The average personal debt in America is $104,215 across mortgages, auto loans, student loans, and credit cards. Home ownership is starting to seem an out-of-reach fantasy for many young adults. The average age of personal vehicles is now over 12 years old. WHO, exactly, considers a $1000 watch _cheap???_

My new favourite watch youtuber. No bullshit. Lots of genuine business thinking. Very interesting and entertaining.

Some people in the watchworld seem to forget how much money 1000 Dollar is.

This guy should be paid as a consultant to all the watch brands. He’s nailed every point on the pitfalls of design, marketing and more that all watch brands should be paying very close attention to if they wish to succeed. This was a really great episode.

This channel is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Erudite, no BS, no antics, calm delivery, and overall just a pleasant place to come hang out and listen to some excellent topics. 10/10 all day.

Not hating or jealous, but dang it’s crazy watching people discuss buying watches over $900. I love watches but have a hard time conceiving that there’s truly a $1000 difference in value or quality between my Orient or Seiko or Glycine and an Omega or Breitling

Formex, Christopher Ward and Traska are all killing it in the mix of design/quality/value space and i have experience with all 3. They are not the watches that say my Spring Drive or Moonwatch pieces are, but they can't be of course. And as an enthusiast I neither want nor can I afford to fill the watch boxes with Big Dogs. That's not the fun of this hobby for me. You keep knocking back those review offers: what brings me to this channel is the well-considered discussions of this space and no-one else is really doing it. Bravo.

There's not enough genuine opinions; There's more than enough KZfaqrs sucking up to the brands. Please keep doing what you're doing.

I think Baltic is the best recent success story in this space and I'm not just saying that because I have an MR01. They had initial success with dress and divers, now they have released a field option and they're not just teasing the same dial aesthetic each time, yet still maintaining a cohesive brand identity. I think they're killing it

I accidentally stumbled onto this channel, and this video was so well done that I had to subscribe. It really is refreshing to see great content without any shouting, screaming, or hype. Just useful information and analysis.

Let’s be honest. Watches these days are more like Jewelry. For accuracy, mechanical watches can’t beat a $20 Casio. Getting a watch is more of a statement than basic time keeping. It’s way easier to do this with an established brand vs one that no one knows about. E.g you want something that shows off success and achievement, you get a Rolex. You want to show off your practicality and ruggedness you might get a Casio g shock. Collaborations with non watch brands are getting more common. Like sovil and Titus latest mickie mouse anniversary watch and anime themed limited edition watches.

As a guy with a 6” wrist and more pressing financial goals than a watch, the number of watches out there that I feel I can even consider are limited. While the big watchmakers are gradually moving away from the dinner plate sizes of years ago, there are still only a few options for a, say, 36mm watch in that ~$1000 range. As such, the extra variety offered by the up and coming brands is very welcome, in fact it has helped rejuvenate my interest in watches.

You’re an outstanding KZfaqr for watch content. Well informed and eloquent and classy all together. Keep up the good work.

I was in shopping mode for a Tudor BB58 and ended up buying a Farer Lander GMT after I saw it being blown away by the unique dial and originality. The more you lean into the Microbrand game the more you‘ll love it not be mainstream…

This is the second time ever that I've watched a video from you. It is also the second time I'm forced to accept that you're the best watch KZfaqr when it comes to offering insightful, smart, reasonable, and concise information. Just wow! You deserve to have a huge platform, hopefully it will get there eventually

I own at least one Baltic, Loirer, Nivada Grenchen, Scurfa, and Brew. Studio Underdog and Sinn are on my hit list too! One of the things I love about Micro Brands is meeting the owners and designers. So accessible and often such good people.

Mike, another elegant and compelling video where you have weighed and considered the various considerations on each facet of an issue. Well done.

For me, MAEN, Traska, Echo/Neutra and Serica are doing some fantastic work as micros in the

Your strength is your business analysis, much more than your watch reviews or opinions (no offense intended). The business teaching you offer in your videos is invaluable.

