Fratello’s Top 5 Releases From Small Independent Brands So Far In 2025

It’s Friday, and we are back with another list! After skipping it last week because of the new TAG Heuer releases, we are back with another Top 5. With June just a few days away, it’s already time to start looking back at some of the best releases so far in 2025. We’ll kick off this multi-week series by highlighting some of the best releases from small independent brands. We have seen quite a few impressive ones, although not all of them are entirely new models. Some new variations of existing watches have also proven to be winners in our book. So let’s jump in and take a look at our five favorites from 2025 so far.

Before we get going, this list is a mixture of releases from microbrands and small independent brands. We’re not going to be strict with the definitions here because it is more about the watches that impressed than sticking to a rigid definition of what a microbrand versus a small independent brand should or should not be. Once you see the watches, you will understand what we have aimed for with this list. So with that out of the way, let’s get into it.

Serica 5303 PLD EOD Divers

We start this list with a familiar model from the French independent brand Serica. But it’s not just a new 5303. The Serica 5303 PLD was developed with the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Divers of the French Navy. The watch’s main feature that is of the utmost importance to the EOD Divers is its magnetism resistance. As Thomas explained, any battery-powered watch is dangerous to EOD divers because the slightest magnetic disturbance can set off explosives. It’s why the French Navy turned to Serica to create a special version of its stylish 5303 dive watch.

The basics of the watch are the same, but if you look closer, you will see some slight differences. This version of the 5303 has the familiar 39mm stainless steel case with a 12.2mm thickness and a 46.5mm lug-to-lug. It’s also water resistant to 300 meters as a result of the thick sapphire crystal and the all-steel case back. The case features a stainless steel bezel with a dark blue bezel insert. That is the first sign of this being a slightly different 5303. As we have seen in recent years, the guys at Serica know how to pick their colors, and this saturated blue is no exception.

A different bezel with a specific purpose for the 5303 PLD

But if you look closer, the scales are also different on the bezel. The usual minute and hour scales make way for a “maximum dive time” scale. This allows the bezel to display the maximum allowed operation time for a range of depths. The numerals for the scale on the blue part are engraved and executed in white. The numerals used on the aluminum inner part of the bezel are also engraved and executed in black. Combined with the retro-style black dial, it creates another standout version of the Serica 5303.

But that is not where the differences end. The lollipop seconds hand is now slightly thicker to improve legibility, especially in the dark with the fatter lume plot. Lastly, the text on the lower half of the dial features the word “amagnétique,” indicating that this is not your normal 5303.

Inside the case lies the COSC-certified Soprod M100. This caliber operates at 28,800vph and offers 42 hours of power reserve. To finish the look, the watch comes with Serica’s standard mesh bracelet that wears like a charm. However, Serica also provides a secondary elastic PLD strap in green with a yellow pinstripe. All in all, this is a surprising new version of the Serica 5303 that provides an interesting story and plenty of surprising new details to make this our first pick. It can be yours for €1,690. This watch shows that smaller, independent brands can also create great watches for the French Navy.

Anoma A1 Slate

Next up is another iteration of an existing model. The inaugural Anoma A1 made a lasting impression on us last year. The watch stood out immediately thanks to its triangular pebble-shaped design. The elegant case fit the buzz surrounding shaped watches perfectly, but there was way more to the story than that. The watch is the brainchild of Matteo Violet-Vianello, who has a history at A Collected Man. As a result of his time there, he saw quite a few interesting timepieces that inspired him to start designing a watch.

The A1 features a combination of two rounded triangles, with one slightly offset inside the other. It all starts with the stainless steel case, which has a 39mm diameter (and length), a 9.45mm profile, and a 50m water resistance rating. This series of specs gives some kind of direction, but because of the case’s odd shape, any classic interpretation of those numbers goes out the window.

A more refined dial for the A1 Slate

For last year’s model, Anoma used a beautiful dark blue sector dial with printed white indexes. For the new A1, Violet Vianello opted for a more refined slate-black dial. I had a chance to wear this new A1 Slate model for a bit and was impressed by the new dial. As Daan explained, first, the dial is vertically brushed, and after that, two finely engraved “lanes” are applied. Then, the dial base receives three layers of black lacquer.

The markings on the dial have also slightly changed, becoming thinner towards the center of the dial. The logo is gone from the upper part of the dial, while the beautiful handset has stayed the same. I love the hands because they give the design character and suit the case shape quite nicely.

Anoma chose the Sellita SW100 to power this watch. It’s the same movement  Toledano & Chan used for the B/1. The automatic movement operates at 28,800vph and offers 40 hours of power reserve. Typically, this caliber powers women’s watches and comes standard with central seconds and a date window. For the A1, however, Anoma eschewed those features to ensure a clean and beautiful dial design. Overall, the Anoma A1 Slate made a bigger impact on me than the inaugural model due to the new dial. And considering that all 300 pieces sold out in no time, it seems we were not the only ones who loved this release.

Fears Arnos Pewter Blue

English independent brand Fears has surprised us multiple times this year with its new releases. The Gimlet, a collaborative effort with fellow English brand Studio Underd0g, was an early highlight of 2025. We had it in for review, and all the Fratello team members were impressed by the release created for the British Watchmakers’ Day. But the one release that will surely end up on quite a few year-end lists is the new Fears Arnos Pewter Blue. The watch takes inspiration from a rectangular 1920s and ’30s watch found in the brand’s archives. 

The watch features a rectangular case that Fears also used for its Archival 1930, which debuted in 2021 to celebrate the independent brand’s 175th anniversary. This case has a 22.6mm diameter, a 40mm lug-to-lug, and an 8.4mm profile. Covering the dial is a beautiful 33.5mm-long curved sapphire crystal that accentuates the watch’s elegant lines.

