When was the last time, you bought a watch? “A long time ago” is an answer that depends on the person, and if you start feeling the itch, you might consider taking a quick look at Kickstarter, to see what’s coming up in the microbrand universe. While there are quite many projects live at this moment, I found four that stand out from the pack because of their originality.

Anicorn Series K452

Anicorn Series K452

We first saw Anicorn in 2014 when their concentric disk watch became a Kickstarter Staff Pick for the originality of the design and the quality of their project description. This time too, they kept the same concept of concentric rotating discs for the dial, but the design is further simplified to keep only the essential. The seconds as displayed through the central disc. The minutes and the hours  disks have the numerals cut out and as they are turning the time can be read thanks to a line at the top of the watch that is visible through the cut-outs. It’s a simple idea and probably this is why it’s so cool. http://kck.st/1V0Atl6

Marloe Watch Co. Cherwell

Marloe Watch Co. Cherwell

Here is a hugely successful project, something that we don’t see often with first-time participants, but Marloe managed to put together a superbly designed watch, with a hand-wound movement and presented it like a pro. For a debut collection, they nailed it really well.

I’m particularly impressed by the attention to the details and their effort to create an original concept with very few stock parts. The first thing that catches the attention is the dial, simple, modern, easy to read, yet it not plain and boring. The decoration is under strict control and it serves a purpose.

The hand-wound mechanism is a Sea-Gull ST36 that can be seen through the case back.

For more details, head over to http://kck.st/1PPGNYv, there are only a few days left of the campaign.

Tangramatic Nereid

Tangramatic Nereid Argo

Francis de Mundo, the founder of Tangramatic, an Australian microbrand, is back on Kickstarter with a nautical themed collection called Nereid. There are two models, the Nereid Argo with a small seconds complication and the Nereid Pacific with two subdials, a 24-hour dial between 8 and 9 o’clock and a small seconds dial symmetrically placed between 3 and  4 o’clock.

Tangramatic Nereid Pacific

Both models come with a 42 mm case and are powered by Miyota automatic movements.

For more details go to http://kck.st/1ZAiWGX

Tenero

Tenero

Finally, I included another new-comer, Tenero that debuts with an interesting 40 mm piece with skeleton lugs. The lugs vaguely remind me those of De Bethune, while the blue metallic dial — judging from the pictures — seem to give the watch a new identity depending on the lighting conditions. Talking of light, the round indexes and the hour and minutes hands are coated with blue Super LumiNova.

More at http://kck.st/1mswjXh.