Rise of the unknown watch brands

THE luxury watch market may be slowing down, but new models are still rolling out, and surprisingly, by brands many have not heard of. They are not new, but a number of them have also been inactive for a long enough time that they’re not on the radar of a new generation of customers.

Vulcain is one such example. Founded in 1858, the Swiss watch brand’s claim to fame was inventing the alarm complication for wristwatches. Vulcain’s Cricket model in its heyday was worn by American presidents. But since the quartz crisis in the 1980s, the brand has slipped into a long decline. 

It also went through various ownership changes. The latest is Luxembourg-based investment group Promobe, which bought it in 2017 and in 2022 launched a fresh collection based on its alarm wristwatch.

“Vulcain has been in sleep mode and now we’re waking up,” says its CEO Carla Duarte. This year, it unveiled the Vulcain Nautical Legacy Messina LAB.

An update of the Vulcain Cricket Nautical from the 1950s, one of the first diver’s watches with an alarm that could be heard underwater, the new 42 mm model flaunts a rich, brown dial with vintage-inspired hands. The limited edition of 25 pieces is water-resistant to 300 metres and comes with a new black rubber strap designed by Massena LAB, the collaborator of the new diver’s watch.

Czapek is another name from the 19th century making a comeback. It was briefly part of Patek Philippe before it broke off to become Napoleon III’s official watchmaker. Czapek was reborn in 2015 and has since acquired a reputation for distinctive designs, high-quality craftsmanship and limited production.

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Its latest output is the Antarctique “Artists & Artisans – Piece N Degree 1” for the prestigious TimeForArt auction. The unique 40.5 mm stainless steel timepiece showcases the artistry of master engraver Michele Rochen in collaboration with Metalem, Czapek’s long-term partner. At the heart of this creation is a dial made from a rare gold alloy, Alloy 401, Czapek’s “Secret Alloy”.

The dial features a hand-decorated engraving artfully blackened to highlight the intricate design representing Czapek’s SXH5 caliber. This detailed engraving with a striking “trompe l’oeil” effect resembles the aesthetics of a skeleton watch.

Other brands that have been around but are largely unknown include Depancel, a French independent watchmaker that has been quietly making racing chronographs for motor-sport fans. Its founder Clement Meynier is now reaching out to the wider market by teaming up with watch designer Matthieu Allegre to revive the iconic Amida Digitrend, the 1970s Swiss “casquette” watch.

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Inspired by the sports cars of the era, the futuristic looking timepiece combines a mechanical movement with a distinctive LED-style display. Time is shown on a display beneath a sapphire prism – not a traditional dial – evoking a sports car’s dashboard or a spacecraft’s control panel.

The new Amida Digitrend, crafted from a solid stainless steel block, is available in black DLC or 4N gold PVD, with improved finishing while retaining the model’s signature streamlined look. The watch now also has a specially designed case-back that reveals the self-winding mechanical movement.

Cyrus is another unknown brand pushing to be recognised. Founded in 2010 by a Swiss entrepreneurial family, Cyrus’ latest offering is the Klepcys Vertical Skeleton Tourbillon Malachite. A limited edition of two pieces, the watch renews the vertical tourbillon complication’s magic in brilliant green malachite, a natural gemstone with varying hues. 

Then there is Gerald Charles, which, while unfamiliar, was founded by the legendary watch designer Gerald Charles Genta. Genta started Gerald Charles in 2000, but its ownership has passed on to the Ziviani family. Still, the timepieces produced continue to be based on Genta’s original drawings.

One such model, the Maestro 8.0 Squelette, was recently spotted on the wrist of Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. This sleek watch, encased in stainless steel, boasts satin-finished and rhodium-plated open-worked bridges, paired with yellow-gold wheels and worn with a grey rubber strap.