On 11 October 2026 we went to WARO, the Romanian Watch Fair, at Novotel Bucharest City Centre and saw a lot of seriously cool watches. There were established names, smaller independent brands and designs that looked very different from the watches we usually see every day. We filmed a short video of some of the pieces we saw and tried. Unfortunately, we arrived late and could not get good shots of all the cool watches.
The event brought together more than 35 exhibitors. Below are 19 brands we saw and photographed, with a closer look at their watches.
Isotope: Moonshot Horizon
The Isotope Chronograph Moonshot Horizon makes quite an entrance with its cyan blue dial, orange rings and orange strap. The three silver aluminium Moondiscs partly cover the chronograph registers, giving the dial a depth and shape that you do not usually see on a chronograph. Isotope is an independent English brand founded in 2016 and this is a good example of its willingness to do things differently. A Swiss automatic chronograph movement powers the watch inside a 41 mm Grade 5 titanium case, with production limited to 30 pieces. We filmed it on the orange FKM strap, which brings the whole colour combination together.
Site: Isotope · Instagram: @isotopewatches
Mezei Watch Company: Midnight Fumé Limited Edition
The Mezei Midnight Fumé Limited Edition takes a quieter approach, but the textured dial gives you plenty to look at. Fine lines spread out from the centre and catch the light as the watch moves, while the lack of a prominent dial logo keeps the attention on the finish. This edition has a 40 mm stainless steel case measuring 11 mm thick and 47 mm from lug to lug, topped by a sapphire crystal with an anti reflective coating. Inside is a Miyota 9015 automatic movement with approximately 42 hours of power reserve. The date at 6 has lume, giving this otherwise understated dial a useful detail after dark. Mezei limits the Midnight Fumé to 50 pieces in this colourway.
Site: Mezei Watch Company · Instagram: @mezeiwatchcompany
Vertigo: Pilot One V2 Full Lume
The Vertigo Pilot One V2 Full Lume combines a fully lumed white dial with two black subdials in a panda layout, Arabic numerals and a dark rotating bezel with bright markings that are also lumed. Its design draws on the historic CP-2 aviation chronographs, with the two counters keeping that familiar pilot watch layout. This is a hand-wound mechanical chronograph powered by the Seagull ST1901, with a 41 mm stainless steel case measuring 48.5 mm from lug to lug and 14 mm thick. It also has a sapphire crystal and is rated for 100 metres of water resistance. In our video the lume is glowing blue, while the photograph below shows the white dial without that glow.
Site: Vertigo · Instagram: @vertigowatches
Venezianico: Nereide Aureo
The Venezianico Nereide Aureo 42, reference 4521590S, is all about that rippled gold dial. Its surface has a 24 carat gold treatment, which gives the watch a very different appearance as the light moves across it. The case itself is stainless steel and measures 42 mm, with a tungsten bezel insert and the Sansovino bracelet. Inside is a Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement and the watch is rated for 200 metres of water resistance. Venezianico draws its ideas from Venice and the Aureo’s gold treatment is a particularly clear expression of that connection. It was an easy watch to spot in the room.
Site: Venezianico · Instagram: @venezianico_official
Nivada Grenchen: F77 Meteorite MK2 41 mm
Nivada Grenchen brings a different sort of history, with a Swiss name that goes back to 1926. The F77 Meteorite MK2 41 mm has the family’s recognisable angular bezel, visible screws and integrated bracelet, with a genuine meteorite dial that gives each watch its own natural pattern. Those intersecting lines add much more character than a plain dial and look particularly interesting as the wrist moves. This version has a 41 mm stainless steel case, a double domed sapphire crystal and a Soprod P024 automatic movement, with 100 metres of water resistance. The case and bracelet retain their strong 1970s influence, while the meteorite gives you a reason to look more closely.
Site: Nivada Grenchen · Instagram: @nivadawatches
Benrus: Type 2 UJ and a Romanian Connection
The Benrus Type 2 UJ has a warm bronze coloured finish, a smoked green dial, large Arabic numerals and a brown leather strap. The important material detail is that the 41.5 mm case is stainless steel with bronze PVD, so it is not a solid bronze case. An ETA 2892 automatic movement powers the watch and the date sits at 6. Benrus also has a connection that feels particularly appropriate at a Romanian watch fair. It was founded in New York in 1921 by Benjamin, Oscar and Ralph Lazrus, three brothers with Romanian family roots. That is quite a story to bring back to Bucharest.
