The future of watches belongs to independent creators. Long live the indies.
Summary
At Geneva Watch Days 2025 CEOWORLD spoke with Olivier Romang, Head of Product for Depancel and Amida — two small, revived watch brands operating under the ADM Watch umbrella. Romang, with 25 years in the industry (Cartier, TAG Heuer and now the indie scene), explains the group’s mission: revive historic names and deliver mechanically interesting, well-priced timepieces that sit between mass-market and haute horlogerie.
Depancel channels motor-racing heritage into French-made watches priced roughly €500–€2,500. Amida is a Swiss revival of a 1925 brand famous for the 1976 Digitrain casquette — a mechanical watch with a patented jumping-hour and sideways optical display. Both brands favour limited drops, community-building and artisan networks rather than rapid scaling. Romang argues indies are crucial to keeping mechanical watchmaking accessible, innovative and culturally relevant even as unit sales of Swiss mechanical watches have struggled over decades.
Key Points
- Indie watchmakers are enjoying a renaissance, showcased at Geneva Watch Days 2025.
- Olivier Romang brings 25 years of experience from Cartier and TAG Heuer to the indie sector.
- Depancel: French-made, racing-inspired watches aimed at €500–€2,500 — quality and accessibility.
- Amida: Swiss revival of a 1925 brand; notable for the Digitrain casquette with patented mechanical jumping-hour and optical sideways display, priced under €5,000.
- ADM Watch acts as a platform to relaunch heritage brands and incubate fresh ideas in watch design and mechanics.
- Indies focus on community, limited runs, collaborations and artisan networks instead of mass production.
- Small brands help keep mechanical watchmaking culturally relevant and affordable, complementing major maisons.
Content summary
Olivier Romang outlines his career trajectory from sales and marketing into product development, giving him a full view of how mechanical watches are conceived and brought to market. He and founder Clément Meynier are reviving historic marques: Depancel celebrates French motoring heritage while Amida resurrects a unique Swiss design known for mechanical ingenuity. Both brands prioritise craft, story and price positioning to attract collectors and younger buyers who value narrative and mechanical interest over logo-driven luxury.
Romang explains the strategic approach: careful, progressive growth; building communities rather than chasing scale; and leveraging artisan networks to produce distinctive pieces. He positions indies as essential to the wider ecosystem — they push design boundaries, preserve specialised skills and make mechanical watches attainable to more people, helping sustain the whole industry.
Context and relevance
This piece sits at the intersection of heritage revival and contemporary luxury trends. As mainstream Swiss watch unit sales have declined over the last 30 years, indies are filling a gap: they offer innovation, affordability and strong storytelling that appeals to collectors and younger buyers. For retailers, investors or brand builders, the article highlights a viable strategy: leverage history, patentable mechanical features and limited drops to create value without the scale of big groups.
Author style
Punchy — the author frames the indie revival as a meaningful industry shift and uses an interview to show how experienced executives are redirecting their skills into smaller, nimble marques. Read if you want a sharp take on why small brands matter in a market dominated by big houses.
Why should I read this?
If you like watches, design or niche brands, this is for you — quick, no-nonsense insight into why independent watchmakers are making waves. We skimmed the trade-show noise and pulled the bits that explain strategy, price positioning and why these tiny teams might shape the future of mechanical watchmaking.
