Trending Watches & New Releases — July - August 2026

It's not every month that a watch inspired by an 80s car dashboard tops our charts, but July & August were those kinds of months. We saw an absolute explosion of creativity from independent brands, many of them new to VELOCE, proving that the most exciting things are happening outside the usual Swiss powerhouses.

Unconventional Designs Go Mainstream

If you thought watches had to have round dials and three hands, this month was a wake-up call. We saw a huge surge in brands rethinking what it means to tell time, and collectors are clearly here for it.

Leading the charge was our most-viewed post on the Xeric Volta Double Retrograde, a kinetic lightshow for your wrist. It's a wild, unapologetic design that really captured the community's imagination.

The theme continued with brands like Mandetbrote, new on VELOCE, whose Secret Orbital II uses a unique non-circular track for its hour indicator. Even materials got weird, with the OVD MØ:ARK using an actual sculpted concrete dial to mimic the moon's surface.

The Sub-$1,000 Sweet Spot is Red Hot

The value proposition in the microbrand space has never been stronger. We're seeing specs that were reserved for multi-thousand-dollar watches just a few years ago now appearing at truly accessible prices.

The poster child for this trend has to be the Minus-8 Diver GMT, a full titanium automatic GMT on a titanium bracelet for $598. Let that sink in. It’s a spec sheet that honestly feels like a typo.

Another newcomer, Islander Watches, made a huge impression. They're delivering incredible "grab-and-go" value with pieces like the $349 Islander Saltaire solar diver and the $429 Islander Northport, which packs a hi-beat movement.