W&W ROUND-TABLE #15: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MICROBRAND?
Well, I don’t like to choose favorites when it comes to anything, let alone watch brands, so I’m going to take the stance of “micro-brand I admire.” And with that said, I’m going to go with Gavox. Founded and run by the very genuine Michael Happé in Belgium, Gavox is one of those brands that marches to the beat of their own drum, pursuing interesting spins on classic concepts while maintaining approachable prices. From their unexpected and handsome Legacy Navy series to their new pilot-diver hybrid the Avidiver, Gavox makes an interesting array of timepieces that stand out in the sea of new micro-brands.
But the one watch that fully embodies why I admire Gavox is the Aurora. This watch took guts to make, especially for such a small company. First off, it uses a Soprod mecatronic movement that no other brand has yet to use, which is a risk from a manufacturing standpoint, but also from a sales perspective. People love to say they want something new, but when presented with it they’re often hesitant to buy in. Second, it had to have a relatively high price point for a quartz watch because of the movement, but one that was justified by its incredible capabilities.
With this movement, Gavox was able to build in features ranging from a perpetual calendar to a countdown timer (where the hands move backwards) and a central minute chronograph, to name a few, all displayed via analogue hands. In the end they made one of the more unique watches we’ve come across in the last couple of years. If more brands took risks like Gavox, there would many more interesting watches out there.