Site: Benrus · Instagram: @benrus
Balticus: Deep Water BAL-DWRCBG
The Balticus Deep Water BAL-DWRCBG pairs a black dial with a green and black ceramic bezel, with gold coloured accents on the hands, markers, crown and date surround. That combination is what gives the watch its strong presence in our video. Balticus is a Polish brand and this Deep Water is limited to 50 pieces, with a 42 mm stainless steel case and 300 metres of water resistance. Inside is a Miyota 9015 automatic movement with a 42 hour power reserve, visible through a sapphire display caseback. Look closely at 12 and you will also find the collection’s distinctive pair of oxygen tank shaped markers, a small detail that ties the design to diving.
Site: Balticus · Instagram: @balticuswatches
ZRC: Grands Fonds and the Crown at 6
The ZRC Grands Fonds we tried has a black dial, broad luminous hands and a steel bracelet, but the detail that immediately sets it apart is the crown at 6. That position gives the case a very different outline from most of the divers at the fair. ZRC also makes the crown part of its bracelet design through the Crown Protection System, which prevents the bracelet from closing unless the crown is fully screwed down. Its ECS system helps rinse salt and debris from between the bezel and case after a dive. The current MN64 Metal is a good place to explore that combination of distinctive design and practical diving details.
Site: ZRC · Instagram: @zrc.1904
Trematic: T-Five Beigua Maris Desert
The Trematic T-Five Beigua Maris Desert brings a fully lumed dial, curved Arabic numerals and an especially domed crystal to the wrist. Trematic’s current watches draw on the brand’s Swiss history from the 1950s, but the specifications here are thoroughly modern. The 39 mm case is Grade 5 titanium, water resistance is 300 metres and the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement offers a 68 hour power reserve. The dial has two distinct zones and an inner minute track, using BGW9 and Old Radium lume tones. In our video the lume is glowing, while the photograph below was taken a little later, as the glow was fading.
Site: Trematic · Instagram: @trematicwatch
Tate Wade: Bokeh Gun Metal PVD Edition
The Tate Wade Bokeh Gun Metal PVD Edition takes its inspiration from vintage cameras and you can see that in the layered rings around the centre of the dial. The dark gun metal finish and warm yellow accents strengthen that resemblance, while even the curved date display feels like part of an optical instrument. Its 42 mm case has an asymmetric wing and a crown positioned at 5, giving the outline something different as well. An ETA 2824-2 automatic movement provides a 36 hour power reserve, with sapphire crystal and 50 metres of water resistance. The black strap is leather with an alligator print, keeping the attention on that unusual dial.
Site: Tate Wade · Instagram: @tatewadewatch
DONE: Nine in Ten
The DONE Nine in Ten lets you look into the mechanism through its partly open dial, while two subdials and a dark outer scale keep the chronograph layout recognisable. The name marks the Swiss brand’s ninth project for its tenth anniversary. Its 40 mm case contains a modified La Joux-Perret L111 automatic chronograph movement with a 60 hour power reserve and COSC certification. We filmed the watch on a white strap, which paired well with the white rings around the two subdials. There is a lot to examine here, from the visible mechanical details to the shape of the domed crystals.
Site: DONE · Instagram: @donewatches
Luminox: Navy SEAL 3510
The Luminox Navy SEAL 3510 brings a completely different kind of diver to the wrist, with a matte black case and bracelet, large numerals and an inner 24 hour scale. The 45 mm case, bezel and bracelet are made from CARBONOX, the brand’s carbon based material, while a Ronda 515 Swiss quartz movement handles the timekeeping. It has a hardened mineral crystal and 200 metres of water resistance. Its most interesting feature is Luminox Light Technology, which uses tiny tritium gas tubes for continuous illumination without first charging them in sunlight. Luminox states that the tubes provide visibility for up to 25 years, making this a different way to keep the watch readable in the dark.
Sites: Luminox · Luminox Romania · Instagram: @luminoxwatches · Instagram Romania: @luminoxromania
Out of Order: Diverissimo Azteco Dark Grey
The Out of Order Diverissimo Azteco Dark Grey has a 42 mm stainless steel case housing a Miyota 9015 automatic movement with a 42 hour power reserve. It has 200 metres of water resistance and comes on a Jubilee style bracelet. Its dial is built in two layers, with a geometric pattern inspired by Aztec art. The pattern is highlighted with Super-LumiNova C3, which is also used on the hands and applied hour markers. We were stunned by the complexity of the geometric pattern.
