thewatchbrief

There was nothing ostentatious about it, yet something in the quiet dignity of that display made me stop. The glass was slightly dusty, the labels handwritten, but the aura was unmistakable: this was a place where time had chosen to linger. And then my eyes caught it. A Minerva. A white enamel dial glowed softly behind slightly curved glass. The black Breguet numerals and blued hands seemed suspended in time; the typography alone could have been a study in restraint. I stood there for several

Imagine the “friend zone.” We’ve all been there. It’s that awkward place where you adore someone’s vibe, you laugh at their jokes, you even gush about them to your friends, and yet you know, deep down, they’re never making it past “platonic brunch buddy.” Watches have their own friend zone, too. These are the brands and models we admire from a safe distance.

It sometimes feels as if there is a brand new release from a major brand every week, which also means that there is a brand new release from a microbrand or a notable independent every other day. Unfortunately, we can’t keep track of all of these new watches, but we can at least highlight a few of our favorite releases, updates, or industry-related news.  Let’s start it off with one of our favorite microbrands.