The 1916 Company Guide to Independent Watchmakers
Venture into the world of independent watchmaking, and you’ll discover an abundance of smaller, boutique-style brands driven by a voracious passion for watches. In this world, every new watch can feel like another step forward in the history of horology. Where the mass-market and group-owned brands can offer collectors consistency, these often hand-crafted indie watches are imbued with feeling, with the evidence of the care that goes into each piece. That’s not to say independent watchmakers aren’t obsessed with precision; dedication to chronometry is the fuel behind many of independent watchmaking’s greatest technological advancements. In this sense, collecting independents can feel like you’re actively contributing to the story of modern horology.
Though the options are seemingly endless, independents can be hard to get—in both senses of the word—despite the relative lack of mainstream hype around even the most collectible independent pieces.
Conversations with trusted collectors are arguably the most effective (and the most fun) way to learn more about the brands that pique your interest. To help you navigate the world of independent watchmaking, we’ve put together a guide featuring eight distinguished indie brands, with insights from our team and our community of expert collectors and enthusiasts about what makes each one great – and unique in modern watchmaking.
De Bethune
“De Bethune watches are the ultimate in independent watchmaking design, engineering, and imagination. The brand is an engineering house that takes great pride in its technical innovations. Over a dozen unique balance wheels, innovative shock protection, high-beat tourbillon regulators, high complications, and breakthroughs in chronometry set this brand apart from rivals who stress branding efforts and aesthetics above all.”
— Tim Mosso, Director of Media and Watch Expert, The 1916 Company Philadelphia
Despite a future-forward approach to watchmaking, De Bethune’s iconoclastic DNA descends directly from the breakthroughs of modern horology’s forefathers: Abraham-Louis Breguet, Ferdinand Berthoud, and Jean de Hautefeuille. Each of these watchmakers are usually thought of as guardians of tradition, but during their lifetimes, their work was marked by a ceaseless appetite for invention in pursuit of improvements in precision, and sophistication in complications. With each successive, sci-fi-inflected timepiece, De Bethune continues to build upon the innovations of the past to carve a new way forward.
Since its establishment in 2002 by, among others, co-founder Denis Flageollet, a fourth-generation master watchmaker with a deeply rooted presence in the Swiss luxury watch community, De Bethune has developed nearly 30 unique in-house calibers, registered numerous patents, and produced about 150 unique pieces for the most discerning collectors. All over the world, their watches have won the highest distinctions, including the Aiguille d’Or of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève for the Watch of the Year. If you’re looking for exclusivity, absolute innovation, and fully realized-artistic ambition in a watch, look no further than De Bethune.
References to Know:
1. De Bethune DB01 Monopusher Chronograph Piece Unique
2. De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius DB25VRS3
3. De Bethune DB28 GS Grand Bleu Dive Watch DB28GSV2AN
4. De Bethune Dream Watch 5 Tourbillon Season 1
Plus, explore Tim Mosso’s De Bethune specific episode of Collector’s Companion, where he gets hands-on with at least 20 De Bethune references, and see master watchmaker Denis Flageollet in conversation with George Mayer and Tim Mosso in the latest episode of Mayer Time.
F.P. Journe
“F.P. Journe is arguably the most collectible watch brand in the world. Despite the incredibly low production of less than a thousand mechanical watches per year, he has produced so many unique models and so many different variations within those models while always maintaining the company’s particular identity. He is both an artist and a mechanical engineering genius. You hold any F.P. Journe watch, and you know it’s special.”
— George Mayer, Director of Sales & Watch Buying, The 1916 Company Philadelphia
Widely considered one of the greatest living watchmakers, Francois-Paul Journe adds a new chapter to horological history with each successive innovation. For F.P. Journe, it all began with the tourbillon. Inspired by Breguet’s signature trademark, Journe’s grueling five-year process of crafting his own tourbillon pocket watch marked the inception of the watchmaker’s now-legendary oeuvre. Decades later, his craftsmanship and artistry have cemented his place in horological history, and his namesake brand in the hearts of collectors.
Since the presentation of Journe’s first watch collection in 1999, he’s created numerous profound timepieces–among the most notable, the Chronomètre à Résonance. This landmark timepiece features a wristwatch-sized version of Breguet’s concept of resonance timepieces, with twin movements that had only been produced in pocket watches. Resonance watches, in which the two balances oscillate in synchrony with each other, require extreme care and skill to produce and adjust, and Journe is one of an extremely small number of independent watchmakers producing resonance watches today. Every F.P. Journe timepiece is adorned with his trademark motto, “Invenit et Fecit,” or “Invented and made,” guaranteeing the same exceptional design and exacting execution pioneered by Journe since the very beginning.
