Mario Canonizado 
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! It’s the day before Filipino Independence Day, so I’ve decided to look at the five best brands from my family’s beautiful homeland!
When it comes to Watch Advice, I usually make a point of keeping my personal life out of the picture. Sure, I like to think I’m the most interesting person you’ll ever have the privilege of meeting — but you’re here to read about watches, not the guy rambling on about them!
That said, I think I’ve finally found a way to combine my two great passions: talking about watches, and talking about myself. I was born in Australia — Western Sydney, to be specific — but both of my parents are from the Philippines. While I’ve had the privilege of growing up in Australia, it’s come with the trade-off of being somewhat disconnected from my family’s homeland. Thankfully, I’ve been able to visit the Philippines a few times, but as of this writing, it’s been over ten years since I last saw it with my own eyes.
So, where do watches come into this? Well, as the title suggests, there are quite a few Filipinos who have taken up the beautiful art and science of watchmaking. In doing so, they’ve helped transform Filipino watch culture from a niche conversation into an emerging industry full of potential. And with that shift have come some truly beautiful timepieces — each inspired by, or made within, the Philippines. Read on as I introduce you to five Filipino watch brands that perfectly showcase the talent and creativity of the country I’m proud have part of my heritage!
Makina
With a name derived from the Tagalog word for “machine,” Manila-based brand Makina is arguably one of the most prominent names in the Filipino watchmaking scene. Founded in 2017 by watch enthusiast Danilo Villanueva, the ambitious venture didn’t come without sacrifice. To fund his research and development, Villanueva sold off many prized pieces from his personal watch collection.
Today, those sacrifices appear to have paid off. Since its inception, Makina has earned widespread recognition, winning a host of prestigious awards in the design and watchmaking world. These include the Good Design Award in Chicago, the A’ Design Award in Milan, the International Design Awards, the European Product Design Awards, the Muse Design Awards, the New York Product Design Awards, the London Design Awards, and the London International Creative Competition, among many others. They’ve even slowly integrated themselves into Filipino pop culture, with one of their watches appearing prominently on actor Piolo Pascual in ABS-CBN’s Flower of Evil.
Many microbrands (and even some established ones) love to preach the mantra of ‘form over function.’ However, it’s often used as a half-hearted excuse for designs that feel contrived and uninspired. While Makina also subscribes to this principle — blending ruggedness with visual appeal — their watches manage to stand out, fusing industrial toughness, classic lines and modern technology into one good-looking package. They’re not exactly reinventing the wheel, mind you, but they’re certainly making it look far better than most brands claiming to do the same.
Their core collections are a testament to this approach. From the elegantly rounded case of the URIEL series, to the more contemporary lines of their integrated-bracelet sports model, MEPHISTO, and the boldly disruptive AZAZEL and ANDRAS ranges, each Makina timepiece offers a unique twist on familiar design cues.
If none of their existing models quite suit your taste, they offer a solution for that too — you can get in touch to custom-order any of their watches to your liking. This option has already been taken up by several high-profile clients in the Philippines, including the Philippine military and the Philippine Olympic Committee last year.
For more information on this brand, head on over to MakinaWatches.com!
De Guzman & Co.
Founded in 2019 by Dr Gio de Guzman, MD/MBA — who, it seems, decided that being highly accomplished in both medicine and business still wasn’t quite enough — along with three like-minded associates, De Guzman & Co. has become a major force in the Filipino watch movement. From the outset, the brand has stood alongside Makina as one of the standard-bearers of the national horological scene, driven by one core principle: value proposition.
Grounded in this philosophy, De Guzman & Co. specialises in crafting practical, recognisable, and accessible timepieces that still embody the spirit of modern Filipino watchmaking. Five years in, they’ve shown no signs of slowing down — even developing a few innovations of their own within the microbrand space.
This is perhaps best demonstrated in their DG014 collection, where their most notable innovation — the InfinityDate™ display — takes centre stage. The InfinityDate™ offers a middle ground in the long-standing field watch debate of ‘date vs no-date’ by using a recessed disc that subtly indicates the day of the month with an orange marker and five-day intervals as reference points. While this type of display isn’t entirely unprecedented, as NOMOS Glashütte features similar technology in their catalogue, it’s still an impressive achievement for a watch priced under AU$500.
Beyond the DG014, De Guzman & Co. also produces Meca-quartz chronographs in their DG018 line, as well as dive watches in the DG010 series. One of my favourite design elements — and something not seen elsewhere on this list — is also found in their catalogue: both the DG014 and DG010 incorporate Baybayin script in their design, instead of the traditional Roman or the more avant-garde Eastern Arabic numerals. It’s a uniquely Filipino touch that evokes the country’s rich cultural heritage, particularly poignant given that Baybayin was nearly erased during Spanish colonisation.
For more information on this brand, head on over to DeGuzmanandCo.com!
Ibarra/Moreno Watch Studio
Alright, this might be considered cheating, since I’m listing two brands under one heading — but I’d argue otherwise, as both companies originated from the mind of the same person! Founded in 2014, Ibarra was the brainchild of Francisco (Nico) Moreno Jr., a Manila local determined to revive the Philippines’ watch industry. And since this list is all about the most impressive watch brands to come out of the country, it’s safe to say that Moreno’s first foray into watchmaking played a significant role in that movement.
