This article was originally published in the November/December 2022 Issue of the WatchTime print magazine.

The surge in popularity that independent watch brands and watchmakers have enjoyed these last several years is apparent and clearly here to stay. These ?indie? Swiss, German and Japanese brands and watchmakers have been able to meet the moment by recruiting top talent that would previously have stuck to the bigger names in the industry. This talent pool is part of the larger watchmaking infrastructure that supports and nurtures the proliferation of independent brands that can appeal to the most discerning and seasoned collectors out there. This infrastructure is comprised of an existing manufacturing apparatus, human resources such as watchmaking talent, and a deep institutional memory that can only be established after decades ? and indeed centuries ? of watchmaking history.
But what about independent brands and watchmakers sprouting from less horologically arable lands such as the United States" America is a land of contradictions when it comes to the watch world. It is the biggest market for Swiss watches in the world but it?s also an infrastructural desert with little to no remnants of a once storied watchmaking industry. But, there is hope. The acceleration of virtual communication and networking due to rapid developments in tech and social media has allowed some exceptionally committed Americans to shake off the rut and pioneer a new path. The pan...