Watches from this Microbrand by French Journalists were Made for Minimalists
Serica was founded by watch journalists who did away with needless logos and branding as they zeroid in on stellar design and intricate movements.
by JV Ordoñez
Published on Oct 1, 2026
The watch collecting hobby does entail peering into the rather overwhelming rabbit hole filled with options of varying design philosophies, technological innovations, and even hype levels that may even ruin the experience for many people.
Getting into it, usually getting your first "nice" or "real" watch from a storied heritage brand from the likes of Tudor, Rolex, Hamilton, and the who's who of Swiss, Japanese, and American watchmaking giants.
But there comes a point in your watch collection journey where you crave something different, or certain outliers that scratch a certain itch you can't really get from the overly recommended pieces you hear about everyday on YouTube and watch blogs online.
This is why our deep dive into French microbrand Serica Watches was a special eye-opener to the world of folks who are actually whipping up original ideas that aren't remarkably derivative.
We previously sung our praises for the now cult classic Brew Matic from New York microbrand Brew Watches, which heavily leans on the 1970s industrial designs that are meant to give you alternatives to pieces that demolish your bank account.
Serica does things in a similar vein with their GMT and dive watches that we dig, and their defining design choice is leaving out self-serving labels to keep the spotlight on Swiss precision and classy but simultaneously robustly built watches.
We know that the no-brand aesthetic may sometimes evoke Alieexpress or homage brand vibes, but the esoteric and truly distinctive effort put into Serica's stuff quickly dispels those concerns.
The Serica REf. 8315 Travel Chronometer
The independent watch brand was founded in Paris in 2019 by watch journalists Jérôme Burgert, Gabriel Vachette, and a small circle of enthusiasts connected to the respected French horology publication Les Rhabilleurs.
It was born out of years of critiquing and handling luxury and vintage timepieces and a gap in the modern market for highly robust, mechanical tool watches that prioritize design and mid-century aesthetics at accessible price points.
Mind you, these watches are still explicitly Swiss made despite being based in France.
The brand in 2023 focused on using Soprod automatic mechanical movements using official COSC Chronometer certification.
Think of heavy military-style, ultra-slim profiles with 1930s-inspired tuxedo dials and twin-scale bezels for their dive watches (Ref. 5303, 5330).
Their trademark model is arguably their GMT travel chronometer using this Soprod C125 movement paired with striking colorways like two-tone "tuxedo" or "desert red."
While they aren't the easiest thing in the world to have delivered to places like Manila, they make a modest amount of watches at around 5,000 watches globally per year for watches that go for about P100,000 or roughly $1,000 to $1,200.
Check out their watches at their official website here.
Esquire PH's resident music scribe, wristwatch disciple, and essayist fluent in niche internet subcultures and Philippine politics.
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