This is evident in the many achievements Ibarra Manila has earned over the years — from crafting a unique timepiece worn by then-President Rodrigo Duterte, to being selected as the official timepiece of the ASEAN50 Special Celebration, and even recreating the watch believed to have been worn by Filipino national hero Dr Jose Rizal. Through their heritage-inspired collections, such as the Deco Ibarra Gran Luz and the Mariano, Ibarra has firmly established itself as a fixture in the modern Filipino watch scene.
While these remarkable strides in Filipino watchmaking are impressive in their own right, Nico’s ambitions have always reached beyond what Ibarra alone could achieve. In 2022, he relocated to Japan — a renowned hub of watchmaking excellence in the East — to learn from the very best in the industry. In the years that followed, he launched his own website, Moreno Watch Studio, along with his debut timepiece, the Kaminari: an inspired marriage of Japanese craftsmanship and the aesthetics of the vintage Filipino timepieces he used to collect.
Now a member of both the American Watchmakers–Clockmakers Institute (AWCI) and the Horological Institute of Japan (HIJ), Nico’s path forward is clearer than ever. And if his track record is anything to go by, it won’t be long before we’re hearing about his next horological breakthrough.
For more information on these brands, head on over to Ibarra.ph and MorenoWatchStudio.com!
KLO & Co.
There’s a popular Gen Z and Gen Alpha phrase currently doing the rounds online: ‘making it out of the group chat.’ Usually, it refers to a dream trip or long-awaited hangout with mates that finally moves from endless messages to real life. In the horological world, however, this next brand might be one of the best examples of a dream idea that actually made it out of the group chat and into reality.
Ken Lee Ong, Brian Chua, and Ralph Yu began as three watch enthusiasts who simply loved chatting about the industry over cups of coffee. In 2016, they took things to the next level by founding a brand under Ken’s initials — KLO & Co. — and eventually establishing a permanent base of operations in Quezon City. They came out swinging with an ambitious debut: the Originals line. This collection introduced what they called ‘Hybrid Micro Precision’ — a fusion of automatic and quartz movements that allowed for a mechanical sweeping seconds hand, while maintaining the high accuracy of quartz for the hours and minutes.
Since then, the brand has taken a slight step back — but certainly not enough to fade into the background. While the Originals line was eventually discontinued, KLO & Co. introduced a new flagship collection in 2021: the Alpesailer. Clearly inspired by the iconic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, the Alpesailer quickly became the backbone of their catalogue, thanks to its distinctive compressor-style case design and versatile specifications.
The brand has also ventured into collaborative releases, signalling exciting things to come. Notable examples include the Chronoracer Zach David Limited Edition and the stunning Banaue Rice Terraces watch — both of which showcase the brand’s creativity, Filipino identity and potential for continued growth.
For more information on this brand, head on over to Klo-co.com!
Argos
Also based in Quezon City, Argos was founded in 2021 by Ivan Jeff Soberano — an electrical engineer and professor at the University of Santo Tomas. Inspired by a trip to Japan and a deepened interest in watches during the global pandemic, Soberano eventually teamed up with four other enthusiasts to bring the brand to life.
Named after the loyal dog of Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey, Argos was positioned to champion rugged specifications, contemporary design, and a proudly Filipino spirit. The brand’s core mission is to create a timepiece that, much like its namesake, remains a faithful, steadfast, and loyal companion through every adventure.
As a relatively new player in the watch scene, Argos doesn’t yet boast the wide range of timepieces that some of the more established Filipino brands on this list offer. However, what they do have is impressive: the Asteri and Odyssey collections, both of which are field watches with a strong design sensibility.
The Asteri was the brand’s debut model — a classic, practical, and affordable field watch that evokes the spirit of Hamilton and other respected military-style timepieces. The Odyssey, by contrast, feels noticeably more refined, but without ever veering into over-designed territory.
Interestingly, Nico Moreno — previously mentioned for his work with Ibarra and Moreno Watch Studio — has also assisted Argos with design and manufacturing principles. It’s a testament not only to his influence, but also to the tight-knit, collaborative nature of the Filipino watchmaking community.
For more information on this brand, head on over to Argos-Watches.com!
Hidaka Shinchi
Finally, we take one more trip across the sea to meet Hidaka Shinchi. Based in Arakawa-ku, Tokyo, Shinchi is a half-Filipino, half-Japanese independent watchmaker who has chosen to carve out his own path in the world of horology. Running the entire operation on his own, he designs, manufactures, and distributes every single timepiece in his catalogue.
It’s a small and humble business, but one that has unquestionably attracted attention from the broader watch community. In his pursuit to master the deliberate art and science of watchmaking, Shinchi has caught the eye of influential figures in the industry, including Teddy Baldassarre and Marco Koncina.
And in all honesty, we’re all the better for it! In a world where even watches can fall victim to the ever-growing demand for instant gratification, it’s refreshing to know that individuals like Shinchi-san still exist. His passion and dedication to the craft have led to several stunning creations emerging from his workshop — including the Shimadzu, the Kanji-dial Mando, and his standout hit, the aventurine-dial Izanagi.
Although he’s based entirely in Tokyo, Shinchi maintains a strong and meaningful connection to the Philippines. This bond was beautifully expressed through a collaborative piece with none other than KLO & Co. Named the Gungjo, the watch served as a tribute to his Filipino heritage — a symbolic bridge between his Japanese and Filipino roots, honouring his mother’s background and the dual identity that defines his work.
