New Watches – Some of the Most Exciting Releases of 2023 (So Far!) By Extropian

We’re halfway through the year, and 2023 has already seen a bunch of great watches released by indy and micro brands. Here’s a selection of some of our favorites so far…

anOrdain – Model 1 Fabrik (£1,350-1,450)

The Fabrik gives anOrdain’s original Model 1 a subtle update, with a range of beautiful semi-matte dials inspired by the colors, contour lines, and typography of antique Ordnance Survey maps, giving them a wonderful sense of depth and texture. It’s available in plain white, salmon pink, a steely grayish blue, and a very cool GMT variant in vivid purple with a rich contrast between the sunken inner dial and sun-brushed outer dial.

Borealis – UMI Version ($399)

With a planned launch sometime in the fall of 2023, the UMI is a true supercompressor dive watch with two crowns, one of which controls an internal timing bezel. Inspired by the Ursa Minor constellation (or Little Dipper), which is used by mariners to navigate the seas and is a symbol of guidance and direction, this is a watch built for adventure, with 300m water resistance and powered by a Seiko NH35 or NH38 automatic movement (the former with a date window option). Available in a wide range of dial and bezel colors with bold, minimalist markers.

Christopher Ward – C60 Graphite (€825)

Christopher Ward’s C60 Graphite is a ruggedly handsome diver with a muted gray-black palette inspired by the steel hulls of submarines. Boasting a gunmetal PVD-coated case and bezel along with a sandblasted matte gray dial and a handset and baton indices filled with Super-LumiNova it blends a stealthy appearance with maximum night-time visibility. And with an impressive 600m water resistance, this is a watch you can take into the depths without having to worry – but be quick, as it’s limited to just 250 pieces!

Circula – AquaSport GMT (€1,299-€1,399)

Circula’s Aquasport GMT expands their popular range of dive watches with a model that enables the display of three separate time zones. With a subtle blend of colors ranging from the vibrant blue-green dial to the orange of the hand-applied indices and the dual-tone petrol blue/turquoise bezel, this watch is a real stunner. The bi-directional 48-click sapphire bezel, 56-hour power reserve, and 200m water resistance all add up to the kind of high quality, sophisticated package you’d expect from such a long-established brand.

Direnzo – DRZ04 Mondial 2023 (750 CHF)

Swiss brand Direnzo has carved an interesting niche with its line of exquisite watches inspired by the timeless aesthetics of mid-20th Century racing cars and aircraft. The RZ04 Mondial is yet another elegant and sophisticated entry in their catalog, with a 316L brushed stainless-steel case with polished accents, exhibition caseback, and a gorgeous bowl-shaped dial with applied markers, a date window at 6 o’clock, and some really striking semi-skeletonized hands. Available in a range of bold dial colors (and also a meteorite version limited to just 60 pieces).

Draken – Aoraki ($399)

Draken’s Aoraki is a classic Field watch designed for maximum durability and visibility, with some great modern touches to lift it way above the average. Available in four different dial/handset combinations, each with their own unique character, all versions feature an anti-magnetic case, a Viton rubber gasket on the caseback to reduce wear from sweat and other chemicals, and high contrast dial and indices for easy legibility. And they all come with both a military-style nylon strap and a leather Bund strap if you want to rock that vintage flyer look!

Feynman – One Galaxy Aventurine (SGD$1,788)

Drawing inspiration from both architectural forms and the natural world, Feynman’s designs marry elegant classicism with some delightfully modern touches. The Galaxy Aventurine features an outer stamped guilloché dial with applied Arabic indices and a center dial made from blue Aventurine gemstone, giving the enchanting effect of a starry nighttime sky. There’s also an inlaid subdial with a lovely curving second hand and some striking skeletonized hands. Add to all that a handmade black Lizard strap, and you have one heck of a watch!

Heinrich Watches – Taucher 2 GMT (€1,399)

Heinrich’s watches blend vintage style with a modern twist. The latest version of their Taucher 2 is a sporty-retro GMT diver with some delightfully quirky touches, such as a lugless stainless-steel case with an integrated mesh bracelet, box-shaped sapphire crystal, and a brushed stainless-steel steel bezel ring with a ceramic inlay and quirky lumed waves around the outer grip (for an extra €70). Available in a choice of great dial options, including white with a classic blue and red “Pepsi” chapter ring and a really striking sunburst blue and yellow variant, we love this one to bits!

Houtman Watches – Murchison Series (€425)

Simple and elegant, Houtman’s Murchison series falls somewhere between a Field and Dress watch. The Burnt Earth has an earthy salmon gradient dial, matte black hands and crisp black numerals, but for something completely different, the River Lume has a unique two layer dial with a white background and skeletonized overlay. During the day it seems to be monochrome, but after dark three different colors of Swiss Super-LumiNova glow through the overlay with a mesmerizing effect!

Marloe – GMT Collection (€825)

Marloe’s latest offering, the GMT, is available in two versions, both displaying a great eye for detail, texture, and contrasting colors and finishes. “Day” features an icy-blue dial with a rough sandpaper texture in the center, contrasting with a smooth chalky outer circle and a chamfered internal ring containing the 24-hour scale. By contrast, “Night” has a deep twilight blue (almost black) dial with white indices and a GMT hand painted to match the dial so it all but disappears, apart from the vivid flash of orange at the tip!

RADCLIFFe – Le Dome (£550)

Due for release in October, but available for pre-order now, RADCLIFFEe’s Le Dome combines timeless style with a vibrant modernist twist. Available in Charcoal Black or Oxford Blue, its guilloché dial has no hands or standard indices, instead relying on two rotating domes with markers for hours and minutes, both protected by a custom-made, highly curved, double-domed sapphire crystal. A third caged dome on the dial reveals the movement inside, giving perfect balance to the whole design, while an exhibition caseback to complete the package. 

Venezianico – Nereide GMT Qatar ($695)

As the name suggests, Italian brand Venezianico’s watches pay tribute to the city of Venice, The Nereide GMT is named for one the marvels of Venetian naval technology, the Nereide submarine, so (as you might expect) it’s a rugged package designed to stand up to any challenge, and with its GMT complication and 200m water resistance it’s ideal for holidays by the sea! The Qatar edition adds a touch of the Middle East, with an intricate red and white mother of pearl mosaic dial (recalling the Qatari flag), a matching bezel with Arabic numerals, and an engraved caseback portraying the ancient Bedouin art of falconry.

Conclusion

And if that little selection doesn’t interest you, we don’t know what will! But don’t hang around, as most are available in limited quantities, and once they’re gone, they’re gone!