Micro-Brand Digest: A Selection of Cool Divers, a Dial Made from a Demolished Bridge, and a Young (Very Young) Watchmaker to Keep an Eye On

Welcome to the Worn & Wound Micro-Brand Digest, a semi-monthly roundup of all the new micro-brand news we’re following, from concepts that show promise, to Kickstarter launches to restocks, and everything in between. Small independents, and affordable micro-brands spurred the creation of Worn & Wound over 10 years ago, and they still drive our enthusiasm in a big way.

Here’s what’s caught our eye this month.

If you’ve come across a project you think qualifies, hit us up at [email protected] for inclusion.

Supra Rub

Having grown up in the south of France, surrounded by fishermen, sailors and divers, Supra Rub’s founder was frequently regaled by stories of unusual journeys and adventures. Epic tales of freedom and the courage to face the seas. That is when he noticed that all these men had one thing in common: a reliable, robust, and well-worn watch on their wrists.

He understood then that not all watches could withstand these hostile environments and that is how his two passions were born. The Sea and the world of watches. With the creation of his brand Supra Rub, he is merging these two passions to offer his inaugural watch, the Aurora, named after his grandfather’s fishing boat.

More than the sum of its parts, the Aurora is quite the dive watch. Made entirely of 904L stainless steel, which has higher corrosion resistance than standard 316L. It features a flush mounted automatic helium escape valve; it is water-resistant to 300m and has a ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel. Measurements are 43mm in diameter, 46.5mm from lug-to-lug and is 13.3mm thick, with a 22mm lug width, tapering down to 20mm at the clasp.

Powering this piece is the automatic La Joux-Perret G101, which has a 68hr power-reserve and beats at 28,800 alternations per hour. Launching on Kickstarter on March 21st, with the campaign ending on April 30th, the Aurora can be had for 1490 Euro. Dial choices are black, blue/grey and black/grey. Package will include a 904L steel bracelet, a FKM rubber strap and 1  extra year of warranty adding up to 3 years. For more information, visit their website here.

Novo

“We make unique watches from really cool sh*t.” That is the tagline on Novo Watch’s website, and you know what? They really do! The Canadian company’s founder has been into watches for as long as he can remember, and crafting beautiful art timepieces for a living has been a dream come true. For a decade now, he has been fortunate enough to design and build award-winning watches for people that appreciate craftsmanship and crave uniqueness.

Each and every custom Novo watch tells a unique story. Take for instance their latest creation, the Type 1 – Champlain Bridge.  As a child growing up in Montreal, the Champlain Bridge was a beacon of travel and vacation. It connected the island of Montreal to the south-shore and directly led to U.S. Interstate Highway 87 (New York), 89 & 91 (Vermont). From the top of that bridge, you could see the Montreal Skyline and memories of returning home from family vacations of yesteryear come flooding in.

That magnificent bridge is no longer. Deconstruction began in august of 2020 and in its place stands a cold, larger bridge, which is very impressive, but what it has gained in efficiency it has lost in personality. Fear not, as Novo Watch has acquired a piece of the original bridge and has managed to craft unique dials out of its steel. Each watch is a masterpiece of architectural finesse and tells a story that spans six decades.

The Type 1 – Champlain Bridge measures 41mm in diameter and only 9.5mm thick. Powering this piece is the manual wind ETA 6498-2, which beats at 21,600 alternations per hour and has a power reserve of 46 hours. The case is made of 316L stainless steel and is a mix of polished and brushed finishing. It has a sapphire crystal on top and bottom, so that the beautiful movement can be admired. This series is limited to only 40 pieces and price is $3,499 CAD – for more information visit their website here.

Ikigai

The word Ikigai (ee-key-guy) is a Japanese concept that combines the terms iki, meaning “alive” or “life”, and gai, meaning “benefit” or “worth”. In other words, ikigai means “a reason for being”. In these troubled times, Ikigai’s founder wanted to create a brand with the intention of spreading positivity around the world. They want to create watches that inspire hope and joy every time you look down at your wrist. Their second and most exciting release is the Ikigai Kame.

Inspired by ancient turtles, this latest timepiece, which is launching on Kickstarter on April 2, truly is unique and screams fun. It will be offered in three vibrant colors: Horizon Blue, Solar Flare and Mystic Purple. They will feature a fully lumed bezel, filled with BGW9 Sper-Luminova, along with lumed markers and hands. Inside the watch you will find the Miyota 9039 time-only movement and covering it up is a beautifully engraved case back depicting a sea-turtle. 

