It’s not easy to find something genuinely new in the world of watches. Luxury marques keep pumping out the hits with subtle changes to their classic models while telling customers the same stories they’ve told for decades. Technology, meanwhile, inches forward in tiny increments – a thinner case here, a long-distance power reserve there.

And so newness turns up in different ways – the odd punk dial or a fresh take on heritage watchmaking, often from independent upstarts that challenge the design norms of the wider industry.

These are the coolest new and underground watch brands we have our eye on.

Dan Henry Watches

Want a vintage-inspired watch at an affordable price? Dan Henry Watches, named after its founder, a renowned watch collector, draws inspiration from iconic watch styles spanning several decades. The emphasis is on the period from the 1960s to the 1980s, with divers, chronographs and dress watches combining classic aesthetics with modern construction.

Featuring well-crafted stainless steel cases, reliable Japanese or Swiss quartz movements and details like domed sapphire crystal glass, they are notable for blending nostalgic elegance with contemporary functionality.

Limited-edition runs on each model also ensure that wearers feel they own something unique.

Shop now at Dan Henry Watches

Monbrey

If you appreciate a minimalist and sophisticated approach to watchmaking, Monbrey is well worth a look. The brand is all about clean lines, uncluttered dials and high-quality materials.

Monbrey’s watches reference classic, wear-anywhere designs from the 1970s and 80s. They feature slim cases, elegant indices and simple, versatile designs that work well for both formal and casual occasions.

Premium materials such as stainless steel cases and sapphire crystals are standard, ensuring durability and scratch resistance. You’ll also find a mix of quartz or automatic options and a palette that includes some unexpected colours alongside the staple black, white and silver.

Shop now at Monbrey

Void Watches

Void Watches are known for modern, geometric dials that emphasise the beauty in functional design. The brand takes a distinctive, architectural approach to watch design, often incorporating minimalist dials with clean lines that prioritise clarity and readability.

Its cases are made of high-grade stainless steel and PVD coatings, providing durability and a sleek finish. Retrofuturistic digital watches incorporating 70s and 80s-style readouts on brushed stainless steel cases are also available.

If you want something quietly bold on your wrist, look no further.

Shop now at Void Watches

Wolbrook

Wolbrook is a heritage watchmaker originally known for its robust watches in the mid-20th century. It has been revived with a focus on adventure and durability.

The brand’s timepieces have a strong emphasis on functionality, particularly in the realm of dive and field watches. Wolbrook has long been known for its solid build quality, featuring stainless steel cases, screw-down crowns and high water resistance, making them ideal for sports or outdoor lifestyles.

Oversized numerals are a design signature, and the dials feature bold indices and luminescent hands for easy readability. A perfect blend of vintage appeal and rugged modernity, this watch brand caters to anyone seeking a tough, reliable timepiece from the golden era of tool watches.

Shop now at Wolbrook

Boken

A British brand with a Japanese name selling Swiss-made watches inspired by action and adventure. That’s what you get with Boken, whose classic-looking dive watches are particularly impressive. Screw-down crowns, 1000m water resistance and helium escape valves rarely come at such competitive prices.

There’s an eco-conscious element, too, as the brand donates £50 from every purchase to an ocean-related charity.

Shop now at Boken

Bvor

London-based Bvor is an upstart watch brand created by three young engineers in 2020. The company’s first watch, the Vision, features a 42mm cushion-shaped stainless steel case. Inside, you’ll find a Miyota automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve.

The overall design feels luxe and industrial at the same time, a clever balance act that few watchmakers manage. Bvor is definitely a brand to watch.

Shop now at Bvor

Adley

You’ve seen watches inspired by racecars and fighter jets. Now, see some inspired by bicycles. Adley is a British watch brand whose clean, modern dials are built around motifs of gears and bike wheels.

It’s an effective, memorable design choice and one that’s certain to appeal to the MAMIL (middle-aged men in Lycra) population, not least because bikes and watches share a need for complicated, well-built components.

Stainless steel cases and easy-to-read indices make them practical in the saddle, too.

Shop now at Adley

Aera

Aera is a luxury watch brand that seeks to make the functional beautiful. It takes classic tool watches—divers, pilot watches and chronographs—and gives them a clean, ever-so-slightly feminine touch.

It’s a seductive approach that looks great on the wrist, but each model is also a high-performance timepiece designed for precision and practicality. The dive watches, for example, are good down to 300m and come with high-vis indices and unidirectional bezels.

There are automatic Swiss movements across the collection, too, offering mechanical excellence and reliability.

Shop now at Aera

Paulin

Watch design is a weirdly serious business. Few brands create watches that are fun and colourful to look at. One exception is Paulin, a Scottish brand that’s been around for 10 years but still feels new.

This is a watch brand that is unafraid of colour and design pops. Its numerals and typography are lively and artistic; the dials are often bright and patterned, and even the hands come in a rainbow of pastels and primary colours.

The collection has a mix of quartz and mechanical movements, but the main appeal is a design ethos that will put a smile on your watch’s face—and your own.

Shop now at Paulin