Spring Sprang Sprung 2025: 10 independent watch brands to know
Singapore’s popular horology fair returns with 60 international studios from around the world
[SINGAPORE] In just four years, Spring Sprang Sprung (SSS) has evolved from a modest gathering of watch enthusiasts into one of Asia’s most vibrant showcases for independent horology.
Co-founded by Lim Yong Keong, creator of Feynman Timekeepers, and Sugiharto Kusumadi, founder of Horizon Watches and Red Army Watches, the event captures a spirit of craftsmanship and intimacy that global watch fairs often overlook.
“We saw all these talented independent watchmakers, but no one was putting them under one roof,” says Lim. “So we built a space where collectors could meet the people behind the watches.”
That face-to-face connection between creator and collector remains the fair’s greatest draw, as thousands of timepieces from independent studios worldwide are showcased by their founders in person.
Last year’s edition attracted 40 brands, but this year’s edition has 60 brands – a 50 per cent jump – hailing from Switzerland, Finland, France, Germany, the UK and US, as well as Asia-Pacific neighbours Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, China and Australia.
Singapore naturally leads the pack, with 14 home-grown names including Arcturus, Ubiq, Vario, ZLTD, Constellar, Waktu Horology and Geylang Watch Co. But there are many returning foreign exhibitors who have nothing but praise for the local market.
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Raphael Granito, CEO of Swiss brand Formex, says Singapore has “one of the most passionate and well-informed watch communities in the world”.
“Collectors here truly appreciate independent brands and the technical side of watchmaking; they’re always curious about materials, construction and design integrity.”
Yu Ando, founder of Finnish brand AndoAndoAndo, points to differences between Finland and Singapore. “I see many more people in Singapore wearing watches – not just smartwatches – compared to Finland, where most people have either no watch or a smartwatch,” he says. “There is also so much more diversity in people’s choices of timepieces in Singapore.”
We spotlight 10 overseas makers bringing their creativity and craft to Singapore this weekend.
1. Formex (Switzerland)
This independent Swiss brand has quietly carved out a niche for collectors who value engineering over excess. “Every element must serve both function and emotion,” says CEO Granito, whose watches are defined by clean lines, tactile details and purpose-built mechanics.
The company’s patented suspension case and tool-free clasp adjustment reflect its obsession with practicality – innovation without the gimmickry. “We want people to feel a connection to modern Swiss watchmaking: authentic, technical and independent,” says Granito.
At SSS, Formex will showcase the refined Essence 41 mm, its flagship model’s latest evolution; the Reef 39.5 mm Diver, a versatile tool watch with quick-change bezels; and the Field Automatic, an outdoor-ready piece in lightweight titanium.
2. Oan.Gio (Vietnam)
French-Vietnamese watchmaker Nghia Nguyen Dai creates lush timepieces that combine metiers d’art rarely seen in horology – traditional Vietnamese lacquer, Spanish damascene gold inlay work from Toledo, among other techniques – with refined Swiss mechanics.
“Multiple artisans work together on the same piece” to produce watches that feel alive with craft, says Nguyen. “I want the wearer to feel a quiet sense of meaning… a private joy, like wearing a secret piece of poetry.”
The brand releases just 200 pieces a year, so you’re not likely to ever meet anyone at a party wearing the same watch.
3. Lima (Indonesia)
Attending SSS for the fourth time, Lima will likely draw strong interest from Singapore collectors with its sleek, design-driven watches and accessible prices often below S$1,000. Founder Herman Tantriady, a former designer, believes good design should be “straightforward and efficient”.
His brand channels that Bauhaus clarity through storytelling; each model imagined for a cinematic character. The GMT Transit, for instance, is inspired by the charming conman pilot from Catch Me If You Can, while the Kronosprinter evokes a Mad Max-style racer.
“I want people to wear Lima as part of their identity,” says Herman. “Something to please themselves without proving their worth to others.” Both models – minimalist yet cinematic – will be available at SSS, having already sold out online.
4. Isotope (UK)
This British brand has built a quiet cult following among collectors who value design over brand recognition. Co-founded by Jose Miranda in 2016, the maker favours form over flash, its signature Lacrima motif – a teardrop-shaped accent across dials – serving as a visual signature.
“We avoid trends and instead focus on shapes and proportions that feel timeless yet unexpected,” says Miranda.