Wow. One of the first honest and realistic videos I have seen. You hit all the good, bad and pain points. This was very refreshing. Thank you for this level of clarity

Well done. I enjoyed your perspective and reflection of the vast inflection points of brands and watches below the $2k mark. Your spot on. Great channel!

Farer and Baltic are amazing brands. Farer has a unique design language and high quality standards. Baltic on the other hand offers classic design from vintage pieces of the big brands at an affordable price point without being direct copies and with an mechanical movement. If you want great design on your wrist and don’t care about heritage for every watch you own, these are exceptional choices. Goldberger said, great (dial) design is the most important thing, after that comes provenance and condition (quality). I think this applies here as well.

HI Mike. What I like about your topics is that I never feel that I have wasted my time listening to you. Interesting, informative and maturely presented. Just a thought - If you are sticking to, or restrained by, a dollar limit then there is way to get a better watch for the money - research and patience. Look for overlooked watches that depreciate quickly. I say quickly because that way you will be more likely to get something new or near new. And keep your options open. There are hundreds of thousands of watches for sale at any time so get fishing and find that bargain Tudor for Baltic money.

Man. I'm in watches, and your channel has a lot of important information for me. I like you so much, a lot of deep knowledge. Thank you

My favorite watch channel by far. Things nobody else talks about, fresh topics regularly, no bs.

I found your video to be very thoughtful. Also I liked the ironic placement of empty shelves in the background. Normally the shelves have odd knickknacks on them to generate 'visual interest', but you go to the trouble to put up shelves and leave them empty! Well done Sir! I just subscribed!!!

As you say there is terrific value in the sub 2k market, I recently purchased what is likely to be my most expensive watch (barring a suprise windfall) a Ollech&wajs c-1000 and it is fabulous. Not too long ago I got the chance to buy from Nodus a used sector deep 500 which is also beautiful. For even less money ,although some will look down there noses, a san martin I bought has unbelievable fit and finish. To some extent beyond the 2k I think the law of diminishing returns applies but maybe if I win the lottery this will go right out of the window!

Man I really liked this video and this channel is quickly becoming one of my favourites for really down to earth, level headed discussions and mirror to look at the watch industry especially from a business standpoint. Really interesting and unique within the watch space. Great video.

this is one of the most holistic, objective, and well-written op-eds that I have ever watched. Please keep going mate, we need you! Cheers.

For me Christopher Ward, Formex, Venezianico are all punching above their weight and producing some fine watches at this price point! Excellent video subject matter…..

I’m a fan of the micro brand space. I believe you get good value for money as long as you’re happy to buy a timepiece without history! I feel micro brands are great for the watch industry because they push fun and interesting designs that are accessible to more people. I’m hoping to get my clemence Munro in March and tempted with the new zealos black tip!

Thanks for this and your other videos. So many insights delivered with clarity and ease… a real treat to find you on YT. I’m a fan of Baltic and Farer and see Christopher Ward some great designs and value.

Wow; you're on point and well spoken. Two brands I am crushing on are Marathon and Ollech and Wajs; neither i would call a microbrand. I do like the Baltic divers and even Undone.

Mike, Merry Christmas & Happy New year! Every time I watch your channel I am more hooked! You are enlightening me/us what truly makes a great watch at every price point. I was not aware of the compromises that watch makers are forced to make until you made it obvious. As a result, you have carved out your own unique niche which gets me to return and continue my watch education. The one point you did not mention, but more collectors look for, is how well a watch/brand holds value. Meaning if you spend $1,000 or more, will the collector be able to resell the watch at a price point that is close to the $1,000. Else, it may be a better to buy the watch on the pre-owned market at a lower price then retail. Ironically, many of the points you made about the smaller watch brands competing at the $1,000 and less price point can be said for your KZfaq channel, and you are already at 12,000 subscribers (and 35,000 views for this video alone) just by word of mouth! Keep up the great work!