A two-part dial for the Fears Arnos

The dial consists of two distinct parts. In the center sits a round blue galvanic time display, and surrounding that is a large rhodium-plated portion with a hobnail pattern. The blue dial features a classic railroad track with Roman numerals placed on the inside. But as you can see, the overall style is far from classic and more contemporary in its execution. It creates a beautiful modern-day take on a very traditional design.

Inside the case, you will find the automatic Sellita SW1000-1 b movement. The caliber operates at 28,800vph, has 18 jewels, and offers 46 hours of power reserve. Fears chose the Top Grade version of the caliber and replaced the stock rotor with a customized Fears rotor. The movement is safely hidden behind a stainless steel case back, so you won’t be able to see it. If you ask me, though, that is the right choice because the style of watch does not ask for a display case back.

Finishing the look are the two straps that the watch comes with. The first is a taupe Barenia leather strap, and the second is a dark blue smooth rubber cut-to-size strap by Delugs with a leaf-spring butterfly clasp. The Arnos Pewter Blue is the first release in a new line of watches for Fears, and it costs £4,350. It’s a great start to what looks to become a signature collection for this brand.

Dennison + Collectability ALD

Dennison is another small independent brand that has benefited greatly from the buzz surrounding shaped, dressier watches. We were thoroughly impressed when we had the first series of the brand’s ALD models with stone dials in for review last year. Dennison has had help from designer Emmanuel Gueit to create an affordable quartz watch with a standout design. The combination of the modestly sized case and cleverly picked dial variations has impressed a large audience and led to sold-out models almost instantly.

For Dennisson’s latest series, the independent brand collaborated with Collectability on a duo of new dial variations. The results are once again rather surprising, granting them the fourth spot on this Top 5 list. As Mike explained, John Reardon, normally associated with Patek Philippe, has worked for Christie’s and created the sales and information site Collectability. He was impressed by the initial ALD models and bought some for himself and his children. After that, Reardon and Dennison started working on this new series with bespoke dials.

A familiar canvas

The canvas for the four models remains the same. The two watches feature a 33.65mm by 37mm stainless steel case with a mere 6.05mm thickness. As we know from Dennison, you can choose from a regular stainless steel version or a PVD gold stainless steel case. Hidden behind the dual-branded case back is the quartz Ronda 1032-1 caliber, which provides 60 months of battery life. By choosing a quartz caliber, Dennison was able to keep the watch as slim as it is. Additionally, it keeps the prices of the watches very affordable.

The star of the show is, without a doubt, the special dial with a blue center and blue-green outer portion. The two-tone sunray dial draws inspiration from the rarest pieces in Collectability’s archive, providing a proper retro feel that suits the watch nicely. Finishing the look in style is a 20mm blue leather alligator-pattern strap and case-matching pin buckle.

With a price of US$690, this is a release we absolutely adore. Having said that, the ordering window has closed, so you can’t get your hands on one anymore. But you will be able to get your hands on some of the other stone- and wood-dial versions of the Dennison ALD models that are around the same price and offer a similarly brilliant cocktail of elements.

Behrens Ultra-Light 11G

We’ll close out this list of five watches with something completely different. The Ultra-Light 11G from the Chinese independent brand Behrens completely surprised us when it landed in our office. The concept, the design, and the execution are truly something else. Granted, it all starts with the purple color of the model we had in for review. It’s probably not a color you would immediately pick, especially not as your only watch unless you are Zebediah Killgrave, aka The Purple Man. Other versions we have seen were in green, white, red, and black. While the black model is the most “normal,” it’s also the least fun. And fun is a large part of the attraction of this uniquely designed timepiece.

This purple Ultra-Light 11G is a limited edition of only 33 pieces exclusive to Blue Lake Watches. The watch has a wafer-thin trapezoidal case made of SPSCF. Lex explained that this material is a diamond-coated carbon fiber developed exclusively by Behrens. Thanks to the coating, the material is super light and very durable. It results in a watch case weighing only 11 grams. The purple carbon case has a 42mm span on the longest side. Additionally, it has a 38mm diameter, a 5.2mm thickness, and a 30m water resistance rating.

A curved case makes wearing the Ultra-Light 11G super comfortable

The watch case is curved, so despite its odd shape, it fits nicely on the wrist. Inside the case, you will find the in-house caliber BM02, which the brand also uses for its Ultra-Light 20G. The movement features skeletonized titanium components and is also curved, so it flows in sync with the case shape. Additionally, the case back serves as the mainplate, which essentially means that the hand-wound movement is the watch. The caliber operates at a 28,800vph frequency and offers a 38-hour power reserve.

The purple fluoroelastomer strap with a titanium pin buckle finishes the look. It creates a full-purple affair that is an absolute joy to wear and brings a smile to all of our faces. Without any exception, all the Fratello team members acknowledged that this Behrens Ultra-Light 11G looks bonkers but is a ton of fun to wear.

On top of that, the execution is nothing short of impressive. The materials, the caliber, and the design make for a watch that will stand out in any crowd. At €11,800, it is by no means an inexpensive watch. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t the most fun out of the five picks for this list, which is why it is the perfect watch to close it out.

Final thoughts on the top five releases from small independent brands in 2025 so far

There you have it — our five picks for the best releases we’ve seen from small independent brands this year. We could have picked many more watches from a plethora of independent brands. Ultimately, these five impressed us, put a smile on our faces, and stood out from the steady stream of new releases. Additionally, it is remarkable that three of the five fit the trending styles of shaped watches and watches with stone dials. What can I say? We’re only human at Fratello, and we love stone dials regardless of whether big or small brands use them. Plus, the shaped watches offer something fresh and a style that small brands have successfully adopted.

But what do you think of our picks? As always, let us know in the comments, and we’ll see you back here next Friday for another Top 5!