Studio Underdog Watches: 7 Must-See Models for 2026

What if a mechanical watch could be colorful, playful, and genuinely exciting to wear? That’s exactly where Studio Underdog watches stand out. While many watches try to look serious, Studio Underdog watches take a completely different approach. With fruit-inspired colors, playful names, unusual dial designs, and serious mechanical engineering, this British microbrand makes watches feel fun again. If you’re exploring studio underdog watches, the brand offers a refreshing alternative to traditional, overly serious mechanical timepieces.

The current lineup offers three distinct directions: the colorful 01SERIES chronograph, compact 02SERIES field watch, and sophisticated 03SERIES monopusher. Together, these studio underdog watches give collectors plenty of variety, from playful everyday designs to more refined mechanical options. Here’s what makes each one special, where the compromises are, and which deserves a place in your collection.

Are Studio Underdog Watches Good?

Yes. Studio Underdog is a genuinely interesting microbrand, particularly if you care about design, mechanical movements, and personality more than conventional luxury-brand prestige.

The current collection is assembled fully in-house in Great Britain at The D0ghouse in Maidenhead, with each watch assembled start to finish by one person. The brand also offers a useful spread of movements, from the bespoke Seagull ST-1901B in the 01SERIES to Swiss Sellita movements in the 02SERIES and 03SERIES.

The important caveat is that these aren’t watches for someone seeking conservative styling. Even the field watch is deliberately colorful. That’s the point.

What Makes This British Microbrand Different?

Studio Underdog began in 2020, founded by British designer Richard Benc during the pandemic. The name itself reflects the concept: a small design-led company taking on much larger and more established Swiss brands.

The first 01SERIES established the formula: vintage-inspired proportions, mechanical chronograph functionality, and dial colors that would look completely out of place on a traditional Swiss tool watch.

That philosophy hasn’t disappeared as the company has grown. If anything, it has become more ambitious.

Today, the brand’s core range consists of:

• 01SERIES: hand-wound mechanical chronographs
• 02SERIES: hand-wound field watches
• 03SERIES: hand-wound monopusher chronographs

The current watches are assembled at The D0ghouse in Maidenhead, which gives the brand a much stronger British-watchmaking identity than it had in its earliest years.

What Are Studio Underdog Watches Known For?

The easiest answer is playful mechanical watchmaking.

The dials are the obvious attraction, but there’s more underneath the color. Studio Underdog uses layered dials, sapphire crystals, hand-wound movements, carefully considered proportions, and vintage-inspired case shapes rather than simply putting a loud color on an ordinary watch.

The current 01SERIES Gen3, for example, measures 38.5mm across and 12.9mm thick, uses sapphire crystal, and has a bespoke ST-1901B manual-winding chronograph movement.

That combination explains why enthusiasts tend to take the brand more seriously than its fruit-and-dessert names might suggest.

Best Studio Underdog Watches to Consider

There isn’t really a bad choice in the core collection. The better question is which personality you want on your wrist.

Prices shown are current UK list prices where verified and can change with future releases.

1. Watermel0n Gen3 — Best Overall

The Watermel0n is the watch that made the brand famous, and it remains the easiest Studio Underdog recommendation.

Its pink-and-green palette is ridiculous in exactly the right way. But underneath that color combination is a properly interesting mechanical chronograph. The 38.5mm stainless-steel case has a 44.5mm lug-to-lug measurement, sapphire crystal, 5 ATM water resistance, and a 12.9mm thickness.

Specs: 38.5mm / 12.9mm / manual ST-1901B / sapphire / 5 ATM / roughly 45–50 hours of power reserve.

The ST-1901B is especially notable because Studio Underdog developed it with Seagull as an exclusive version of the movement, including a black main plate and silver swan-neck regulator. The company regulates these movements in Great Britain to -10/+15 seconds per day.

Best for: collectors who want one watch that immediately explains what the brand is about.

Watch-out: 5 ATM water resistance makes this a lifestyle chronograph, not a swimming companion.

2. Go0fy Panda Gen3 — Best for a More Traditional Look

If Watermel0n is too loud, Go0fy Panda is the sensible sibling.

The panda-style layout gives it a more familiar chronograph appearance while retaining the playful personality that defines the collection. It uses the same 38.5mm Gen3 case, ST-1901B movement, sapphire crystal, and 5 ATM rating.

Specs: 38.5mm / 12.9mm / ST-1901B manual chronograph / sapphire / 5 ATM.