Another interesting and insightful discussion. I’d personally add Straton and Helm into the low cost, high quality basket.

just iscovered your channel ancd watched 3 vids...you're always on point and you're very analytic in your (also pleasing to watch not only to hear) contents! and i agree 100% in what you said here and about other stuff (cartier and longines legend diver). BRAVO!

This bloke is by far the best out there, he knows his stuff. I'm a big fan of micro brand, owning pieces from Farer, Formex and today I bought a Duckworth. I do own more expensive watches, like a Black Bay 41, but there is much more fun in finding the hidden gems that are out there in the micro brand community...

I think there is a lot that could be learned by watch collecters and watch reviewers about the quality and value of less expensive watches and how they compare to more expensive well known watch brands. Sapphire crystals, stainless steel cases and bracelets, screw down signed crowns, applied indices, quality proven dependable accurate automatic movements, top of the line lume, enamel adventurine or textured dials etc. can all be had in the same watch at the $200.00 - $400.00 price range. Some examples would be Phoibos, Cronos, Seiko, and San Martin.

Nice analysis. There's another point, too, that microbrands can be victims of their own success. By definition they do small runs. I just received a $500 watch I ordered in May. Waiting 6 mo for a $500 watch is ridiculous. This isn't my only watch, but if it were I wouldn't put up with that. There are a few microbrands I was interested in this year but did not buy because the watch I was interested in was not available. In one case I woke up at 1 a.m. for a launch, pressed "buy" 1s after the website was live, and the watch was sold out before the payment window popped up. In contrast that Tissot Sideral you allude to is interesting, quirky, and is a watch I could order online today and it would appear on my doorstep in 3 days. Which would I rather: a one-off watch that isn't available, or a well established brand that delivers an interesting, well-made watch to me, no problem?

First time seeing this channel. Amazing and insightful content! A new go-to for me.

Incredibly well spoken, knowledgeable, and logical. I really like this guy. Bravo!

It's said that you can judge a person by their friends. If that is so then going by the general politeness and positive relevance of the responses to your videos Mike you have attracted some good friends here compared to most other presenters.

Hi Mike, great topic! There are a ton of sub $2000 Watches out there as you pointed out. Brands I have always kept my eye on are some that you have mentioned like Yema who were a bit wobbly in the past but, recently have developed their own in house anti magnetic and shock resistant 70hr power reserve movement which looks quite impressive, Marathon who issue their GSAR (Government Search And Rescue) Watches to the American, Canadian and Israeli Forces, CWC who have been making Watches to Military specifications since 1972, Nivada Grenchen whose Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver Chronograph really looks the part with its vintage aesthetic, Vaer Watches who pay tribute to classics like the Hamilton field Watches at just a couple of hundred dollars, Maen Watches coming out of Sweden with their stunning looking Skymaster 38 Chronograph, Isotope Watches with their Hydrium Nordblad Diver used by record breaking Finnish Women’s free diver Johanna Nordblad, not to mention Doxa Watches in this price range, Out Of Order Watches from Italy with their colourful ‘Shaker’ collection of GMT Watches that remind me of Studio Underd0g’s colour palettes, Serica Watches out of Paris with their California dial 6190 field Watch on its ‘Bonklip’ bracelet as well as their quirky 5303 Diver that reminds me of my Tudor P01. I like so many ‘Budget Brands’ and would be happy to wear them rather than expensive Watches in the current climate of Watch crime that we unfortunately live in. They have so much to offer to the Watch enthusiast and a very wearable collection of Watches covering all bases from Sinn and brands you have talked about can be enjoyed for the price of a luxury Watch. Again, another great video Mike. Have a very Happy Christmas 🎄 and an even better 2024 my friend. ✊

Discovered now this channel. And as enthusiast of watches I will follow it!!. Great videos.

So glad I found this channel. Some of the most sophisticated and well thought out watch commentary I have yet come across.

I own a Lorier, Unimatic and a Clemence, but it’s Lorier that has managed to develop its own design language that makes it an attractive visual alternative to entrenched grail watches without being an homage brand. Just hope they manage to pull out more diverse cases across their offering. If the Hyperion had a different case then the Falcon, it would have already been on my wrist. So indeed, it’s a challenge to go pass the plateau of the initial success, as you pointed out, Mike. Great content!

