Donald E. McNamara 
Australia is the land of plenty, but when it comes to stylish Land Down Under watch brands, even the average watch collector will be hard pressed to spot one.
Today that is changing, as we give up the illustrious Swiss, Japanese and German brands to show you six beautiful Australian watches from brands that do good watchmaking, and bring it to the world.
Melbourne Watch Company
Melbourne Watch Company comes, you guessed it, from Melbourne. They all aim to provide top quality watches accessible to both watch enthusiasts and casual collectors.
The Australian brand entered the international watchmaking scene in 2013 after launching its very first timepiece (the Flinders) through crowdfunding. It was a new way of doing things in an old game, but the gamble was quickly won with the brand’s elegantly designed timepieces bringing together a strong contingent of supporters.
The rest, as they say, is history with Melbourne Watch Company adding three more models to its lineup by 2014 and two more in 2015 to meet demand. Each of the brand’s timepieces is named after a defining aspect of Melbourne – Hawthorn, Parkville, Portsea, Avalon and Carlton – and are all made with quality materials that balance aesthetics and affordability. Think surgical-grade 316L stainless steel, DLC coating, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, and precision Japanese movements.
Melbourne Watch Company founder Sujain Krishnan says being one of the few Australian watch brands in the world is really something special.
“We have certainly enjoyed a great advantage ‘on the ground’ in terms of our local sales, with many people telling us that they are keen to support local businesses,” Krishnan said.
“People are also happy with the direction we’re taking, which is to gradually do more on the manufacturing side of things locally here in Melbourne as well, starting with our new office and showroom in Carlton, which will open in December. . “
Erroyl
The only reason most people will travel to Canberra, the capital of Australia, is to become a politician, to look at flowers with nan, or to drink cranberry vodka at Mooseheads. Fortunately, the sleeping city’s saving grace came in the form of an independent watch brand. Erroyl.
The local name, which emerged in 2014 with the aim of bringing affordable luxury automatic watches to the discerning masses, has a strong focus on designing elegantly crafted pieces with precision.
This design philosophy is reflected in their classic looking watches which feature a simple aesthetic on the surface but much more detail on closer inspection. Their most popular models to date include the Heritage and Regent collections which have reached customers in over 50 countries around the world.
Bausele
A local watch brand that adopts “Swiss Made” is Bausele. The watch company, the first to combine Swiss quality construction with distinct Australian design, was born out of founder Christophe Hoppe’s passion for watches and his love affair with Australia.
As a brand, Bausele watches are inherently Australian and defined by a characteristic hollow crown. But that’s not all: every Bausele timepiece incorporates a real Australian element, including the red earth of the Outback, the sands of one of the country’s most beautiful beaches, or the ‘Australian Diamond’. “: The opal.
This unique approach to watch design has made Bausele stand out among a sea of competitive Swiss and local brands.
Haigh and Hastings
Haigh and Hastings is a watch brand founded on the dream of distilling the quintessential Australian spirit of sun, sand, sea and sport into timepieces.
As such, their range is extensive and includes actively inspired watches designed by Swiss watch designer Emmanuel Gueit. Bettors can also expect automatic diving watches with a host of interchangeable straps, a city-inspired model, and limited edition pieces inspired by Australia’s aviation, military and military heritage. race.
gir
Aegir literally emerged from the depths. Perth commercial and local diver Todd Caldwell worked in the North Sea offshore oil and gas industry and ventured into the world of watchmaking when he had to spend a lot of time in a dive to decompress. His only companion in this decompression chamber? A diving watch, which he thought he could improve on himself.
This precipitated the CD-1 Divers timepiece in 2007, a watch that was built purely for function rather than sales. However, Life had a different plan and Aegir quickly found himself forging a niche in the market, slowly surpassing the initial ambitions of Caldwell’s side project. The CD-2 was eventually created and the Aegir company was born.
As Aegir is a purist diving company, all of their watches carry the 701M water resistance rating which meets the highest commercial diving standards, as well as a tribute to Theo Mavrostomos, the man who holds the record. of the deepest dive.
Technically, Aegir watches exude relentless precision and quality. Each part is German or Swiss made with some components sourced from the UK. The rugged, masculine cases are then paired with Metta Catherina leather straps to allow them to effortlessly travel the world between water and the desk.
Hollow Automaton
One of the newcomers to the local watch game is backed by Dane Rumble, a record artist turned jeweler turned watch enthusiast who now lives in Australia.
His latest adventure in the world of watchmaking is Hollow Automaton, a new brand that borrows heavily from some of the best skeleton designs in the world.
The Ghost is the brand’s first watch, inspired by modern architecture and the design of luxury vehicles. A Swiss Made movement features a skeletonized date wheel that reveals all of the intricate moving parts that make up the automatic watch.
The exotic materials employed by the Ghost also ensure that the local brand has what it takes to meet the expectations of watch buyers in this price segment. Think surgical grade 316L stainless steel, a sapphire crystal dial, and an interchangeable strap system for a decent variety of styles.
Rumble told us that being an Australian brand in today’s market certainly has its advantages.
“This is down to our reputation as an easy-going and friendly nation, and we are known to be hard-working and forward-thinking. I have personally found members of the international watchmaking community to be very welcoming and open to establishing business relationships.
Panzera
No price to guess which luxury watch brands Panzera is inspired by it. Nonetheless, this Sydney-based watch company was founded in 2009 with the mission of “bringing to life the classically designed watches of yesteryear with modern interpretations”. Not only does the company produce watches with familiar silhouettes, it sells them for a fraction of the price of the models they are inspired by.
As with most watch companies, Panzera offers collections spanning land, sea and air, with a full range of strap options for each. A large part of the production of each watch is carried out either in Sydney, Australia or Lugano, Switzerland, with the Flight Master being certified as Swiss-made.
