The Micro Collector

Guillaume Laidet is one of the key figures behind the modern revivals of Nivada Grenchen and Vulcain, while also co-founding something completely new with SpaceOne. In this episode of The Micro Collector, Guillaume shares his journey from working at Zenith and Jaeger-LeCoultre to launching his first brand, William L. 1985 — and what he learned when that business went from early success to excess i...

Wolfgang Heinrich is the founder of HEINRICH Watches, a German microbrand inspired by the bold watch design of the 1970s while developing a distinctive identity of its own. In this episode, Wolfgang shares how he got into watches and eventually built HEINRICH around a simple philosophy: create watches with enough character to make you look twice, while still being something you can wear every day....

Mickey Brown came to watchmaking from a very different world. A mechanical aerospace engineer by training, Mickey spent years working with additive manufacturing and designing lattice structures for aerospace applications. At the same time, watches had always been deeply personal to him, tied to a family tradition shared with his father and brother. Eventually, those two worlds came together to cr...

Mad and Connor Hudson spent more than four years helping build Projects Watches, learning how to translate the ideas of artists and creatives into functional watches. When that chapter came to an end in 2024, they decided to take what they had learned and build something of their own. In this episode of The Micro Collector, Mad and Connor share how that experience became the foundation for Mad Hud...

Dave Moggio started La Touraine Watches in 2018 at his dining room table with about $300 worth of inventory. Seven years later, after building the brand alongside a career in technology and product management, he’s made La Touraine his full-time focus. In this episode of The Micro Collector, Dave shares the practical, iterative approach he used to grow the business without betting everything upfro...

Christopher Ward has become one of the most talked-about independent watch brands in the world — evolving from an early online disruptor into a serious force in modern watchmaking. In this episode of The Micro Collector, I sit down with Mike Pearson, Senior Vice President of North America and Global Retail at Christopher Ward, to talk about his path into watches, his time at Bremont and Zodiac, an...

In this episode of The Micro Collector, I’m joined by Quinn Lai, founder of EONIQ and DIY Watch Club. Quinn has built one of the most interesting and multifaceted modern watch businesses I’ve come across. EONIQ began as a platform for custom and personalized mechanical watches and has since grown into a broader expression of craftsmanship, personalization, and Hong Kong watchmaking. DIY Watch Club...

In this episode of The Micro Collector, I’m joined by Austin Lee and Henry Kwong, co-founders of Monbrey, a Hong Kong-based microbrand with one of the most distinct visual identities in the independent watch space. Austin and Henry both spent years working behind the scenes in the watch industry before deciding to create something of their own. In this conversation, we talk about how they first go...

In this episode of The Micro Collector , I’m joined by Ray Lin, Co-Founder of Sunrex, for the podcast’s first in-person interview, recorded in Hong Kong from the Sunrex office and showroom. Sunrex has a fascinating story that traces back to Ray’s father, who started the business in Taiwan in the 1970s before later moving to Hong Kong and building a long-running OEM watch manufacturing business. Af...

In this episode of The Micro Collector, I’m joined by Reagan Cook and Ryan Torres, Co-Founders of Vaer. Vaer is one of the clearest examples of what makes the microbrand watch space so exciting: durable, well-designed watches with real specs, approachable prices, and a brand identity built around everyday adventure. In this conversation, Reagan and Ryan share how they went from working together at...

In this episode of The Micro Collector, I’m joined by Nathan Trafford, Founder of Trafford Watch Co. — one of the most talked-about microbrands in the watch space. Nathan shares how he went from a design and advertising background to sketching watches, creating digital watch faces for smartwatches, and eventually turning those ideas into a physical watch brand. The conversation explores the early...

In this episode of The Micro Collector, I’m joined by Nick Lehner, Founder of StrapHabit — a watch strap brand built by a collector, for collectors. Nick shares how he first got into watches, how his background as an engineer shaped his journey, and how StrapHabit grew from a side project into a full-time business. The conversation explores how watch straps are changing the collecting experience —...