So,you've been to Warsaw!! How nice!! Decent people are always welcome here. Hope you've enjoyed your visit. Trzymaj się,mate.

Learning a lot from your videos especailly your business/corporate mindset differentiates from other youtubers. Keep sharing your honest views and thoughts on watch industry. Respect👌 Thanks

I just found your channel. You did an excellent job of explaining how things work in a realistic view.

Wow, this is one of the best videos I have seen in quite awhile on any topic, never mind wristwatches.

I really start liking your content a lot! What I'm thinking right now (and might be biased) is that even if your are aware of brands like Baltic, once you have bought a watch from a more reputable brand you might feel like taking a step back when then buying a micro brand watch. And then the thought process kicks in and it might end up with: why not saving a bit longer and getting a BB Pro or whatever instead

Very logical and consistent presentation. As a watch collector, I learned nothing new but it is really useful for people who want to understand and avoid manipulative marketing of some brands. Just my 2 forints. Zoltan

At first i thought this was another YT channel pontificating about big watch brands and bashing micro/"budget" brands. As soon as Jody's new brand was mentioned I zeroed in. Great timing for a perspective on the current shift in the watch market AND putting a finger on the things that seem to be driving it. All while calling out the old snobbery, giving new makers credibility, and offering guidance to all. Top marks 🤙🏽

Great topic and astute insights. I think the psychology of numbers definitely plays a role; > $500, then > $1000. That’s why stores mark products at values just under whole numbers ‘and 99 cents.’ And $1000 is where people start to look at their weekly pay and calculate what % the watch will eat up. Own 2 Farers; that Lander with its Milgauss-like dial may be the 3rd.

I have the recently released Christopher Ward C60 Atoll 300 in Reef Blue. It’s a stunning watch and a great company to deal with!

Found your channel very recently, great content and I love how you speak so openly about some"controversial" topics. Baie dankie.

wow i just find my favorite watch expert youtuber way to go buddy great job we your channel

Greek. Doxa = Glory. Yema = Blood. Nomos = Law. Omega, etc. I find it interesting how many different watch brands are using Greek names... As a Greek, I like it. There are clearly many in our hobby who have a great deal of style. Merry Christmas all & Free Bethlehem. ;-)

I appreciate many cheaper watches from afar, but the reason i don't buy them is that I already have several higher value watches. When i think about it, I'm unlikely to reach for a cheaper watch when already have nicer watches. It's a constraint i wish i didn't feel, but now that i have them, I like have something high value on my wrist.

As a person who likes microbrand, this video is excellent. The way you approach this topic reminds me of how my consultant friends. Forget hiring other youtubers for design input, brands should come to you to help grow their businesses!

First time I’ve found this channel. I’m very impressed! Thanks for making this sharp, non hyped content. Regards from South Australia.

Formex make excellent watches for the money I’d say the most watch you can get in that category

Thanks for such a thoughtful video Mike. For me I'm quite satisfied with Christopher Ward and Monta being the top end of my range and both are sub $2K.

Another great detailed and well structured vid. Pure Bauhaus. Entertaining as well. Thank you for your time. Chris

Your videos are really good, and I enjoy them tremendously - you always present a very thoughtful distillation of the importance of design and design language, and the many factors that influence its development over time. Yours has become one of my favorite watch channels. Thanks for posting.

My problem with all modern watches in the $500-2000 bracket is that I find vintage and especially neo-vintage offers way better value for my tastes. Exhibit A: 90s Eterna triple calendar moonphase chronograph in 18k gold for under $2k. Sub-$500 I still reckon there are modern bargains to be found especially when heavily discounted, e.g. the smaller Quartz PRX and the Tissot Seastar with thermocompensated movement around $175-250 and the Zodiac Olympos Automatic which is pretty unique-looking for $400. But I'm probably not a typical watch buyer - I don't care about specs, I like yellow gold and I'll happily wear watches down to 30mm.

