Which of these Singapore watch brands will you wear this National Day?

Singapore’s independent watchmaking scene has never been more diverse. Once led by a handful of pioneering names, it is thriving today also thanks to numerous microbrands that have emerged within the past decade.

From an established luxury manufacture like Azimuth to houses born just a few years ago, the scope of what represents Singapore watchmaking is impressive. Each offers a distinct perspective, while collectively, their creations span everything from avant-garde mechanical innovations and historically inspired designs, to culturally rooted timepieces and cheeky daily beaters.

With National Day on the horizon and the recent news that one-year-old LOTH is in contention for nomination at GPHG 2026, there is never a better time to celebrate our creative, talented and very entrepreneurial local heroes. 

Azimuth 

Long before Singapore became known for independent watchmaking, Christopher Long founded Azimuth in 2003 with a simple ambition: create Swiss-made mechanical watches unlike anything else on the market. 

More than two decades on, the Singapore-born, Neuchatel-based brand remains our country’s best-known ambassador for unapologetically avant-garde and imaginative horology, drawing inspiration from science fiction, robots, automobiles and fantasy rather than traditional watchmaking codes.

Its new Mr Roboto R1 Titanium perfectly encapsulates that philosophy. The model revisits one of Azimuth’s defining icons with a 43mm by 50mm crystallised titanium tonneau case whose shimmering surface reflects light like forged armour. 

Time is displayed through the robot’s face: the left eye shows the hours, the right eye the GMT indication, the nose becomes the running seconds, while the smiling mouth houses a retrograde minute display. Inside is an ETA 2836-2 automatic movement modified in-house, and offering 36 hours of power reserve.

Alongside it, the Land Cruiser evolves Azimuth’s 2010 SP-1 Landship into a futuristic exploration vehicle. For this 100-piece The Dark Side edition, its substantial black PVD-cloaked steel case features a wandering hour display at 12 o’clock and a retrograde minute aperture at 6 o’clock, driven by a specially modified Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement.

The crown sits at the rear, echoing a spacecraft’s afterburner, while the entire watch embraces the original and imaginative storytelling that has made Azimuth Singapore’s OG avant-garde watchmaker. 

Feynman Timekeepers 

After six years of focusing exclusively on mechanical watches, Feynman Timekeepers entered new territory with the Q, the brand’s first quartz collection. Founded in 2018 by Lim Yong Keong, owner of watch retailer and distributor Big Time, the watch was conceived as an affordable, fuss-free daily companion without sacrificing the thoughtful design touches that define the brand. 

The “Q” references both its quirky case shape inspired by the vintage Roger Dubuis Sympathie, and its quartz movement, while continuing Feynman’s longstanding fascination with nature through the use of genuine stone.

The collection is offered with six natural gemstone dials: tiger’s eye, malachite, lapis lazuli, turquoise, red jasper and aventurine. Selected for its distinctive colours and patterns, each dial is not just uniquely singular but left free of logos and hour markers. The only exception is a small seconds display indicated by a signature lizard-motif hand, which is a subtle nod to the brand’s identity. 

A pair of specially designed hands also intersect once every hour to form a complete diamond — an unexpected visual flourish that rewards attentive owners.

Powered by the Swiss-made Ronda 1014 quartz movement, the Feynman Q is housed in a compact 34mm stainless steel case measuring just 7mm thick. Together, the proportions, minimalist dial and characterful stone prove that a well-made, cleverly designed quartz watch can offer plenty of personality.

Geylang Watch Co

Few Singapore microbrands wear their roots as proudly as Geylang Watch Co. Founded in 2024 by a local watch parts supply company, the brand draws inspiration from one of Singapore’s most colourful neighbourhoods, embracing a playful, irreverent approach to watchmaking while ensuring every piece is hand-assembled, regulated and tested locally. 

Its latest release, the Apex Hybrid Chronograph in 38mm, arrives just in time for National Day celebrations right through to the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, taking cues from motorsport where the apex represents the perfect racing line through a corner.

Limited to just 30 pieces in each of four available colourways, the collection features an asphalt-textured dial punctuated by contrasting red and blue chronograph counters. There is a stealthy variant combining a matte black PVD-coated stainless steel case with a black dial, a white-dialled model in a brushed stainless steel case, and more. 

