Young, new watch brands are popping up all the time—and they’re reaching an audience that apparently isn’t being served—the new-to-the-luxury market enthusiast. We were introduced to over two dozen small, independent watch brands at Wind up New York City, a-first-of-it’s kind watch show cum cocktail party where we got to see some exciting new designs and meet the designers.

The hip Soho setting was the perfect backdrop for the creatively  cool timepieces that are coming out of small U.S. and Canadian companies in Brooklyn, Chicago, New Jersey, and Vancouver  as well as across the pond in England, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Those from the New Jersey-based Brew Watch Company, shown above, left, were inspired by industrial espresso machines. Oak & Oscar’s just-released inaugural watch, the Burnham, was inspired by famed architect and urban planner Daniel Burnham. And Vancouver-based Halios, shown above, center,  is known for its unique, limited edition dive watches. As we milled around the room, chatting up the designers, most of these small brands had similar marketing strategies.

° They have a cult following
°  They all sell mostly online
° These timepieces are priced to reach millennials and other budget-conscious enthusiasts and collectors.
° And business is growing

Bottom line: We think this is smart because there has been a vacuum in the marketplace for entry level fine watches, and independent companies are a growing new presence in the luxury market. And mark our words, Helios and Brew may not be on every collector’s radar right now, but who knows that the future holds.

• Also shown above far right: Christopher Ward, a British luxury watch company makes a wide variety of watches in Switzerland, including dress, dive/sport, motorsport, and aviation.