (7L) use military inspiration to create a versatile range of technical wear that is both stylish and practical. Their 2021 summer collection is based on the New British Forces Multi-Terrain Patter Camouflage so you can hide in mountains, cities or forests with equal ease – who you’re hiding from is your own business. The collection includes a t-shirt, multiple jackets, hoodies, a parka, an impedance smock and field shirts – for all the layers of protection you could need. Find out more at sevenlayer.com

BILLY RUFFIAN – BOAT SHOE

Boat shoes are usually relegated to the role of weekend wear, however the stylish offerings from Billy Ruffian are too cool to dismiss with boat duty and could easily be you daily choice this summer. The Leanders combine a one-piece lace design with oiled leather in a variety of colours, while the Lulworths add a loafer style slip on. Both come with a natural siped rubber sole, a hallmark of boat shoes that provides seaworthy grip.

Leander and Lulworth £120, from billyruffianshoes.co.uk

AKT LONDON - DEODORANT

Founded by West End actors Ed Currie and Andy Coxon, these deodorant balms from AKT come in cream form. Made from soothing shea butter and calendula oil and infused with natural botanicals, one pea sized application in the morning gives you 24 hours of protection. Better yet it comes in fully recyclable metal packaging (even the cap) and you can order your tubes on a subscription basis, so your armoury stays stocked all year long. £18, aktlondon.com

THE FELLOWSHIP – ADVANCED MOISTURISER

The Fellowship is a line of vegan and cruelty-free grooming products including advanced moisturiser, body wash, conditioner and more that has been launched this year after five years of development as a brand. The products are the brainchild of Andrew Cooper, a male supermodel who has travelled the globe and experienced the full gauntlet of male beauty products, and is seeking to normalise their use as part of men’s daily routine.

Advanced Moisturiser £25, available from the-fellowship.co.uk

Hawkins & Brimble - Refillable Essentials

British grooming brand Hawkins & Brimble wants to ditch 95% of its plastic usage by the end of this year. To help achieve this, the company has just introduced a new range of refillable grooming essentials from shampoo to hair spray. These five products come in refillable aluminium packaging and can be topped up using recyclable refill pouches. A great way to feel great while also supporting sustainability.

Refillable bottles £12, refill pouches £7, available at hawkinsandbrimble.co.uk

MAN THEORY – LE BEAU BEARD OIL

Cosmetics and grooming was one of the first industries to undergo a close level of scrutiny regarding environmental issues and sustainability. As such, brands like Man Theory, which began during lockdown, have become some of the leading voices in responsible manufacturing. Their products, like Le Beau Beard Oil, come in robust packaging while also smelling and feeling great to use with ingredients that actively heal the skin.

Le Beau Beard Oil £12.99, available from mantheorylondon.com

Battle Rhythm Beard Co. – Big Bastard Collection

Battle Rhythm Beard Co. are a bombastic and characterful brand delivering vegan and vegetarian-friendly grooming products for men, with a portion of each sale going to veteran and first responder charities. Not only will their beard butter and soap make you look good but they also have great names like Spitfire and M-72. Feeling cool is a big part of style. If your beard is particularly wild, they offer The Big Bastard collection, which contains everything you need to get it under control. Big Bastard £65, available at battlerhythmbeardco.com