References to Know:
1. F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain Jade Dial
2. F.P. Journe Chronomètre Bleu Tantalum CS BLEU
3. F.P. Journe Elegante 48 Titalyt
4. F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance 38mm Brass Movement
Plus, explore a special The 1916 Company Studios episode dedicated to F.P. Journe’s LineSport collection, where hosts C’Quon Gottlieb and George Mayer get hands-on with almost every LineSport ever made.
Greubel Forsey
“Greubel Forsey represents the epitome of complex, independent watchmaking—consistently pushing technical boundaries.”
— Sandy Neo, Client Advisor, The 1916 Company Singapore
Greubel Forsey knows perfection is not of this world, but that doesn’t stop them from pursuing it. Since 2004, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey have sought to modernize watchmaking with unconventional design, unrivaled hand-finishing techniques, and mechanical complexity. From skeletonized dials to intricate tourbillons, the independent manufacturer’s unique creations far exceed the boundaries of design and precision. Their watches often feature inclined and multi-axis tourbillons, but their watches aren’t just technical powerhouses – they’re works of horological art and architecture, in which movement design is taken to an unprecedented level of sophistication and beauty. Take the Balancier S2 seen above, an extreme sports watch (likened to Richard Mille’s) centered around contrast and power and featuring one of Greubel Forsey’s signature inclined balance wheels. It’s one of the numerous, beyond-impressive pieces in the brand’s collection, fit for collectors looking for a robust and highly exclusive watch entirely assembled and finished by hand.
References to Know:
2. Greubel Forsey Double Balancier Convexe Limited Edition GF04X P1069
3. Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain
4. Greubel Forsey Balancier Contemporain
5. Greubel Forsey Balancier Asymetrique USA Limited Edition
MB&F
“MB&F represents all of the passion, expertise, and spirit of independent watchmaking while also not taking itself too seriously. They don’t cater to the masses but rather the eccentric and more fringe collectors. While there’s been a lot of fanfare around MB&F lately, their beginnings are humble, and they’ve stayed very true to their original form, all while learning and making their brand better.”
— Armand Johnston, Senior Client Advisor, The 1916 Company Philadelphia
Max Büsser is a man of many talents, most notably having great ideas and a knack for harnessing the power of wildly talented creatives to bring those ideas to life. He sees his collaborators as friends with a common goal: break free from the bounds of tradition to make radical watches in which intricate mechanics and playful but sophisticated design go hand-in-hand.
In 2005 Büsser founded MB&F – Maximilian Büsser and Friends – and two years later, launched the Horological Machine No.1, featuring the world’s first wristwatch movement transmitting energy to the regulating system’s central tourbillon from two sources at once, and the world’s first movement with four barrels connected in parallel and series. Since then, the brand has introduced some of the most mind-boggling, award-winning timepieces in the independent space. And, since the founding of the company, MB&F has also shown mastery of more traditional watchmaking in timepieces which showcase classic fine watchmaking values, without losing any of the spirit of MB&F’s more overtly revolutionary designs, in the world-renowned Legacy Machines.
Take a look at the HM3 “Starcruiser” Megawind seen above, complete with an upside-down movement providing a clear view of the winding rotor and high-speed oscillations of the balance wheel. If you’re into the serious engineering and unmistakable design of this piece, we’re guessing you’ll love more of MB&F’s iconic creations.
References to Know:
1. MB&F Horological Machine HM3 Megawind 35.WTL.B
2. MB&F Legacy Machine Split Escapement 03.WL.FBL
3. MB&F HMX Black Badger Edition
Plus, hear from Max Büsser in an exclusive episode of The 1916 Company Talks, where he joins host Tim Mosso for a discussion on finding success in the watch industry.
H. Moser & Cie.
“In a hobby that can occasionally tread into the self-serious, Moser is a reminder of just how fun watches can be. Over the last decade, Edouard Meylan has managed to transform H. Moser & Cie. not just into one of the world’s preeminent Indies but also infuse the brand with electrifying energy and a wicked sense of humor. It doesn’t hurt that they also make some of the most beautiful watches on the market today either.”
— Griffin Bartsch, Marketing Coordinator, The 1916 Company Philadelphia
H. Moser & Cie. is a staunch defender of Swiss mechanical watchmaking and its values, and is also fully committed to ensuring sustainable development, both in its watchmaking activities and beyond. Often considered mavericks of the industry, the Swiss watchmakers indulge in the tension between modern and traditional, boasting a polarizing edge that solidifies their “very rare” motto. Moser’s approach to honoring the past? Turning tradition on its head with a sly sense of horological humor. Consider their sneaky mechanical tribute to the Apple Watch with increasingly minimalistic time indicators across each iteration, or their short-lived Swiss Icons watch which cheekily lifted signature design elements from other Swiss brands to create a Frankenstein mashup of the modern industry. Perhaps most literal of them all, the Swiss Mad Watch, made of real Swiss cheese, produced in defiance of loose regulations regarding what constitutes a “Swiss-made” watch.