Rather than using a traditional mechanical chronograph, the watch is powered by a hybrid mecha-quartz movement, combining the accuracy and convenience of quartz timekeeping with the satisfying sweeping chronograph hand and instant flyback reset associated with mechanical chronographs. 

A sapphire crystal, 100m water resistance and a two-tone FKM rubber strap complete a package designed to withstand everyday wear while capturing the adrenaline of race day.

Constellar Timepieces 

Founded in 2018 by Edgar Koh and Lim Wei Song, Constellar Timepieces builds every watch around the idea that individual stars gain meaning only when connected into constellations. 

That philosophy extends to the brand’s storytelling, with the Destinations GMT collection inspired by the ancient Maritime Silk Road and the rich exchange of people, cultures and ideas between Arabia and China.

The Destinations GMT expresses this legendary journey through unconventional dial design features. On the black Umbra dial, which evokes the patina of aged brass associated with historical maritime trade; Eastern Arabic numerals display the local 12-hour time; while the GMT hand tracks a second time zone using Chinese characters on a 24-hour scale.

The 39mm stainless steel case is paired with Constellar’s distinctive Starlink bracelet that blends the comfort of a beads-of-rice bracelet with the robustness of an engineer bracelet. Power comes from the Swiss-made Sellita SW330-2 automatic movement with a 56-hour power reserve.

Especially noteworthy is this Oman-exclusive “Khanjar” Edition, created following the brand’s first retail partnership in the nation. Rather than simply placing the revered Omani Khanjar emblem on the existing watch, Constellar redesigned the dial around the national symbol itself, weaving it into a broader narrative of the Maritime Silk Road and the historic trade routes that linked Oman with Asia through the waters around present-day Singapore. 

Apart from the Umbra dial colour, the “Khanjar” also features a Blue-and-White dial version, which is inspired by the porcelain recovered from the Batu Hitam (Belitung) shipwreck. Believed to be an Omani-built dhow carrying Tang-dynasty Chinese ceramics, the vessel was discovered about 500 miles south of Singapore and demonstrates that Omani traders sailed these routes in the ninth century. 

Horizon Watches 

When Sugiharto Kusumadi, founder of Singapore retailer Red Army Watches, joined forces with Ukrainian designer Fred Bekher to launch Horizon Watches in 2021, the pair set out to create watches inspired not by the past, but by speculative fiction, modern architecture and space-age futurism. 

While many contemporary watchmakers continue to experiment with asymmetrical layouts, their latest Spectrum collection takes the opposite approach, embracing symmetry, proportion and geometric harmony as the foundation.

The result is a watch, available in three colour variants of DotCom, Softwear and RetroBit, that reveals more the longer you study it. Measuring 38mm in diameter with a height of 11.4mm, the stainless steel case combines sand-blasted, polished and brushed finishes, topped by a box-shaped sapphire crystal that enhances the depth of the dial, under which lies a striking three-layer construction. 

A CNC-machined steel upper dial exposes four coloured quadrants below, while a sapphire chapter ring catches and refracts light to create constantly shifting reflections. Rather than merely decorating the dial, these elements interact to produce what Horizon describes as a “kinetic artwork”.

Powering the Spectrum is the dependable Miyota 9015 automatic movement, chosen for its slim profile and reliability. Horizon has further upgraded it with a custom full-disc tungsten rotor that mirrors the dial’s geometry. Completing the package is your choice of a custom-designed FKM rubber straps along with an integrated stainless steel bracelet.

Vario 

What began in 2016 as a start-up making quality watch straps has grown into one of Singapore’s best-known microbrands.

Founded by Ivan Chua, Vario quickly expanded into timepieces inspired by vintage military and Art Deco designs, earning international collectors and recognition along the way, including the iF Design Award 2025 for its VERSA Dual Time Reversible Watch. Its World War 1-style 1918 SG60 Merlion Trench watch introduced last year was also completely sold out.

The latest VERSA Reversible Single Time Automatic refines that award-winning concept by replacing the second time zone with a cleaner, time-only display. Inspired by the flowing lines of the Streamline Moderne movement of the 1930s, the rectangular 41.5mm by 28mm stainless steel case pivots vertically, allowing the watch to be worn from either side. 