Affordable watches are the catnip gateway drug that can eventually lead to Swiss 🇨🇭bankruptcy. Merry Christmas 🎄 Mike!😎

The best video on watch industry so far! Brilliant job.

Funny story: Farer Lander was my grail watch. Spending more than $1,000 seemed and seems like an enormous indulgence, but the design was irresistible. My wife bought it for me for my 50th and I adore it.

Great discussion, Mike. There's no question that the big boys have advantages when it comes to scale. But I think it's worth noting that increases in quality and technical superiority between small, independent brands and large established brands is incremental in nature while the difference in price is exponential. For instance, let's compare a Rolex Submariner with a Christopher Ward Trident 300. There is no way to argue that the Sub isn't the superior watch. However, is it twice as good? That might be fair, depending on your point of view, but there is a 10x price difference. Now, to some, the provenance, prestige, and reputation is worth that huge premium, and if you can afford it, good for you. I reside happily in the sub $2000.00 watch space and am very happy with the many high quality options available there. There are lots of great options that do not require you to take out a second mortgage to purchase them.

You nailed it - as usual. I was pulled into the enthusiast watch world after wearing my wife’s family’s Cartier Santos Carree for decades and then learning more about it and other luxury watches in the last year or so. My first watch purchases during this learning phase were inexpensive exploratory purchases at less than $150 (Casio, MWC, Timex). After figuring out what I liked, I made plans for my first nice watch. I skipped over the $500-4000 price block because I wanted to save for something I would enjoy for a lifetime and not just have a new toy. My Pelagos 39 is perfect for me and hopefully an Explorer 40 is next. Timeless designs with history and bullet proof build quality is what I’m looking for. I’m willing to save more and wait longer to get that.

A lot of in depth content and it didn't feel like a 17 min video! Thank you!

This channel is like free watchmaking industry business analysis report. Thumbs up

Very, very interesting discussion. Perhaps your best thus far, methinks. Too many good points to list. You make an interesting point about the plethura of watch brands under $1K USD, yet I was bit surprised at your inclusion of Erebus as it is brand new, and a Chinese manufacture as are literally hundreds of other micros. I see your point re: watch KZfaqrs launching brands, a phenom that leaves me cold, yet obviously is working for Jody and TGV, to name just two. For my own $.02, I'd add Nivada Grenchen, CWC, Smiths and Marathon as companies with long histories and legitimate backstories in the military field and dive watch segment. I'm one of those guys "coded" to think this is important. For me, if I see someone buying one of these new KZfaq micros, I instantly think he (or she) is an easily influenced, empty vessel. Why, really, does someone buy a watch from Jody as opposed to buying one with some history and pedigree? I just don't get it. Jody does great videos that I enjoy, and I wish him well, but I'd like my watches to have a firmer base than one man's talent in front of a camera. As far as successful, new brands, I fully agree on Baltic. Baltic is doing remarkably refined designs with innovations (their Hermatique!) at eye catching prices, at least for me. In any event, well done, and thanks for the food for thought.

For me, Christopher Ward is the best example by far ☘️

Hi Mike, just a quick note to say that I really appreciate your content. It's thoughtful and smart, critical yet respectful. Also, you know how to pronounce "Beobachtungsuhr". Well done!

Really informative video. I felt as if I was being educated , rather than just being sold another watch.

TUSENÖ is my new favourite micro brand. I bought the orange Windseeker and got hooked. I preordered the new white V2 Shellback and looking forward to receive it. The backside of micro brands is that they are making watches in small and limited batches which sells out to fast.

Christopher Ward, although some of their iconic watches are over 2k.

