Royal Blue Bavarian Strap by Bavarian Watch, €160 (Approx. £135)
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.
Available at Bavarian Watch.
CuleM Portal GMT Gold, £1,195
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.
Available at CuleM Watches.
Artem Straps Sailcloth Strap, $85 (Approx. £60)
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.
Available at Artem Straps.
Sólás Starlight, Pre-order Price – €449, Full Price – €549 (Approx. £380/£470)
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.
Available at Sólás.
Carapaz Three-Watch Case, From £241
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.
Available at Carapaz and The Watch Spy.
