The Independent Singapore Watch Brands That Should Be On Your Radar

Switzerland is as synonymous with watches as France is with haute couture. But is a watch any less of a wrist-taker if it doesn’t come with the “Swiss Made” label? Not if these home-bred watch brands have anything to say about it.

Offering standout watches that drip with attitude and aesthetical distinction at accessible price points, it’s no wonder these fiercely independent Singapore brands are carving out a share of the market valued at over $33 billion (according to a 2019 report on Swiss watch exports alone by the Federation of Swiss Watch Industry FH).

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Known to the world as the tiny country that’s as small as the dot that marks it on global maps, it may seem surprising that this nation has birthed a plethora of watch brands with designs that range from sparse minimalism to outre maximalism.

Less surprising when viewed in context of the same 2019 Federation of Swiss Watch Industry FH report: Singapore ranked sixth on the world distribution of Swiss watch exports, with close to $2 billion to its name.

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The enthusiasm for timepieces on these shores is conspicuous — all the better for watch enthusiasts looking for a wrist-taker with a difference. So go ahead and #SupportLocal. There’s arguably no better way to show yourself as a true aficionado who’s in the know.

This article first appeared in Harper's Bazaar Singapore.