Why I Built
Metropolis Watches

Founder Note

When I first got into watch collecting, I thought choosing the right watch would be the hard part. I quickly learned that simply finding all the brands out there was just as challenging.

The microbrand world is much bigger than most people realize, but it is scattered all over the internet. I might discover one brand in a forum discussion, another through a YouTube video, and another buried in a social media post. Some were easy to research. Others were nearly impossible to find unless you already knew exactly what you were looking for.

Before long, I had more browser tabs open than I would care to admit.

One tab had the company story. Another had the watch specifications. Another had the clearest photos. Even after all that searching, I sometimes still could not find basic information like the movement, case size, lug-to-lug measurement, crystal type, water resistance, price, or where the brand was located.

It was exciting because every brand seemed to lead me to several more. It was also frustrating because there was not one place where I could step back and see the bigger picture.

I kept thinking: why is there not a central place where collectors can discover these brands, explore their watches, compare the important details, and then visit the official brand when they are ready to learn more?

Eventually, I decided to build it. That is how Metropolis Watches began.

Metropolis is the resource I wish I had when I started collecting. It is a place where new collectors can learn without feeling overwhelmed and experienced collectors can discover brands or models that may have slipped under their radar.

Metropolis is not a watch store, and it is not meant to replace a brand official website, an authorized retailer, or a true hands-on review.

Think of it as a starting point — a place to explore, learn, compare, and build a shortlist.

I am not here to tell you which watch you should buy. Watches are personal. What matters to one collector may mean nothing to another. Some people care about movement history. Others care about dimensions, durability, design, value, or simply how a watch makes them feel when they put it on.

My goal is to make the research easier and give you enough useful information to decide which watches deserve a closer look.

At the heart of Metropolis is a growing directory of microbrand and independent watchmakers from around the world.

You do not need to know a brand name before you begin. You can browse by location, style, price range, and other characteristics to see what is out there.

That matters because some of the most creative and interesting watches are not coming from the names found in every shopping mall. They are being designed by small teams, independent creators, and passionate watch enthusiasts who may not have the advertising budgets or retail reach of the major brands.

A great watch should not remain hidden simply because the company behind it is small.

Finding a brand is only the beginning. Once a watch catches your attention, the next step is figuring out whether it actually fits your wrist, your needs, and your budget.

Metropolis brings watch information together in a more consistent format so you can spend less time hunting for specifications and more time comparing the things that matter.

• Case diameter and lug-to-lug measurements
• Movement and caliber details
• Case and crystal materials
• Water-resistance ratings
• Pricing information when available
• Product images and visual references
• Brand history and location
• Links to the official manufacturer
• Tools for comparing multiple watches

Every watch company presents information differently. Some provide every measurement imaginable. Others leave you digging through product pages, FAQs, reviews, and forum posts. I try to organize that information in a way that makes it easier to understand and compare.

Prices, availability, warranties, and specifications can change, so the official brand website should always be the final source before making a purchase. Metropolis is here to help you narrow the field and figure out where you want to look next.

I believe there should be a clear difference between information provided by a manufacturer, my own editorial opinion, and a genuine hands-on review.

A catalog listing is not the same as spending time with a watch on the wrist. Metropolis will not claim that a watch has been personally handled or tested when it has not.

Specifications are gathered primarily from official manufacturer sources and organized to make research and comparison easier. As better or newer information becomes available, listings can be updated.

When something is missing, unclear, or uncertain, I would rather say that than fill the space with confident-sounding marketing language.

Metropolis is here to help collectors make better-informed decisions — not pretend that every question has a perfect answer.

I want Metropolis to be useful not only to collectors, but also to the people designing and building the watches.

Independent brands can submit their company for consideration, provide model information, and request updates or corrections to existing listings. Collectors can also help by pointing out missing brands, incorrect specifications, outdated links, or information that needs another look.

A catalog covering hundreds of independent brands will never be perfect. Products change, prices move, models sell out, and companies update their collections all the time. That is the reality of building something like this.

Corrections and constructive feedback are not a nuisance — they are part of making Metropolis more accurate and useful for everyone.

Metropolis Watches will probably never be finished, and I think that is part of what makes it interesting.

The independent watch world does not stand still. New companies launch, existing brands experiment with different movements and materials, and designers continue finding new ways to rethink something people have been wearing on their wrists for generations.

I am still a collector. I am still learning. And I still enjoy falling down the same watch-related rabbit holes that led me to build this site in the first place.

Whether you are researching your first automatic watch, comparing candidates for your next purchase, hunting for something unusual, or just browsing because watches are fun, I hope Metropolis helps you find something you might not have discovered otherwise.

If the site saves you from opening another dozen browser tabs, teaches you something useful, or introduces you to a watchmaker you have never heard of, then it is doing exactly what I built it to do.