For the enlightened: Six watches from independent watchmakers to kickstart 2025

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New year, new beginnings. For watch collectors, perhaps this is also a reason to look beyond the usual suspect and try out something different, such as watches from independent watchmakers?

For the enlightened: Six watches from independent watchmakers to kickstart 2025

We have been strong advocates of independent watchmaking. There is just something special about watches that are produced by independent watchmakers, and for those who have yet to experience it, we thought that it might be something that is worth exploring in this new year.

In this week’s article, this is what we are exactly doing. We are looking to introduce six watches from different independent watchmakers, across different price points. Hopefully, this will inspire some of the readers to take the step forward when it comes to the next watch acquisition.

What have we selected? Let us find out.

Habring² Foudroyante Felix

We begin the selection with an incredible offering from a husband-and-wife duo from Austria. Cue the stunning Habring² Foudroyante Felix.

Habring² is a brand that we have often waxed lyrical about, for its honest and well-priced offerings in the highly competitive horological scene. The 38.5mm Foudroyante Felix is one such timepiece, with the rather dressy timepiece featuring the unusual and animated Foudroyante complication. For the uninitiated, this indicator – located at the nine o’clock position – tracks the fractions of a second. While it does not offer as much in terms of functionality, it is certainly a sight to behold for watch geeks.

We understand the last known retail price of the Foudroyante Felix is €6,550 (approximately S$9,235). Beyond the relatively compelling price point (especially in the independent watchmaking scene) and the excellent craftsmanship, there is something special about the story of the brand that makes the watches a tad more special than the rest.

Kudoke K3 Grüner Wald Sonderedition II

Continuing with the theme of another husband-and-wife outfit, we have Kudoke, and their sublime K3 Grüner Wald Sonderedition II (picture above courtesy of Kudoke).

The K3 collection was introduced in 2023, following the success of both the K1 and K2. Unlike its predecessors, the K3 features a rather interesting dial layout which features three arc-shaped scales for the hour indication. Beyond that, the two-level dial construction also lends a nice design touch – as this creates a rather impressive visual depth. Interestingly, the negative space works well for the K3, and this is no doubt assisted by the stunning frosted finishing that Kudoke had employed.

The 39mm Grüner Wald Sonderedition II is perhaps the variant of the K3 that we adore the most. The green dial is especially beautiful, and the gilt hands and movement adds a level of finesse into this timepiece. This 18-piece special edition is priced at US$16,500 (approximately S$22,567), which is a significant premium over the regular version (priced at US$9,350, or approximately S$12,788). If one is looking for something different, the K3 is certainly the way to go.

Sarpaneva x Näkki Blue Moon

We move on to a timepiece with some Nordic flavour, in the form of Stepan Sarpaneva’s Sarpaneva x Näkki Blue Moon (picture courtesy of Sarpaneva).

Stepan Sarpaneva is a Finnish independent watchmaker, most famous for his moonphase display and the use of luminescence materials. For this particular timepiece, Stepan took inspiration from the legendary Scandinavian/Germanic folklore, with the introduction of Näkki as illustrated by Ville Tietäväinen. The end result is a rather mystical timepiece, which comes to life in the dark. The luminescence, as with most of Sarpaneva’s work, is a magnificent sight for sure.

This particular version is limited to a production of 30 pieces, and it is priced at S$33,000. This is a highly contemporary timepiece, with the signature scalloped edges adding a sense of uniqueness to Sarpaneva’s timepieces. The 42mm timepiece is certainly something that will stand out from the crowd, if one is looking for a watch that offers something different.

Strehler Sirna

Andreas Strehler is a name that most watch enthusiasts might have heard of, given his impressive CV and slew of innovations that he had contributed to the watchmaking scene.

While Strehler’s work has always been for the higher echelons of the horological world, this is set to change with the introduction of his latest endeavour: an independent watchmaking brand eponymously named Strehler. Sirna is the Strehler’s first collection, which was christened after the town where the manufacture is housed. This is a simple three-hand watch, but with exceptional execution in the form of its stunning laser-engraved titanium dial and in-house Strehler SA-30 self-winding movement. While this is a departure from Strehler’s usual works, we are certainly worn over by this.