For SSS, Isotope will showcase its award-winning Moonshot Chronograph alongside the guilloche-patterned Flyway and the industrial-cool Hydrium diver, all designed in-house and powered by Swiss mechanical movements.
“Our uniqueness lies in the details that go unnoticed,” says Miranda.
5. Nivada Grenchen (Switzerland)
Founded in 1926, Nivada Grenchen built its reputation on rugged tool watches such as the Antarctic and Chronomaster, but the brand faded during the quartz era. Its modern revival – led by Guillaume Laidet and Remi Chabrat – is grounded in restraint and fidelity to its vintage DNA.
“We keep the same spirit and DNA of the vintage collections: same size, same shape, affordable and high-quality,” says Laidet. “If you make the right product at the right price, it will always work.”
The result is a collection of timepieces that feel like rediscovered heirlooms. Its SSS highlights include the F77 Mark II, a faithful reinterpretation of the 1977 integrated-bracelet sports watch, now in a 37 mm case with a textured dial and automatic Soprod P024 movement.
6. Earthen Co (Hong Kong)
Earthen Co will likely draw attention with its Summit collection: a trio of sleek field watches made entirely from ceramic.
“We use ceramic exclusively to create modern yet nostalgic designs,” says co-founder Johnathan Chan. The material keeps each piece light, scratch-proof and quietly luxurious – without the usual markup.
“Luxury doesn’t always have to come at a huge premium. We’re collectors making watches for collectors,” he says. With their clean lines and easy wearability, the watches’ most attractive feature may be their S$1,199 price tag – low for ceramic tickers.
7. Galvin (Australia)
Combining Nordic minimalism with Australian craftsmanship, Galvin Watch Company stands out not only for its design but also for its founder: Susan Galvin, who is among the few female watchmakers who have started their own brands.
Finnish-born and now based in Sydney, Galvin designs and hand-assembles every timepiece herself. “I’m originally from Finland, and I have a lot of Finnish nature as an element of my designs,” she says. “You can just see and feel how much of myself I put into each timepiece.”
Her debut collection, Alku – Finnish for “beginning” – sets the tone for pieces that are classic yet quietly bold. Loimu, inspired by the Northern Lights, features vivid guilloche-style dials, while Suvi channels the colours of Finnish summer birch and lake.
Her latest, Yo (“night”), contrasts luminous dials with blacked-out cases, resulting in minimalist pieces with striking visual impact.
8. Havaan Tuvali (Taiwan)
This brand has developed a Singapore following for its beautiful vintage design and handmade precision. Founder Eric Yeh found unused watch cases and movements manufactured in Taiwan from the 1970s onwards, and paired them with new handmade dials inspired by art deco flair.
“My watch isn’t something made new to look vintage,” he says. “It’s a proper vintage watch reborn with a new name and design.”
Yeh has taken part in every SSS, where his pieces typically sell briskly. “The Singapore market is knowledgeable and appreciates true craftsmanship – that’s why I bring some of my latest models here first.”
9. AndoAndoAndo (Finland)
Yu Ando is originally a Japanese designer who relocated to Helsinki and decided to make his own watches. The unique combination of Finnish minimalism with Japanese design sensibilities results in delightfully playful models, such as the Vinyl Record Automatic, whose dial resembles a turntable.
“I’m all about fun and excitement – without fun, what is the purpose of life?” says Ando.
For him, the most important thing is to make connections with his collectors.
“The best marketing which worked with my watch brand so far is to ‘be’,” he says. “Be there, online or offline; be engaged in communities; be present at shows and exhibitions. Be kind, be present, listen to everyone, and talk to everyone, spread your passion and excitement.”
10. Radcliffe (UK)
Radcliffe is on a mission to bring high horology to a wider audience. “We want to make complications accessible,” says founder Tayeb Boussalia, who left his corporate career to pursue what he calls “a journey of freedom, entrepreneurship and creativity”.
Radcliffe modifies Japanese movements to craft new functions. Take, for instance, the Le Dome Tourbillon, which transforms a Miyota base into a complex tourbillon regulator, and the L’Instant Sonore, a stunning chiming regulator launched on Kickstarter.
“For me, every watch is a reminder that independence and imagination can change everything,” says Boussalia. Offered at prices far below those of Swiss rivals with similar complications, Radcliffe’s creations prove that fine watchmaking doesn’t need a five-figure price tag.
Spring Sprang Sprung 2025 runs at the National Design Centre from Nov 8 to 9. Visit spring-sprang-sprung.com for more information.
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