One of the most buzzed about launches of this year?s Geneva Watch Days is a project shared between J.N. Shapiro, Ming, and Fleming. These are three of the most well liked indies in recent memory, each occupying a distinct niche in the community. J.N. Shapiro is a brand that embodies the spirit of classical watchmaking, but based in the United States with goals (mostly reached) of being a completely self-sufficient high-end American brand that does everything the old-fashioned way. Ming is a brand that we?ve covered frequently in these pages. They?ve emerged from a Kickstarter-like model to become one of the most creative indies around, capable of producing compelling and creative pieces at both the consumer level and a much higher haute horlogerie space. Fleming is the upstart, seemingly borrowing the best ideas from Shapiro and Ming and twisting them into something all their own. 
These brands have been teasing an announcement at Geneva Watch Days fairly incessantly for several weeks now, and speculation as to the nature of the project reached a fever pitch in the days leading up the big reveal. While you could certainly be forgiven for expecting a new watch release, Ming, Shapiro, and Fleming have something perhaps more ambitious in mind: an alliance of like minded independent brands. Dubbed the Alternative Horological Alliance, this new venture promises to make each brand better with a larger focus on promoting independent watchmaking beyond ?established, convention...