Australian watches might be new to your ears because many of them don’t reach international markets. However, they’re second to none in terms of quality, build, functionality, and design. Some Australian watches even have ingenious layouts you won’t see in any other watch brand locally and internationally.
Others even have high water resistance ratings that surpass known Swiss and Japanese brands but have prices more affordable than any you’ve seen. Needless to say, if you want a quality timepiece from a brand not many knows of, adding Australian watches to your choice would be a good decision.
Here’s a list of the best Australian watch brands with astonishing quality and design.
Adina was founded by the Australian watchmaker Robert ‘Bob’ Menzies in 1971. They’re one of the best Australian watch brands because they use only top-quality components and assemble all the pieces with high attention to detail. The brand manufactures over 40,000 watches every year and they sell it on their 300 outlets throughout the country.
Their Amphibian, Countrymaster, Keningston, and Oceaneer collections have variants that suit both men and women customers. They also customize watches, allowing you to choose the case design, the color, the hands, the dial, the strap, and the movement to be used.
The name JDRT is an acronym that stands for the name of its founders Joel Davis and Rhys Thomas. Their Australian watches are made of stainless steel cases, scratch resistant sapphire crystals, and Japanese quartz movements. All have a 100m water resistance rating which is adequate for leisure diving and swimming.
Their watch designs are inspired by the days they spent hanging out at the Bondi beach. The timepieces have vibrant colors and feature a clear, minimalistic design that will surely make reading time a breeze.
The Melbourne Watch Company or MWC was founded in 2013 with the aim of creating quality Australian watches that cater to a wide variety of users. After a successful crowdfunding launch, the company decided to do more and increase its collection which now sums up to 10 models.
The company uses stainless steel cases, scratch-resistant sapphire crystals, and Japanese movements. All their watches are assembled in Melbourne to help the growing industry of watchmaking there.
Their most popular models are the Flinders, the Portsea, the Carlton, the Hawthorn, and the Avalon. Designs vary from the vintage-looking Flinders to the sporty chronograph Hawthorn.
Haigh & Hastings is an Australian watch brand based in Perth and is known for their diver affordable diver watches. They use stainless steel cases, Japanese movements, screw-down crowns, and scratch-resistant sapphire crystals in the diving watches assembled in Australia.
Aside from their M2 Diver models, they also have classic designs and fashionable sports watches.
Bow & Stern is a manufacturer of premium Australian watches made for nautical use. The company assembles everything by hand for added precision and quality checking. Their watches have a classic, minimalist, laidback feel that will remind you how good life is hanging by the ocean.
They offer a number of models, each having a highly legible watch face, a Swiss quartz movement, and a 50-meter water resistance rating at the least.
Erroyl started in 2014 and has been developing automatic Australian watches from their headquarters in Canberra. Their aim is to produce affordable luxury timepieces with precise mechanisms and elegant designs. From the humble beginnings of a Kickstarter campaign, they’re now a full-fledged company that handles the design, production, and packaging of the watches they sell to the market.
The Duke, the Heritage, and the Regent collections all have vintage designs reminiscent of classics from renowned European brands. All products come in an elegant packaging made of wood with a lush piano finish.
Bausele was founded in 2011 by Christophe Hoppe. Each piece they make carries a portion of Australia in the crown. By putting a piece of sand, earth, or stone from various parts of the country, the wearer can be reminded of the beauty of Australia wherever they go.
The Noosa, the OceanMoon, the Pilot Automatic, and the Terra Australis series are the results of combining Swiss movements and ingenious Australian designs.
Aegir is the brainchild of Todd Caldwell who loves diving and other sports. He first created a watch for personal use which he can bring anywhere he wants to. This gave birth to the pioneer model that helped establish the brand itself, the CD-1, which has a 701m water resistance rating. After an astonishing success with the model, Todd started the Aegir watchmaking company and proceeded to make the CD-2 series.
If you’re looking for an excellent dive watch, Aegir is one of the best Australian watch brands to consider. Their no-nonsense design, highly legible watch face, and high water resistance rating make them a standout among other local brands that manufacture dive watches.
Creux Automatiq was formed by a group of luxury jewelers known by the name of Culet Jewellery. Led by Dane Rumble, the group studied all they need to know about horology and launched their first timepiece named “The Ghost CA-01”. The success of their pioneer product enabled them to make other variants and other models which helped the company make a mark in Australia as a luxury watch brand.
Their Ghost models have skeletonized dials and oversized cases made of different materials. As of this writing, the company is getting ready to launch its Diamondback model which features a diamond-patterned model available in different color variants.
Bunda is a renowned jeweler not only in Australia but also around the world. After attending the Baselworld several times, the said brand’s owner Ben Bunda was inspired to create Australian watches designed locally with parts made from Switzerland. With the help of Bausele founder Christophe Hoppe, they were able to develop a limited edition timepiece with a sporty but lavish feel.
The limited edition Bunda watch is a self-winding automatic featuring a crown inset with boulder opal and a 5-spoke center dial that pays tribute to Bunda’s history as a motocross champion.
Nicholas Hachko is a watchmaker who has been manufacturing 100% Australian watches since 2013. Born out of the necessity to survive the industry of independent watchmaking, Nicholas Hachko developed the Rebelde series.
The Rebelde models are designed, developed, and assembled in Australia and house a UNITAS movement. Their unique watch dial features a mix of Arabic numbers, Roman numerals, lines, and crosshairs for the hour markers.
In a world filled with timepieces from Japan and Switzerland, it’s a breath of fresh air to know that there are Australian watches you can add to your options. Their designs emphasize on being straightforward but still promote an easy-going feel unique to the culture Aussies are known for.
If you’re looking for handmade, quality watches that display elegance, sincerity, and serenity, you won’t go wrong adding the best Australian watch brands we’ve listed to your options.