Nectere Watches is a Hong Kong-based microbrand founded by James Wong and Tony Yip, built around the idea of connection. The name comes from the Latin word for “binding” or “connecting,” and the brand brings together art, philosophy, and watchmaking in a way that feels deeply personal. What resonated with me about Nectere is not just the originality of their watches, but the fact that they come fr...

Geo Castro didn’t set out to build just another watch brand. After losing a watch, he decided to create one of his own—and nearly a decade later, Geo has grown into a distinctive Puerto Rico-based microbrand, blending colorful design, history, music, surfing, and storytelling into every collection. In this episode of The Micro Collector, I sit down with Geo to discuss his journey into watches, how...

Jack Mason's story is one of the most fascinating evolutions in American independent watchmaking. What began as a brand built for the traditional retail world successfully evolved alongside the modern microbrand movement by recognizing the shift toward direct-to-consumer, enthusiast-driven watch collecting—and having the conviction to completely rethink the business. In this episode of The Micro C...

Serica has become one of the most respected names in independent watchmaking, creating watches that combine the rugged capability of true tool watches with a level of elegance and refinement that feels completely their own. In this episode of The Micro Collector, I sit down with co-founders Jérôme Burgert and Gabriel Vachette to discuss how they built Serica from the ground up, the philosophy behi...

What happens when an IT consultant decides to follow his passion and build watches for explorers, adventurers, and military professionals? In this episode of The Micro Collector, Justin Dorfman sits down with Michael Happé, founder of Gavox, to discuss his journey from IT consultant to watchmaker, the aviation roots that inspired the brand, and how Gavox became a trusted partner for military and a...

Farer has built a reputation for taking classic watch genres — GMTs, world timers, moonphases, divers, chronographs, and pilot’s watches — and making them feel fresh through bold color, texture, materials, and thoughtful design. In this episode of The Micro Collector, I’m joined by James Mulvale, Content and Communications Manager at Farer, to discuss the story behind the brand, its design philoso...

What’s really happening inside the watch industry? In this episode of The Micro Collector, I sit down with Daniel Malins, CEO of Watch Insider, a media platform focused on the business side of the watch industry. Daniel shares his perspective on the current state of the watch market, the rise of microbrands and independent watchmakers, why collectors are increasingly embracing smaller brands, and...

Most watch brands start by looking at what's already successful in the market. pOrtahl started with a different question: What watches are collectors missing? In this episode of The Micro Collector, I sit down with Jordi van Staveren and Alain van den Donk, co-founders of pOrtahl, to discuss how two marketers with no formal watch design background built a microbrand around creating "the watches yo...

Singapore has quietly become one of the most exciting hotspots in the world for microbrand and independent watches — and few people have played a bigger role in that rise than Lim Yong Keong (YK) of Feynman Timekeepers. In this episode of The Micro Collector, I sit down with YK to talk about his journey from watch collector to founder, the inspiration behind Feynman Timekeepers, and the stories be...

In this episode of The Micro Collector, I’m joined by Steven Lee, Founder of DuFrane Watches — an Austin-based independent watch brand known for its thoughtful designs, small-batch production, and hands-on approach to watchmaking. We discuss Steven’s unconventional journey from pilot and software sales into watchmaking, how trips through Europe studying independent brands inspired him to start DuF...

In this episode of The Micro Collector, I sit down with Thomas Brissiaud, Founder of Tessé Watches, to discuss his journey from chef to watch founder, his fascination with 1970s watchmaking, and how Tessé has developed one of the most distinctive design languages in the microbrand space. We also dive into Swiss manufacturing, the challenges of achieving high-end finishing as a microbrand, and what...

Jonathan Ferrer, founder of Brew Watches, joins The Micro Collector to share the full story behind one of the most recognizable microbrand watch companies today. What started as a creative experiment—designing a watch inspired by café culture—has grown into a globally recognized brand with a distinct design language and a deeply engaged community. In this conversation, we explore Jonathan’s journe...

If you’ve been following the microbrand and independent watch space, you’ve likely come across Formex. From their signature case suspension system to their on-the-fly micro-adjust clasps and innovative use of materials, Formex has built a reputation for pushing the boundaries of watchmaking—while staying accessible. In this episode of The Micro Collector, I sit down with Markus Wälchli (Brand Dire...