Independents

Seeing this new Ming selling for close to 60.000 euro taxes included .... Have to say I have serious reservations about the terms independent and bubble anyway. For me this is 100% the opposite of an independent. They are DEPENDING 100% on third party sup...  

I have less of a problem with the prices and more of a problem with the experiences. Buying independent watches was as much about the experience of buying „your“ watch and being in direct contact with the watchmakers as it was about the watches themselves... 

But I like brands with a big history that I can dive into and study, and that have proven their staying power over the years. Plus I don't have the budget to buy high end independents.

Great profits in horological endeavors were reaped due to 'easy currency central banking schemes' to keep their system afloat in recent years. As we all know, this has greatly benefitted the luxury goods market (in general), with too much 'cheap currency'... 

It’s been a crazy several years which of course has encouraged many new entrants (watchmakers, brand makers and CEOs) to the “my first indie watch will be $50-80k” market. But entry price points aside I don’t know if these new entrants are bad for collect... 

I, too, don’t see Ming and others similar to them as an Independent, more of a high end micro brand… which by the way there is nothing wrong with whatsoever and we as collectors are allowed to place our money however we wish. Fortunately there are still s... 

I can imagine some of the names on that list: Kudoke, Habring, Dornbluth & Sohn, Benzinger. But who else might you include on it?

I might add Sinn to that list even though I don't personally think of them as an Independent. Oil filled watches, watches with the AR-dehumidifying technology, Tegiment hardening, Captive bezels, etc. shows me they do not take making sport watches lightly... 

I do tend to focus more on real indies nowadays where watches are for the most part made by there creators and not by a designer although some are really beautiful watches tbh .

$60k for a gold Ming? $150k for a new watch school graduates first project? $500k for assembly of the best outsourced parts money can buy? I love Ming's designs, I'm happy talented and motivated youths can make their own way without toiling in the mines o... 

but I think there are two different definitions of an independent watchmaker - one that does not belong to a large group which means Patek Philippe can also be classed as an independent watchmaker and one that makes his watches entirely in house which is ... 

Even an entry-level independent three hander - think Moser Pioneer or Ferrier Classic Origin - competes on pricing with a Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre.

And the Duometre is a quality product by a proven brand with a long history. It has a spectacular movement too, though a little large fand thick for some wrists.