Are these the Big Brands of the Future?

Twenty years ago, some of the biggest, hottest brands around today -- Richard Mille, F.P. Journe, Urwerk and the like -- were just starting out. These upstarts have grown their empires to a point where they stand shoulder to shoulder with the legacy brands of the industry, the guys who have corporate backing and generations of institutional knowledge, history and wealth behind them.

So it's worth asking what brands just starting out today are going to be the dominant players in a few decades' time? It's a tricky question to ask because the landscape has changed a lot since 2004; it's much more competitive, and the path to success has become increasingly tricky to walk. Having said that, it's also worth noting that for every Urwerk or Journe, there are a dozen or more equally talented independents who have been relegated to the auction catalogues and history books.

Nonetheless, there's a few brands who have had incredible early success and may have what it takes to go the distance

Baltic

If you had said to one of Baltic's first customers in 2016 that the French online-only microbrand Baltic would be one of the most consistently respected and critically well-received brands of 2024, honestly, they wouldn't have believed you. The landscape for this sort of direct-to-consumer brand has changed so quickly that the once ubiquitous label 'microbrand' doesn't work anymore. For one, the odds are exceptionally good that Baltic is outperforming quite a few Swiss stalwarts when it comes to sales by volume. Not only has the stigma around online offerings changed dramatically, but the quality of Baltic's offerings, from core vintage references like the Aquascaphe to more elevated offerings like the stone-dialled Prismic collection, have been incredibly smartly done. Then there is 'Baltic Experiments', an elevated subbrand launched with a unique perpetual calendar for Only Watch that hints at the more upscale future of the brand. The last eight years have seen the Baltic do everything right. They've laid incredibly strong foundations and become an increasingly well-respected part of the Swiss watchmaking machine. There's every chance that we'll see Baltic exhibiting at the Palexpo in the next 10 years, and 

Czapek Genève

Another brand with a bright future is Czapek & Cie. While the brand name dates back to the nineteenth century, in the modern era, it dates from 2012 when the name was revived under the leadership of Xavier de Roquemaurel. Since 2015, the brand has been producing watches and quickly earning acclaim, with a GPHG win in 2016. In 2020, the brand released the watch that put them on the track to mainstream fame — the Antarctique, their own take on the wildly popular integrated sports watch that had enough points of difference for it to stand out in the admittedly crowded field. On the back of this success, the brand invested in increasing production, setting itself up for future sustainable growth. On top of that, Czapek has also diversified, debuting the dressier Promenade, just in case the appetite for integrated bracelets slows down. On top of that, Czapek's focus on artisanal crafts and dial finishes ensures that there are plenty of places for this young brand to shine for years to come.

H. Moser & Cie 

You could make a strong argument that Moser is already, by every meaningful definition, a big brand. The brand produces around 3000 watches a year, a number that represents significant growth over the years but still feels appropriate for its 'Very Rare' tagline. Having said that, Moser has the bones of something much bigger. Thanks to the capabilities provided by the fully owned subsidiary Precision Engineering AG, Moser is among the very few brands that can produce their own hairsprings. On top of that, the parent company has a stake in the renowned movement atelier Agenhor. Add to this the brand's smart design choices and the charisma and marketing smarts of the Meylans, and Moser looks like they're in it for the long haul.