In your opinion...

[-JP]

What do you think the maximum volume of watches made by a company/brand is to still be called a micro brand? I use to think of a brand like Nomos as micro but now seeing them in very well established NYC ADs I just don't see them that way anymore. Do you think once the brand makes it out of direct sales on their online catalogue or an isolated dealer and into larger stores they should not be considered micro brands anymore? I guess it's a subjective question with no definitive answer; what is a micro brand but on the other hand there is a definite answer to what is not considered a micro brand. Kind of a funny thing. Just sharing my thoughts and wanted to see what you guys think.

[Chase]

The overly simplistic answer is marketing.

[Nokie]

Purely a subjective interpretation, IMHO.

[wschofield3]

Not sure what the maximum volume would be, however, I expect it would be quite small for a true micro brand. Then again, it poses the age old question which has been asked many times....what criteria constitutes a micro brand, which of course you alluded to in your OP.

One of my criteria is if the brand is only available direct to consumer such as Boschett, Bernhardt, Zixen, H2O and others of similar ilk, but then again, perhaps how many watches some of the direct brands sell may take them out of "micro" contention, although, I can't think of any off the top of my head that sell that many, or any outside of direct.

[Raza]

What do you think the maximum volume of watches made by a company/brand is to still be called a micro brand? I use to think of a brand like Nomos as micro but now seeing them in very well established NYC ADs I just don't see them that way anymore. Do you think once the brand makes it out of direct sales on their online catalogue or an isolated dealer and into larger stores they should not be considered micro brands anymore? I guess it's a subjective question with no definitive answer; what is a micro brand but on the other hand there is a definite answer to what is not considered a micro brand. Kind of a funny thing. Just sharing my thoughts and wanted to see what you guys think.

Just like beer, a watch company can seem big, but until I see them sponsoring a yacht race or tennis tournament, they're still a micro. Look at Sam Adams. They advertise, they're easy to find, but their market share is still tiny compared to the big boys.

[Der Amf]

Had this idea late last night, about what my conception of a microbrand is..... (and it definitely doesn't include Nomos or C Ward)

A microbrand is the modern day equivalent of a travelling salesman, virtually hand-selling each watch. The internet has replaced the need to go from door to door, but that level of personal engagement is there. What's also there is the stock: the micro orders the minimum quantity to be financially viable of a model and then gets on with selling it. Once the stock is sold, the micro has the money in the bank, and can then decide whether to stick or twist: commission some more stock? or take the money? Beyond the stock and the desire to sell it, there is nothing else to the company: no contracts to receive x watches per year, no regular orders for y watches a month, no overheads that will continue to need maintaining no matter how sales are going. As soon as the micro stops pedalling, everything stops, with no financial penalty.