Site: Out of Order · Instagram: @outoforderwatches
Nadir: Vespera GMT Yellow
The Nadir Vespera GMT Yellow makes its extra time zone hand very easy to spot, thanks to its yellow colour and a matching yellow section on the 24 hour scale. The black dial, large numerals and crown tucked down near 4 give it a purposeful appearance. This is a 42 mm watch powered by the Miyota 9075 automatic movement, which allows the local hour hand to be adjusted independently when travelling. It also has a 47 mm lug to lug measurement and 200 metres of water resistance. The Yellow edition is limited to 50 individually numbered pieces, with the bright details bringing colour without taking over the whole watch.
Site: Nadir · Instagram: @nadirwatches
Gavox: AviDiver II GMT Black
The Gavox AviDiver II GMT Black is easy to recognise in our wristshot thanks to its orange strap and matching arrow shaped GMT hand. Gavox is a Belgian brand and this model brings together aviation and diving details in a 43 mm stainless steel case. A Seiko NH34 automatic GMT movement provides the second time zone indication, while the internal rotating bezel has a triangular marker that can be positioned as a timing reference. The layered black dial keeps the orange details prominent and the date sits near 4. Domed sapphire crystal with an anti reflective coating, Super-LumiNova and 200 metres of water resistance complete a watch that gives you several useful indications without losing that strong colour contrast.
Site: Gavox · Instagram: @gavoxwatches
Marinete: Time Sculpted
Marinete describes its work as “time sculpted” and the watch we filmed suits that description. The broad, rounded case surrounds a green dial with ornate numerals set inside circles and hands that continue the flowing shapes. The watch is Swiss made, with a Grade 5 titanium case, sapphire crystal and a chronometer grade ETA 2892-A2 automatic movement. The leather straps come from 7Friends & Watches, and the brown strap adds to its softer appearance. It was a very different design to encounter among the chronographs and watches with rotating bezels, with the case and dial giving us plenty of details to capture. Marinete’s Instagram is the place to look more closely at the work behind this piece and follow what comes next.
Marinete · Instagram: @artemarinete · Straps: 7Friends & Watches
Vario: VERSA Black Tuxedo Automatic
The Vario VERSA Reversible Single Time Black Tuxedo Automatic gives you a reason to turn the watch over while it is still in its frame. The front has a dial with mirrored stripes in two tones, while the caseback has a crystal through which you can see the movement, as shown in our video. Its Miyota 6T28 automatic movement offers a 40 hour power reserve inside a stainless steel case measuring 28 mm across and 41.5 mm long. The rotating case has a practical purpose too: the crown at 12 o’clock is hidden by the frame, so you need to rotate the case about 90 degrees to reach it and set the time. The reversible construction makes the movement side part of the way you can wear and enjoy the watch.
Site: Vario · Instagram: @varioeveryday
ARACH: A Rectangular Project Watch
The ARACH we tried at WARO was a project watch, with a rectangular case, a black dial with blue accents, large white numerals and a smaller 24 hour display near 6. The case’s distinctive edges made the design stand out. ARACH is a Polish brand whose founder works as a level designer in the video game industry, which is an interesting background for someone designing watches. Seeing this project watch at the fair gave us a look at a design beyond the models on its current website, with more character.
Site: ARACH · Instagram: @arach_watches
AndoAndoAndo: Music Is the Answer
Last but definitely not least is AndoAndoAndo’s Music Is the Answer edition, a very cool collaboration with British DJ and presenter Charlotte de Carle. Its black vinyl record dial sits inside a 24 carat gold PVD coated case, with a frosted gold tonearm shaped minute hand and Charlotte’s smiling DJ drawing on the central record label. The hour indication comes from that rotating label, so the record player idea is part of how you read the time. Limited to 30 pieces, this edition uses a Miyota 9039 automatic movement with a 42 hour power reserve. The case measures 41 mm wide and has sapphire crystals on both sides, giving this musical design a mechanical side to admire too.
Site: AndoAndoAndo · Instagram: @andoandoando_design · Charlotte de Carle: @charlottedecarle
A Very Good Day for Watch Enthusiasts
We had a fantastic time at WARO and the variety of watches was a large part of that. Within a single visit we went from familiar Swiss names to small independent makers, from textured dials and mechanical chronographs to reversible cases and a miniature record player. Huge thanks to the creators and organisers for putting the event together. We are already hoping to see it return in 2027, with even more watches to discover.
Site: WARO · Instagram: @romanianwatchfair
Be the first to comment