Hot Watch Summer: Five Recent Indie Brand Releases That Are Bringing the Heat

Summer makes us happier. It’s a scientifically proven fact.

Researchers will tell you that the longer days boost our circadian rhythms, which, in turn, enhance the release of hormones like melatonin and serotonin, which directly and indirectly improve our mood. Summer also gets us out of the house and makes us more social. It just feels more fun and freer to get outside and have long conversations with friends long after the streetlights come on.

As watch enthusiasts, those conversations inevitably turn into discussions about timepieces, and one of our favorite subjects is independent watchmaking. That is why, today, we thought we’d discuss why these five recent indie releases make the ideal summer watches.

For those who chase an endless summer, the new Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto 79 is just about as sunny as a watch can get. Launched on June 3rd, this new edition of Laurent Ferrier’s luxury sports watch celebrates both the 15th anniversary of the brand and its very Dolce Vita origin story.
 

According to the brand, it all began on June 10, 1979, when the founders – François Servanin, François Trisconi, and Laurent Ferrier – participated in the legendary 24 hours of Le Mans race. Driving a Porsche 935 Turbo, they defied the odds and secured a remarkable third place overall behind two other Porsche 935 cars (one of which was driven by Paul Newman!).

Every time we hear this story, we think of bon vivants in super cars standing on the podium getting drenched in champagne – an image of the good life that we can’t get too mad at.
 

The new Sport Auto 79 (CHF 79,000) is a tribute to the friendship that led to the creation of the company in 2010, using the same technical specs as previous Laurent Ferrier Sport Autos while also surpassing them in opulence with its curvaceous, 41.5mm-diameter, 12.7mm-thick case and supple integrated bracelet crafted entirely in 18K red gold.

Summertime should be carefree, which is why we love the new meca-quartz Allure Mono Mint Green timepiece from the brand Depancel.
 

A portmanteau of Delage, Panhard, and Facel Vega, Depancel is a brand built for those who geek-out on the precision and style seen in both watches and autosport. However, for analog snobs, the Allure Mono Eye Mint Green is powered by a Seiko movement, combining quartz precision with a mechanical chronograph mechanism. This combo results in a satisfying sweeping central seconds hand and a tactile push-button feel reminiscent of a traditional chrono.

For design snobs, the retro look of this timepiece is the logical successor of the Allure Valjoux 92 Mint Green from last year. But this shade feels even more summery (and at $495, more attainably priced).
 

The 39mm brushed and polished 316L stainless steel case gives the Allure Mono Eye Mint Green a smaller, neo-vintage silhouette. The minty fresh dial feels lighter in tone thanks to its contrasting brushed black metallic surfaces.

What could be more summery than blissfully floating around in an infinity pool? The recently launched MB&F SP One is the horological expression of that weightless feeling.

First, this pair of time-only watches is MB&F’s slimmest and smallest watches ever. These 38mm x 12mm editions are offered in two metals – cool platinum ($82,000) or warm 18K rose gold ($76,000).
 

To create the illusion of weightlessness on the wrist, the bezel-free case, which is as smooth as a river pebble, appears to float between the detached lugs (much like an infinity pool, it’s an optical illusion; the case is actually connected to the caseback).

As for the face, there isn’t a dial per se, but rather three circular islands consisting of the barrel, the balance wheel, and a time display. Most of the mechanics of the movement are cleverly placed underneath this trio of circles, connected in the middle by a three-spoked bridge.
 

Other than a crown placed at ten o’clock, there isn’t much else in the way of decoration, but don’t we all want to wear less in hot weather?

Pitching a blacked-out watch like the Ming 29.01 Midnight as a summer watch may seem as incongruous as a goth on a beach, but hear us out!

When the thermometer hits 80°, cooler nighttime temperatures become your best friend. Ming knows all about tropical temperatures. Made in Switzerland, the brand’s watches are designed in Malaysia, where night markets and outdoor eating are de rigueur.
 

An upgrade of 2023’s Ming 29.01 Worldtimer, the 29.01 Midnight offers a lot of wrist presence without feeling over-accessorized. Of course, a world-timer is an essential timepiece for vacationers, but the monochromatic display makes the busyness of the world-timer complication feel more elegant.

The cities and 24-hour numerals are displayed on the dial, not the bezel, making it feel even more minimalist. And even though it measures in at 40mm, its DLC-coated titanium case makes it feel light on the wrist.
 

If you are a worldly type, this handsome watch easily travels between day and night (or if you tend to stay in the shadows, between twilight and night). This 25-piece limited edition is priced at CHF 22,000.

Swiss indie Breva Genève was founded in 2010 by Vincent Dupontreué and built a niche in watchmaking circles by incorporating interesting complications – such as a barometer, an altimeter, and even a retractable speedometer (all fun features for the boys and girls of summer) – into its watches. Then, Breva went into hibernation for a few years.

Fortunately, the watchmaker returned in March of this year with the Segreto di Lario Serenade Blue, a 41mm, cushion-shaped, 18k pink gold watch inspired by the brand’s elegant Breva model.
 

However, more recently, the brand (whose name, Breva, is a reference to the breeze that blows over Lake Como) released two new Segreto di Lario (Italian for the “Secret of Lake Como”) models: the Slate Grey and Sunset.
 

Although still housed in a 41mm, cushion-shaped case, these two new titanium models are classic examples of haute horlogerie that will put the wind in the sails of more modern collectors, thanks to their easy-wearing 11mm thickness.

The display of Breva’s Segreto di Lario collection pays tribute to the imaginative complications of its past. On the face of the watch, we see central hours and minutes, retrograde seconds at 12 o’clock, and a double retrograde indication in the lower part of the dial.
 

This double retrograde display – one for the total 7-day power reserve duration on the left, and on the right, a display for the remaining 24 hours – is meant to remind you when the watch needs rewinding without reminding you that your 7-day summer interlude is over. That would just be rude.

It doesn’t resemble anything else on the market. In fact, it looks like something someone dreamed up while lying in the cool grass and looking up at the clouds. And with a price tag of CHF 46,000 for one of the new titanium models or CHF 58,000 for the original rose gold model, it’s unlikely that you’ll see anybody wearing one on the beach.