From Thanksgiving to Christmas, a considered in-person experience turns a watch from an SKU into a gift worth giving.

The rise of brand communities reflects this shift. Collectors no longer want to remain anonymous consumers in a checkout cart. They want to talk to the founder. They want to see production updates, design sketches, mistakes, revisions.

The reality is simple: watches require maintenance, and every watch brand eventually faces performance issues, warranty claims, and customer quality concerns. How a brand responds to these issues increasingly determines its long-term credibility and survival.

Marrying springs and silicon isn’t easy. Every millimeter counts inside a mechanical case. Battery efficiency, component miniaturization, and long-term durability remain obstacles. Many brands are now collaborating with electronic startups and fintech engineers to co-develop modules that don’t interfere with a movement’s heartbeat.

President Trump just announced a 100% tariff on China effective Nov 1, 2025—an immediate, seismic blow to microbrand watchmakers using Chinese supply: costs double, margins vanish; triage cash, lock suppliers, diversify now.

The short-term effects of Trump’s tariffs are dramatic: surging prices, falling demand for new imports, and existential risk for small brands. In the longer term, the industry will see deeper global integration in secondhand sales, more diversified sourcing and manufacturing, and unpredictable pricing dynamics as both trade policy and consumer response evolve.

AI has become a bridge between microbrands and individual collectors, building unprecedented intimacy.

My first microbrand was a Kickstarter find, a simple field watch with a clean dial, a Miyota movement, and a price that didn’t make me sweat.

There’s a perfect storm right now: collectors are more open to small brands, the retail landscape is more accessible, and the global supply chain shake-up has leveled the field in ways we didn’t expect.