From Endeavour Flying Hours to the impenetrable darkness of the VantablackTM Venturerer watch dials, H. Moser & Cie. always has something new up its sleeve. Consider the Endeavour Tourbillon Limited Edition seen above characterized by playful minimalism. The Cosmic Green fume dial is representative of the brand’s distinct approach to style and color, employing vibrant hues with a sleek look and feel. Beneath the surface, you’ll find an intricate in-house movement that speaks to the brand’s overall mechanical expertise. If you’re looking for understated but wholly unmistakable, H. Moser & Cie. most likely has a timepiece for you.
References to Know:
1. H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Limited Edition 1904-0500
2. H. Moser & Cie. Heritage Dual Time 8809-1200
3. H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton 3811-1200
4. H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Centre Seconds “Funky Blue” 1200-0201
Plus, explore Tim Mosso’s comparison of H. Moser & Cie’s Streamliner Watch Family: Chronograph, Perpetual Calendar, and Centre Seconds.
HYT
“HYT is so out there. It’s a brand that is willing to take risks that many others wouldn’t even dream of. I mean just think about it, a watch that tells time with fluid? Fluid and moisture are traditionally the enemies of mechanical timepieces, but HYT has found a unique way to tame it and have it be the centerpiece of their watches.”
— C’Quon Gottlieb, Senior Client Advisor, The 1916 Company Dubai
Why wear a watch that tells time with fluid? The better question—or at least the one HYT might ask—is why wear a watch that tells the time with classic hour and minute hands? Extreme imagination and a seemingly insatiable desire to bring the never-before-seen to life are at the core of HYT’s watchmaking activities. If you want to look at your wrist and see a watch that’s brazenly complicated, perhaps you can imagine wearing a piece like the HYT H0 seen above. Wondering how to tell the time? The point at which the contrasting blue and transparent liquids meet within the illuminated Super-LumiNova® C7 capillary tube, denotes the hour. An anthracite minute counter at 12 o’clock and a seconds wheel tucked to the left indicate their respective units. Almost all HYT pieces feature similar mechanics and style, and make a great choice for those with an appetite for something entirely different.
References to Know:
1. HYT H2 Titanium + White Gold Limited Edition 248-TW-OO-BF-RA
4. HYT Axl Rose Skull Limited Edition 151-DL-47-NF-BV
5. HYT H0 Green Fluid 048-DL-90-GF-RU
MING
“From beautiful dials to a unified design language that is both classic and futuristic, MING checks all of the boxes.”
— Todd Searle, Watch Collector
2022 marks the fifth anniversary of MING, and the brand has a lot to celebrate. Since its 2017 launch, MING has garnered considerable acclaim in the independent watchmaking space, and they’ve made it look rather easy. The brand’s six co-founders (these cooks work well together in the kitchen) have distinct chemistry as collectors and enthusiasts committed to making the watches they themselves want. Their timepieces dare you to set aside the need for big brand notoriety and find real substance in refinement, minimalism, and a playful spirit. Take a closer look at the Series 27 seen above, including MING signature design elements you’ll find on nearly all of their watches like flared lugs, radial symmetry, and a 0 at 12 o’clock. Another key element of MING watches: The inventive use of lume not just for legibility, but as an essential and seamlessly integrated part of the design language.
References to Know:
1. MING 27.02 38mm Limited Edition
Urban Jürgensen
“Urban Jürgensen is one of the most underrated brands today. They’re going to celebrate their 250-year anniversary next year under the command of the new CEO, Kari Voutilainen. Attention to this brand, especially with Voutilainen at the helm, will certainly explode in the coming years as global interest for independent watchmakers increases.”
— Sami Lachhab, Senior Client Advisor, The 1916 Company Neuchâtel
Building upon the 250-year legacy of the brand’s Danish namesake, the storied Urban Jürgensen brand is in the midst of a deep transformation helmed by newly appointed CEO and independent luminary Kari Voutilainen. An insider’s brand for much of its history, Urban Jürgensen’s fame rested on the creation of extremely beautifully made, and very high precision, sea-clocks and pocket chronometers. Originally founded in 1773 to create chronometers for the Danish shipping industry, Urban Jürgensen creates traditionally appealing timepieces in low volumes with studied and practiced attention to detail. Now, as the brand approaches its next chapter fueled by Voutilainen’s vision, they’re a collectible independent brand to keep your eye on.
References to Know:
2. Urban Jürgensen ONE GMT 5541-SS-L333CSU
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