The future of watches belongs to independent creators. Long live the indies.
Summary
CEOWORLD reports on a recent renaissance in independent watchmaking, centred on an interview from Geneva Watch Days 2025 with Olivier Romang, Head of Product for Depancel and Amida. Romang — with decades at Cartier and Tag Heuer — explains the appeal and strategy behind reviving niche heritage brands and delivering high-quality mechanical watches at accessible price points.
The piece outlines the two brands: Depancel, a French racing-inspired range aimed at EUR 500–2,500, and Amida, a revived Swiss marque known for its 1976 Digitrain mechanical ‘casquette’ design sold below EUR 5,000. The article argues indies are vital to keeping mechanical watchmaking relevant, stimulating creativity and offering alternatives to large luxury houses.
Key Points
- Independent (indie) watch brands are experiencing a revival, showcased at Geneva Watch Days 2025.
- Olivier Romang leverages 25+ years in big houses to build niche brands with authentic mechanical stories.
- Depancel targets mid-range buyers with French-made, racing-inspired watches (EUR 500–2,500).
- Amida is a Swiss brand revival with a mechanically innovative ‘Digitrain’ design, retailing under EUR 5,000.
- Indies focus on limited drops, collaborations and community-building rather than rapid scale.
- Smaller brands help keep mechanical watchmaking accessible, diverse and culturally relevant amid falling unit sales.
Context and Relevance
The article sits at the intersection of luxury, heritage revival and niche consumer communities. As the big luxury maisons consolidate, indies provide experimentation, new movement ideas and price points that broaden the market. For collectors, retailers and executives tracking lifestyle and luxury trends, the indie movement signals where innovation and growth in mechanical watchmaking might come from.
Why should I read this?
Because it explains — in plain terms — why the coolest watch ideas now come from small teams, not conglomerates. If you care about where design, craft and affordable mechanical watches are heading (or want a quick briefing on two brands worth watching), this saves you the time of digging through trade shows and interviews.
Author style
Punchy. The piece is presented as a concise industry snapshot with a personable interview tone. It’s not earth-shattering boardroom material, but it’s a neat, well-informed read that saves you time and flags interesting players in a niche luxury sector.