This is the model I’d look at if you like the brand but don’t want your watch to become the entire conversation.

Best for: everyday wearers who want a colorful mechanical chronograph without going all-in on the fruit theme.

3. Mint Ch0c Chip Gen3 — Best Conversation Starter

Mint Ch0c Chip is the watch equivalent of ordering dessert before dinner.

The pastel-green dial, chocolate-colored markers, and vintage chronograph layout shouldn’t work as well as they do. Yet the proportions keep it from becoming a novelty toy. It uses the same 38.5mm case and ST-1901B movement as the other Gen3 01SERIES models.

The current official price is £600, while the movement offers roughly 50 hours of reserve with the chronograph off and 45 hours with it running.

Best for: collectors who already own serious watches and want something deliberately unserious.

There’s also a practical benefit: the 38.5mm diameter isn’t oversized, so the watch can work well on smaller wrists despite its visually busy dial.

4. Nightshade Gen2 — Best Everyday Option

This is the Studio Underdog I’d recommend to someone who loves the brand but wants a watch they can wear more often.

Nightshade takes inspiration from vintage military field watches and tones down the novelty without becoming boring. Its purple-blue dial sits beneath a 1mm sapphire disc, creating genuine depth rather than simply adding a bright color.

Specs: 37.5mm / 11.5mm / Sellita SW200-2 M manual winding / 10 ATM / 63-hour power reserve.

The 02SERIES Gen2 is particularly compelling because the movement has a 63-hour power reserve, and the watch carries 10 ATM water resistance. It is also slimmer than the 01SERIES at 11.5mm.

At £875, it’s considerably more expensive than the 01SERIES, but you’re also getting a Swiss Sellita movement, more practical water resistance, and a more versatile field-watch format.

Best for: someone who wants one Underdog to wear several days a week.

5. Salm0n 03SERIES — Best High-End Pick

The Salm0n is where the brand stops being merely quirky and starts getting seriously complicated.

This 38.5mm monopusher chronograph uses a Swiss Sellita SW510 M manual-winding movement with a 63-hour power reserve. The dial uses a layered construction under double sapphire, while the case measures 13.6mm thick and has 5 ATM water resistance.

Specs: 38.5mm / 13.6mm / Sellita SW510 M / sapphire / 5 ATM / 63 hours.

The movement is the headline. It’s a proper Swiss monopusher chronograph with a custom Côte de Genève and ruthénium anthracite-finished bridge made specifically for Studio Underdog.

At £1,750, however, this is no longer the affordable impulse purchase that made the 01SERIES so compelling. You’re paying for the more sophisticated movement, unusual dial execution, and higher-end positioning.

Best for: experienced collectors who want Studio Underdog personality with considerably more mechanical substance.

01SERIES vs 02SERIES vs 03SERIES: Which Should You Buy?

The three collections aren’t simply different colors of the same watch. They target different buyers.

Choose the 01SERIES if you want the signature Studio Underdog experience. It’s the most affordable route into the brand and gives you a mechanical chronograph with a genuinely distinctive dial.

Choose the 02SERIES if practicality matters more. The 37.5mm case, 10 ATM resistance, 63-hour reserve, and field-watch format make it the easiest daily wearer.

Choose the 03SERIES if the movement is the reason you’re buying. The Swiss Sellita SW510 M monopusher gives it a more sophisticated mechanical proposition, but the £1,750 price changes the value equation significantly.

That’s an important distinction. The 01SERIES is the value play; the 02SERIES is the versatility play; the 03SERIES is the enthusiast play.

Are They Worth the Money?

For the right buyer, yes.

The 01SERIES makes the strongest value argument because you’re getting a mechanical chronograph, sapphire crystal, a distinctive two-layer dial, and a bespoke movement at a relatively accessible price. Current Gen3 examples have been listed around £600, depending on model and release.

The 02SERIES asks more, but it also brings a Swiss Sellita movement, 10 ATM water resistance, 63 hours of power reserve, and a more restrained 37.5mm case.

The 03SERIES is harder to call a bargain at £1,750. Its value comes from the unusual combination of a Swiss monopusher movement, distinctive construction, and British in-house assembly rather than from raw specifications alone.

And that’s really the point: you’re not buying one because it beats a Seiko or Tissot on a specification sheet. You’re buying it because few other watches offer this particular combination of mechanical interest and personality.

What Owners Like — and What They Don’t

Real-world owner reactions are generally enthusiastic, particularly around the dial design, wearability, and sense of fun. Reddit owners have repeatedly praised the watches for feeling solid at their price, while long-term enthusiasts often mention how much personality the dials have.

