A Tasteful & Reserved Dress Watch From a Japanese Microbrand

Words/Photography: Me. Karl-Leimon provided this watch at no-cost for the purpose of this review/shoot. Please read more about our review policies.

The last several years have been interesting for the world of watches. You could say that crowdfunding has kickstarted new life into an old industry, and microbrands like Karl-Leimon are the result. This particular watch was successfully Kickstarted in late 2017, with backers beginning to receive their watches now.

Karl- Leimon’s first watch model is the Classic Pioneer, a modestly sized and conservatively-styled dress watch. It proudly boasts its “Made in Japan” credentials, and that is part of what helps differentiate the Classic Pioneer from many of its quartz-powered microbrand peers.

As of today, you can get the Classic Pioneer in this white dial/black leather scheme or in a black dial/black leather combination. However, four other color choices (including a very fancy looking blue and rose-gold version) are in pre-order status and due to enter production soon.

All this can be yours for just under $300. Let’s take a closer look.