Boat International 2019 - The Under-the-radar Watch Brands to Know Now

secret luxury watches for him

"While there's no doubting that SIHH and Baselworld remain the most important dates in the watch industry calendar, with the likes of Swatch Group pulling out of Baselworld in 2019 and Richard Mille and Audemars Piguet leaving SIHH in 2020, the dominance of these shows has become a hotly contested topic. However, while they have traditionally been home to the biggest brands, there have always been plenty of interesting, unusual and independent watchmakers quietly making exciting timepieces away from the buzz and attention of SIHH and Baselworld. Here are the ones to know now...

Founded in 1789 as one of the world’s oldest diamond companies, Backes & Strauss has been creating exquisite diamond-adorned timepieces since teaming up with Swiss watch house Franck Muller in 2003. United by the pioneering philosophy of combining tradition with modernity, the watches are inspired by Backes & Strauss’ British heritage and often feature the brand’s signature Ideal Cut diamonds alongside other precious materials. Highlights include the limited edition Regent 1609 AD which celebrates Sir Thomas Harriot, the first British astronomer to map the moon. The midnight blue section of the dial shows the moon phases and is set with 17 diamonds depicting the Great Bear constellation."