Recent Trustpilot reviews also show strong customer satisfaction, with owners frequently praising the designs, build quality, communication, and delivery experience. Some reviewers have criticized individual strap options, so the watch itself and the supplied strap shouldn’t necessarily be treated as the same quality proposition.

The biggest recurring criticisms are more predictable:

• The colorful designs aren’t for everyone.
• The 01SERIES has only 5 ATM water resistance.
• Manual winding isn’t ideal if you want maximum grab-and-go convenience.
• The 03SERIES becomes expensive compared with conventional Swiss and Japanese alternatives.
• Some limited or special releases can be difficult to obtain.

There’s also a philosophical question around the 01SERIES movement. The ST-1901B is based on a Chinese Seagull architecture, even though Studio Underdog has developed its bespoke version and regulates it in Great Britain. That’s not automatically a negative, but buyers who specifically want a Swiss movement should look toward the 02SERIES or 03SERIES instead.

Studio Underdog vs Traditional Swiss Microbrands

The closest comparison isn’t necessarily another brand with colorful watches. It’s the broader field of independent and microbrand watches competing for enthusiast money.

Studio Underdog’s advantage is personality. A Baltic might give you stronger vintage restraint. A Christopher Ward may offer more conventional specification value. A Seiko can give you an enormous ecosystem and easier service access.

Underdog isn’t trying to win those battles.

Its watches occupy the space between affordable mechanical watchmaking and collectible design objects. That makes them particularly attractive to collectors who already have a black diver, a conventional dress watch, or a dependable everyday Seiko and now want something with more character.

How to Choose the Right Model

Start with the movement rather than the color.

If you want a chronograph, decide whether the 01SERIES gives you enough mechanical interest. If you want a watch you can wear more casually and around water, the 02SERIES makes considerably more sense. If you specifically appreciate monopusher chronographs and Swiss movements, the 03SERIES earns its premium.

Your wrist size matters too. The 02SERIES is the smallest core model at 37.5mm, while the 01SERIES and 03SERIES sit at 38.5mm. The 02SERIES also has a 46mm lug-to-lug measurement, so don’t judge fit from diameter alone.

Finally, think about how much attention you actually want your watch to attract. A Watermel0n is not a background accessory. That’s part of its charm, but it is also its biggest limitation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Buying one of these watches is relatively straightforward, but a few mistakes are easy to make.

Ignoring water resistance is the first. The 01SERIES and 03SERIES are rated to 5 ATM, so don’t treat them like dive watches simply because they’re mechanical sports-style pieces.

Choosing purely by Instagram photos is another. The colors look fantastic online, but consider whether you’d genuinely wear a bright pink-and-green chronograph several times a week.

Overlooking thickness can also lead to disappointment. The 03SERIES is 13.6mm thick, while the Gen3 01SERIES is 12.9mm. Those numbers aren’t excessive for mechanical chronographs, but they are noticeable under a tight shirt cuff.

Finally, buying the most expensive model simply because it has a Swiss movement isn’t automatically the smartest move. If the 01SERIES gives you the personality you want, spending three times as much on the 03SERIES doesn’t necessarily make the watch more enjoyable.

Where to Buy Studio Underdog Watches

The safest starting point is the brand itself. Studio Underdog currently lists the 01SERIES, 02SERIES, and 03SERIES through its own site, while its retailer network includes Time+Tide locations and James Porter & Son.

For U.S. buyers, the current official product pages state that U.S. orders are shipped on a delivered-duty-paid basis, with Studio Underdog acting as the importer of record. Sales tax may still apply depending on the state.

That matters because buying direct gives you the clearest route to warranty support and avoids the uncertainty that can come with an unofficial marketplace listing.

The Final Talk

Looking for a mechanical watch that actually stands out? Studio Underdog watches are among the most exciting microbrand options to consider in 2026. The brand has made colorful mechanical watches feel fresh, desirable, and genuinely collectible without relying on novelty alone. The 01SERIES is the best choice for most buyers, the 02SERIES offers stronger everyday appeal, while the 03SERIES is better suited to serious collectors.

If your collection is full of predictable black, blue, and silver watches, Studio Underdog is a brilliant way to add personality without sacrificing real mechanical watchmaking. For collectors looking for studio underdog watches, the brand offers a refreshing mix of bold colors, playful designs, and genuine mechanical character.

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