Fantastic video, I really enjoyed this! I've worked with quite an amount of Microbrands (and still do). I also get people 'starting' watch brands get in touch with me, asking how they can sell 150 units on their first drop without a marketing budget (yes, that is an actual conversation that i've had). Some microbrands also don't fully appreciate the importance of effective marketing - the ones that do, always do very well. Another key issue i've found over 3 years of marketing watches (and nothing else), is that everything is so different from generic marketing. Time to buy is a major consideration, and because new start / brands in their infancy don't fully appreciate these nuances they don't invest in top of funnel / new customer attraction. It's a vicious cycle at times.

Right up my street.I have two Farers,Jackson Classic Chronograph and Freshwater diver.The CC was above 2k but has a Dubois Depraz module and the colour, quality and finish of both are good value.Went off piste a few years ago and ordered an Ophion Velos with a salmon dial.They are Madrid based and components 30% German 70% Swiss;the owner is honest about everything.Because CNC does the tedious jobs although it was over 3k still think it was good buy I if exclusivity is important mine is #97 and case made by Voutillinan and Caitlin.

Monta is an excellent brand in this price range

hahaha here im thinking how to buy a $120 watch man tou have to be a millionaire to afford being a watch collector

Recently subscribed and this style of videos is a breath of fresh air in the watch scene. Keep it up!

im not a watch enthusiast nor a watch collector, I only have 2 watches though and were given from by loved ones. With this channel, looks like i'll be starting to collect watches now.

What watch are you wearing there? Do you have a review on it?

Thoughtful, duly considered, sober and sobering. Excellent work.

You mentioned my hometown so greetings to you from Warsaw . thanks for covering the topic. Very interesting!

Micros simply didn't exist when I bought my first automatic watch 25 years ago. To come back to the world of watches after 25 years was like coming from the Dark Ages to 2023. The first shock was the perceived cachet of Rolex and Patek Philipe - these were considered nouveau riche, up-start brands who had to advertise in in-flight magazines. Rolex, in particular, was worn by working class men who were cabbies, upholsterers, and market traders - men who played membership dues at golf clubs because it was perceived as a high-status activity. Second shock was the rise of micros. Personally, I only wear microbrands.

Mate, put something on that empty shelves 🙁

Just found your channel and really enjoyed this video. Looking forward to more

So spot on. I tend to like Mido as much I like Tissot but I feel inclined to fancy these micro brands you mentioned here too.

In my opinion there are 4 brands that deliver the best watches between 500 and 2000 EUR. Hamilton, Mido, Seiko, Squale. I would really like to buy the micro rotor Baltic but I simply can’t because it does not have a sapphire crystal.

Also, most watches enthusiasts know that 5 times a 1000 ish watch gets you a very large choice of luxury and great watches

1. As always, class pov and a great choice of topic. 2. Similar to high-performance vehicles where the focus is on bhp/ton rather than just top speed or weight, the essence in watches seems to lie in their value for the money-a comparison between value and cash. In this light, the value per dollar seems to diminish significantly beyond the $2000 mark. 3. I have a strong admiration for high-end items from less prestigious brands and budget-friendly pieces from more luxurious brands. It appears that both categories strive to make a statement-the less prestigious brand surpassing expectations, while the higher-end brand delivers quality without the exorbitant cost. Additionally, I assume that for high-end brands, the margin is significantly lower in comparison to their entry-level products. Ultimately, this situation works out favorably for us.

Whatever size or market of collection you own, this is a really well thought out and interesting video Mike. Well done mate.

Rolex Submariner is an 1250$ watch. If any conformist is willing to pay 1000% markup, that's fine, but a lot of microbrands offer great value for cost. Zelos for example has an evergrowing fan base. Maranez / Helson / Armida / Gruppo Gamma / Nethuns offer great choices for larger humanoids, without the silly costs associated with Panerai and their post ETA shabby in-house movements.

Did he say vincero?

My sweet spot for spending on watches is around $300-400. I've found many quality watches in that price range, and I especially love my Citizen watches (I have 6 of them). Of course I love all cool watches and I don't turn my nose up at fun, inexpensive offerings from Invicta, which I think gets a lot of unfair hatred.

Enjoyed your video immensely ! Keep up the good work , you are easy on the eyes and ears with an intelligent thought process !