Rise of The Micro Independents

The first independent microbrands first began to appear in the early 2000s, thanks to the accessibility of direct-to-customer sales via online forums and e-commerce. Since then, the watch industry has seen a rise in these nimble, niche-centric companies that are driving a surprising amount of innovation and setting new trends that reverberate through the more well-known houses. Their non-traditional model allows these smaller watch brands an agility and freedom that can be creative and bring about some exceptional watches.

If you think a pair of Air Jordans is hard to buy at retail, then consider this: for some of the independent microbrands like Sartory Billard and Ophion, each new product drop is sold out within minutes! (But of course, you are welcome to pick them up from eBay or Chrono24 for double or triple the original price.)

Sartory Billard

Armand Billard is a self-taught watchmaker, using his education as a designer and his experience working in Paris to define his sense of style and artistry for the bespoke watches he creates for his clients. Working alone in a small workshop, Billard doesn’t offer a catalog or a blueprint. Each watch is a custom project from the ground up.

Using the design tools that he’s mastered over the years, he works closely with his clients to bring their sense of style and horological passions into the sketches for the timepiece. Each watch is a unique creation from the dial to the strap, and Billard is able to create six to eight watches each month in his personal workshop.

According to Billard, the experience is exhilarating as a creator, and the time invested in the collaboration often turns customers into friends. A Sartory Billard watch will take about half a year from start to finish and includes the kind of personal touches that can only be captured in such a close collaboration. His gallery of finished pieces on social media and website really highlight the unique beauty and personality he’s able to capture for his clients.

The customer has a choice between a stainless-steel or titanium case, and prices start at around EUR 3,500 for a custom timepiece. Dials are crafted from polished titanium and are offered in colors such as burgundy, blue and purple. Additionally, Comblémine Voutilainen produces special stone and guilloché dials for Sartory Billard.

Ondrej and I met with Armand in 2024 in Geneva during Watches & Wonders, and we agreed to a partnership where INFINITY Watches will not only sell regular production Sartory Billard watches, but also custom watches made exclusively for our customers.

Laine

Torsti Laine studied computer science in Finland and began his career as a computer software programmer and teacher. Inspired by the popularity of Finnish watchmaking around the world, Laine found himself drawn into the world of horology. He switched gears and began to study at a respected watchmaking school near his home.

Disappointed by the purely theoretical work, Laine took his education into his own hands and began to build his first clock from a set of plans. With the help of his teachers and the resources of the school, he completed his education — and his clock — in three years.

In 2014, Laine was chosen to participate in a Lange & Söhne competition for students to complete the design for a moon-phase complication. Inspired by the differences in how the moon appears around the globe, he worked to complete an innovative design that would win him a 10,000 euros prize. He used it to buy tools to continue his work with watchmaking.

He began to grow his skill with a chronograph complication after moving to Switzerland to begin his own watch company. His early work with vintage Valjoux 22 movements was followed by his Unitas 6498-based 1817, and the Gelidus — a Latin word meaning frosty and ice cold, inspired by the frosted surfaces in the movement and dial.

Laine's approach to watchmaking is deeply rooted in traditional techniques, particularly the art of guilloché. This intricate engraving method involves creating decorative patterns on the dial, adding depth and character to each piece. Laine's mastery of guilloché has garnered him recognition among collectors and enthusiasts alike, positioning him as a rising star in the independent watchmaking scene.

Laine attended Salon Exceptional Watches (SEW) in 2024, and Ondrej and I were impressed by his skills and watches. We had a great conversation with Torsti which led to a partnership with INFINITY Watches. Laine will not only sell regular production watches, but also custom watches made exclusively for our customers.

Ophion

Miguel Morales Ribas was still a kid when he first began to notice the intrigue of mechanical watches. His curiosity resulted in frustration as he learned that the watch industry tended to hold their secrets close to the vest. The lack of transparency in how things were done drove him to dig deeper and learn more.

He went on to study Architecture in Madrid and develop the skills of tridimensional design that would lend itself well to the day when he transitioned to making his own watches. A classmate from university, Huberto Aldaz, had been a fellow aficionado and they often joked about turning Ribas’s passion for horology into a new watch brand.

In 2014, the architecture industry faced an economic crisis that ended his first career and offered Ribas and Aldaz the perfect opportunity to realize their long-ago dream. Ophion was created in Madrid that year. The brand’s goal and mission statement were to create high-end watches for a wider audience with competitive pricing.

Their first model, the OPH 960, is a contemporary interpretation of the vintage watches of the ’60s with their dome dials, domed crystal and domed hands. That first watch was followed by the OPH 786, which drew inspiration from the pocket watches of the 1780s; and the OPH 786 Velos with roots in Art Deco design.

Ondrej and I met with Miguel during 2023 Watches & Wonders in Geneva to discuss a custom watch for the two of us. This fateful meeting eventually morphed into a partnership in 2025, where INFINITY Watches became an official retailer of Ophion, including custom watches made exclusively for our customers.