Imagine you had a vision in mind, along with 20 years of experience in the watch industry, but you needed the funds to back your project. A decade ago, you would have been out of luck. But, thankfully, crowdsourcing platforms like Kickstarter have made it so microbrands like LIV Watches can secure the funding they need.
LIV Watches is a Miami-based startup founded in 2012 by Sholom Chazanow and his wife Esti, who wanted to create affordable timepieces that were durable enough for outdoor activity and still featured Swiss craftsmanship.

In 2014, LIV launched its first model, the GX1 Swiss Chrono, on the crowdfunding platform to a surprising amount of success. It was soon followed by the tonneau-shaped Rebel that quickly exceeded the twosome’s expectations once again. Both projects were fully funded within the first 12 hours. Since then, LIV Watches has revealed several timepieces, the latest one being the limited-edition GX1-A model with a stainless steel case and blue dial. It arrived at our office this past week so we could spend some time with it.

The GX1-A comes in a 42 mm by 11.6 mm stainless steel case with a brushed finish and gray IP Coating. It’s distinguished by a knurled bezel with slightly darker screws that frame the dial and add texture to the case, providing the watch with its casual and sporty look. The caseback features a black IP coating around a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal that displays the Sellita SW200 movement with a 38-hour power ...