On the front, buyers can choose between the crisp White Tuxedo or the sophisticated Black Tuxedo — both two-toned and showcasing elegant mirrored vertical stripes that reinforce the collection’s Art Deco influences. Flip the case over and the reverse reveals a decorated exhibition caseback featuring the Miyota 6T28 automatic movement and its sculptural custom tungsten rotor, turning the movement itself into part of the design. 

Paired with an Italian leather strap with deployant clasp, the extra option of an elastic metal bracelet, sapphire crystal and a compact 10.5mm profile, the VERSA demonstrates that practicality and artistry can coexist in one distinctive watch.

Waktu Horology 

Founded in 2025 by Dahliah Kamaru Zaman, Waktu Horology approaches watchmaking as a celebration of the Malay Archipelago’s history, craftsmanship and maritime heritage. Its inaugural Kalbu M.O.P. collection centres on the Malay word kalbu, derived from the Arabic qalb, meaning the innermost heart, conscience and enduring spirit. 

Rather than offering a single colourway, the collection tells a story through three mother-of-pearl dials. The Puteh (white) version represents new beginnings and limitless possibility. The Mawar (rose pink) edition is inspired by the tranquil glow of sunrise and sunset across the equatorial horizon. And the Gelap (blue) model evokes the mystery and courage of seafarers navigating under the stars.

Among them, the Mawar piece stands out for its warm pink mother-of-pearl dial, whose natural iridescence shifts subtly between lavender, soft gold and rose depending on the light.

On the dial, the open-heart aperture symbolises the kalbu, while the signature hands reinterpret traditional songket motifs, with the hour hand inspired by the pucuk rebung (bamboo shoot) and the minute hand by the bunga pecah lapan (eight-petalled flower). Polished domed hour markers echo the pearls once highly prized throughout our local maritime world.

Housed in a polished 38mm stainless steel case, the watch is powered by the Miyota 90S5 automatic movement, visible through an exhibition caseback. With sapphire crystal, a screw-down crown, 100m water resistance and a 40-hour power reserve, the Kalbu M.O.P. is as dreamy and uniquely Singaporean as it comes.

Zelos

Since Elshan Tang founded Zelos in 2014, the Singapore brand has earned a devoted international following through dive watches that combine unusual materials, robust specifications and accessible pricing. 

The Comet 39 introduces a more compact and refined collection that brings the same spirit of experimentation to a sporty and versatile watch. It comprises several distinctive references, including dials in mother-of-pearl, and forged carbon with tiger’s eye. There are two limited editions: one with a crystallised titanium dial encased in tantalum, and another incorporating a fragment of a crashed P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft. 

A standout is the Comet 39 ‘Meteorite’. Housed in a 39mm stainless steel case, it features a genuine meteorite dial whose natural Widmanstatten pattern is enhanced by contrasting natural grey and blue PVD-plated finishes, ensuring that no two watches are alike. 

A slim integrated bracelet with an external button-operated quick-adjust clasp gives the watch an elegant profile, which measures 9.4mm inclusive of the box sapphire crystal. Beneath the sapphire caseback beats the hand-wound ETA/Peseux 7001, reworked with redesigned bridges and refined finishing. 

Ultimately, the Comet 39 proves that Zelos can successfully translate the DNA that made its dive watches famous into a dressier watch. 

TimeCrafters 

Founded in 2024 by Darrell Lim, TimeCrafters takes a heartwarming approach to Singapore watchmaking by celebrating one of the most shared experiences of daily life on our island. 

Its inaugural Commuter Watch pays tribute to the millions of journeys made each day on the MRT, transforming a familiar routine into a vibrant and unexpectedly intricate mechanical timepiece.

The centrepiece is a detailed dial built from eight separate layers, recreating Singapore’s MRT network in miniature. A UV-printed map of the rail system forms the central design, while encircling it are silk-printed concentric rings in the distinctive colours of each MRT line, adding depth and complexity. 

The 42mm stainless steel case houses the reliable Seiko NH38 automatic movement, chosen for its no-date layout that keeps attention firmly on the visuals. The dial, hands, chapter ring, and bezel insert are also all fully lumed. 

Fitted with a screw-down caseback displaying the brand’s bicycle logo and a rubber strap, this tool watch demonstrates that meaningful watchmaking need not look to distant adventures. An additional leather strap featuring MRT iconography hand-drawn by Hui.Art and hand-stitched by Yi Leather is also available.