Pricewise, the 40mm stainless steel timepiece will retail at a relatively reasonable CHF 20,000 (approximately S$29,918). While forking out nearly S$30,000 is not exactly something that most typical collectors can afford, we do think that it still offers tremendous value for what it is worth – and definitely something to consider if one is looking for a statement piece to add into his or her watch collection.

Grönefeld 1941 Principia

Grönefeld – managed by brothers Bart and Tim Grönefeld – is a high-end independent watch manufacturer that readers of Deployant should be familiar with. We are big fans of the Dutch brothers’ work, and the Principia is one timepiece that showcases the prowess of the brand.

The Principia is Grönefeld’s attempt at a three-hand time-only watch, without any fancy complications unlike its predecessors. Despite being Grönefeld’s simplest offering, no expenses are spared in the creation of the timepiece. The 39.5mm case is highly sculpted, with a mixture of hollowed, concave recesses and convex surfaces. The movement – Calibre G-06 – is even more impressive; the architecture and finissage is par excellence. If there is one qualm, it will be the large gold rotor that obstructed a substantial part of the movement.

Since its introduction in 2018, the Principia remains a popular timepiece in the line-up. There have been numerous variants of the timepiece introduced over the years, and the Principia Special Edition for Sincere is certainly one of our favourites. This particular model was priced at S$61,890, with only 12 pieces available. Regardless, the standard models are no less stunning (although with a less opulent dial); there is a reason why Grönefeld is well-loved and greatly regarded by the community.

AkriviA Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain

We round up the article with the incredible AkriviA Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain.

Rexhep Rexhepi is probably not a familiar name for anyone who is not well-versed in the scene of independent watchmaking, but this gentleman is rather special indeed. The 38mm Chronomètre Contemporain is one of the watchmaker’s latest collections, signed off in the name of the craftsman himself. This timepiece, also known as RRCC, is a neo-classical interpretation of the wristwatch, with a nuanced but graceful design that features plenty of sensual curves all around. The art deco dial – which is made of grand feu enamel – is a sight to behold as well.

The movement, however, is where the watch really shines. Driving the timepiece is the in-house Calibre RR-01, a manual-winding movement which boasts a power reserve of around 100 hours with a single barrel. We especially adore the symmetrical movement, and the incredible finishing that comes along with it. For some, the attention to detail on the Chronomètre Contemporain is virtually at the top of its game – not dissimilar to the likes of Philippe Dufour or Kari Voutilainen.

There is a new version of the RRCC, known as the RRCC II, which features a seconde morte mechanism. The base RRCC is priced at S$92,000 – but then again, how does one actually value perfection?

Concluding Thoughts

We have covered a sufficiently wide spectrum of watches, from S$10,000 to S$100,000. Granted, the entry point for independent watchmaking is not exactly low, but one needs to also understand that this is attributed to their small production size (resulting in little economics of scale) and their relatively labour-intensive approach. Hence, for certain brands such as Habring² and Kudoke (and even Strehler), the fact that they are able to offer timepieces at their respective price tags makes it even more incredible.

We hope that you have enjoyed this week’s article. Please let us know your thoughts on our selection today, as well as watches that you think deserves a spot on our list today. More importantly, we also wish that this had sparked something within you to go out and get a timepiece today – from brands that certainly deserve more attention than what they are currently getting.

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1 Comment

  1. J. Quincy Magoo on

    The Habring outfit offers their watches at a more “affordable” price, compared to others, but it’s still a hit in the pocketbook. The outrageous profit price points that conglomerate brands, as well as more independent brands, have on offer should be a wake up call that they may be helping to destroy something they have created. With the way that most of these knuckleheads conduct their business however, they’re more comfortable in their short sightedness. Watch enthusiasts will be the losers. But as brands have shown, customers are really not what they are about.