The dials are completely devoid of text, except for the brand name, which is tastefully hidden on the rehaut between 12 and 1 o’clock. The case is made of 316L stainless steel and measures 40mm in diameter, 47mm from lug-to-lug, and 12mm thick, which is rather thin for a watch rated to 200m. It has a 20mm lug width and a bracelet that features beautifully beveled edges and a clasp that seems to punch well above its weight class. Early bird pricing is set at $399. More information here.

OX Oceanix

And now for something completely different! OX-Oceanix is the brainchild of Joseph Bolart, a mechanical engineer, with a degree in industrial design and a certified NAUI diving instructor. His goal was to create a “nearly perfect” diver’s watch. By this he does not mean the perfect dive watch for Mr. Everybody, he is referring to perfection for an actual diver. The result is a timepiece that challenges the conventional norms.

Introducing the FROG300 lineup. To say these are unorthodox pieces would be an understatement. Take the dimensions for example. They are 45mm in diameter but have a lug-to-lug measurement of only 42.9mm, due to their hooded shape. The lug width is 22mm, but the strap is completely off center, to the right of the case. The cases are made of grade 4 titanium with a sandblasted finish and the movement is the Miyota GMT 9075. There is so much Super-Luminova on the hands, dial, inner rotating bezel and even on the side of the case, you could light up a room.

The straps are made of Fluoroelastomer (FKM), which is highly flexible and resistant. The clasp is equally unconventional and will also fit the titanium bracelet.  It features quick length adjustments and a LOCK safety button that allows for quick release of the watch. There is also a ton of unique tech, such as OX T-shaped gaskets and ID+ Sys space thingies, all keeping the watch water-resistant to 300 meters and anti-magnetic to 4,800 A/m.

Pricing starts at $1,430, and you can see much on the FROG300 at the Oceanix website here. 

Charles Berret

Inspired by a harrowing experience while helping a patient with a power-failing heart monitor, Dr. Charles Yeung used his vintage watch and an old-school pulse metering technique to save the day. It is that very Universal Geneve Polerouter watch that was the inspiration behind Charles Berret. The goal was to breathe new life into Gerald Genta’s first design. Launched in 2023, the Darth collection features three different interpretations, which are limited to 100 pieces each. The Asteria, Darth and Arrow.

The Asteria features a stunning dial made of black meteorite Gibeon/Muonionalusta which was extracted from Sweden. Its dial has printed markers and text, and prominently displays exquisitely polished hands. There is a date aperture at 3 o’clock with black printed numerals on a white background.  The Darth and Arrow share the same premium onyx black porcelain dial, with color matching date display. The difference between the two is the hands, as the Arrow features broad arrow hands, filled with vintage effect lume.

All three watches share the same gorgeous 38mm case, with rounded caved-in side cut outs, which add a tremendously pleasing visual effect to its profile.  They also share the same La Joux-Perret G100 movement, with upgraded diamond chamfer edges and blued screws. The latter even has a solid tungsten rotor that provides greater winding efficiency due to the added density of the material. The watch is topped with a sapphire crystal with five layers of anti-reflective coating and there is a sapphire display back, so that you can admire the beautifully finished movement.

Pricing starts at $1,188 and for more information please visit their website here. 

JS Elliott

His name is Elliott Kim and watches are his obsession. He is also just 17 years old, yet his keen eye for detail and design would make you think he has 17 years of experience. His obsession, as he calls it, began when he was 8 and witnessed the repair of a mechanical chronograph. That is when he developed a strong appreciation for the purity of mechanical objects. Clearly, he was not your average 8-year-old. That appreciation naturally led him to watchmaking.

Unable to enroll in formal watchmaking due to his age, he began deconstructing watches to learn on his own. He spent his summers at the library reading through watchmaking literature and by the age of 15 he was already experienced enough to conduct repairs and some restorations. By 2019 he was thinking of designing and developing his own timepiece. Two years and two part-time jobs later, the first components of his prototype started production and in autumn of 2023 the first Theory One was completed.

The Theory One is a blue dialed 38mm x 8mm manual-wind watch. The dial is a radiant sunburst, with no dial print except for the brand name, which is tastefully placed above the minute track between the 9 and 11 o’clock markers. The top of the bezel is brushed finish, along with the case sides and the top of the case and lugs are polished. The lugs themselves are vertically skeletonized, which adds a neat visual accent. The case back is held down by 4 polished screws and through its display, you can see the Sellita SW210-1 movement beating inside.

The Theory One is now sold out, but Elliot seems like a watchmaker worth keeping an eye on. Head to his website to learn more.