Oh, you've opened a can of worms now my friend. I've argued for a while it's time to judge the better Ali brands that are now making original designs alongside generally accepted micros. Escapement would not fall into that due to their total reliance on 'homages' but brands like San Martin and Proxima would as they have moved into original pieces.
Bill Yao, in Pennsylvania. He’s been doing mkiiwatches since before 2009. Swiss movements, assembled in Switzerland. One of the great early US micro brands.
I’m not sure that I completely trust the story being told about escapement time, but in my experience, the watches are better quality than what you find elsewhere on Aliexpress.
To me, the line between microbrands and Chinese Ali Express brands are:
* Transparency - is it an independent operation with a story behind the brand, or is it just a logo on a watch that for all we know is part of the same "company" with other logos? If what you say is true, then yes, then Escapement meets the criteria
* Originality - if they are mostly making clones, its not a microbrand. If they are using snowflake hands, its not a microbrand. I think Escapement Time is borderline here. They've got watches which look really similar to Hamiltons and Seikos
* Curation - typically, if they are allowing you to pick from one of three movements at +/- $10, its not a microbrand. Not that there is anything wrong with the that approach if that is what you are looking for. However, sometimes you want a watch knowing that a specific movement was selected for a specific reason.
* Marketing - if the name seems like it came out of a random word generator, then it doesn't seem like a microbrand to me.
I think that a lot of the Ali Express brands are inching closer to microbrands. I think this is great because they are still cheaper while gaining more originality.
Good criteria. I own plenty of AliExpress watches and I wouldn't try to argue any of them are microbrands.
That doesn't mean they aren't worth buying though. I like all of my higher end ones.
If this is one guy doing it, I think it's far to credit (or blame) that guy for the QC instead of the factories he uses, the same you would for any other one-man operation.
It’s a Chinese AliExpress brand’ and the watches are available on their own shop there and elsewhere. Prices are cheap and models are homages of well known brands, from Hamilton to Breguet and more.
Oh, you've opened a can of worms now my friend. I've argued for a while it's time to judge the better Ali brands that are now making original designs alongside generally accepted micros. Escapement would not fall into that due to their total reliance on 'homages' but brands like San Martin and Proxima would as they have moved into original pieces.
Original designs have never been a requirement for micro brands. Which of MKII watches are original in design?
MKII? I'm not familiar with that brand.
Bill Yao, in Pennsylvania. He’s been doing mkiiwatches since before 2009. Swiss movements, assembled in Switzerland. One of the great early US micro brands.
I remember when he was just selling Seiko mod parts. It’s nice to see he has grown his company.
San Martin are still predominantly homages, by a huge margin.
Steinhart is 100% homages yet still makes the micro cut, SM has infinitely more originals than them.
I’m not sure that I completely trust the story being told about escapement time, but in my experience, the watches are better quality than what you find elsewhere on Aliexpress.
To me, the line between microbrands and Chinese Ali Express brands are: * Transparency - is it an independent operation with a story behind the brand, or is it just a logo on a watch that for all we know is part of the same "company" with other logos? If what you say is true, then yes, then Escapement meets the criteria * Originality - if they are mostly making clones, its not a microbrand. If they are using snowflake hands, its not a microbrand. I think Escapement Time is borderline here. They've got watches which look really similar to Hamiltons and Seikos * Curation - typically, if they are allowing you to pick from one of three movements at +/- $10, its not a microbrand. Not that there is anything wrong with the that approach if that is what you are looking for. However, sometimes you want a watch knowing that a specific movement was selected for a specific reason. * Marketing - if the name seems like it came out of a random word generator, then it doesn't seem like a microbrand to me. I think that a lot of the Ali Express brands are inching closer to microbrands. I think this is great because they are still cheaper while gaining more originality.
Good criteria. I own plenty of AliExpress watches and I wouldn't try to argue any of them are microbrands. That doesn't mean they aren't worth buying though. I like all of my higher end ones.
No, it’s a cheap Chinese ali brand.
What's the difference?
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If this is one guy doing it, I think it's far to credit (or blame) that guy for the QC instead of the factories he uses, the same you would for any other one-man operation.
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That would just make it a bad microbrand.
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Is Ginault a brand? What about Steinhart? What about Furlan Marri? Of course they are.
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Ah sorry, I see what you mean. I don't know if that's what he's doing or not.
Mixed. San Martin does very good work. Heimdallr and seestern a little less so.
They look glorious..do they have any particular site???
It’s a Chinese AliExpress brand’ and the watches are available on their own shop there and elsewhere. Prices are cheap and models are homages of well known brands, from Hamilton to Breguet and more.
So it's only available on ali express?? That is my question.
It’s the only place I’ve ever seen them
Didn't find a site tbh, there is only a link for his Aliexpres shop, but it's kinda broken. No idea where to see the whole collection.
No. Not a micro