What is Independent Watchmaking?
If you've been spending a bit of time around watch enthusiasts, or reading articles like this one, there's a good chance you've heard the phrase 'independent watchmaking', often shortened to 'independents' or even 'indies'. You might be wondering - what exactly is independent watchmaking? And why does it matter? These are great questions, and like all great questions, the answer isn't always simple.
Financial Independence
Most of the time, 'independent watchmaking' is used as something of a catchall term to define a broad group of watchmakers. But what do we mean when we're talking about independence in the watchmaking context? The most important qualifier is that of financial independence. Many of our favourite watch brands are part of luxury conglomerates - and brands within these portfolios aren't independent as, at the end of the day, they need to provide shareholder value. But then again, there's plenty of major brands - Rolex and Patek Philippe spring to mind - that are entirely financially independent, but most people wouldn't refer to either of these heavyweights, with their serious production capacity and global infrastructure, as 'indies'.
The Traditional Independent Watchmaker
The most romantic vision of independent watchmaking is that of the wizened, elderly watchmaker painstakingly working away in a mountaintop chalet, creating artisanal wonders all on their own — this is the sort of watchmaking epitomised by the likes of Philippe Dufour and George Daniels. In fact, there's even an organising body for this sort of 'indie', the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants, also known as ACHI. Founded in 1985, the ACHI's mission was to preserve traditional watchmaking and the role that independent watchmakers played in preserving these skills. The values the ACHI sets out paints a clear picture of what independent watchmaking is.
The Modern Independent Landscape
To complicate things a little further, there's a middle ground — full of smaller brands that embody the values of traditional horology, aren't beholden to corporations, but still operate as part of a rich and deep watchmaking ecosystem. Brands like Urwerk and Akrivia, that are not individual operators, but have a clear and distinct identity. And then there's well-known independent brands like F.P. Journe and MB&F, who actually have taken on some corporate investment to provide security for their legacy — so they may not be independent in the strictest sense, but they sure look and feel like independent watchmakers.
The Spirit of Independence
At the end of the day, it's these less tangible elements that define what 'indie' watchmaking is. It's not as simple as the business structure or the name on the dial — it's the spirit of watchmaking. Beyond preserving and supporting the values of traditional watchmaking, many collectors agree that one of the most important aspects of indies is the feeling of having a personal relationship with the person who made your watch — a connection to time-honoured crafts and traditions passed down from generation to generation. While the definitions of what makes an indie might be vague, their importance is anything but.
