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2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the launch of the PRS-1 Speedbird, one of the very first microbrand watches ever released.

Time Factors had been selling watches from established brands online since 1996, but in 2001 Eddie took a leap into the unknown by producing a watch of his own - at a time when the term “microbrand” had yet to be coined.

Built by Zeno Watches of Basel in a limited run of just 300 pieces, the PRS-1 featured a clean Flieger-style dial, a compact 37.5mm case, and was powered by the reliable ETA 2836-2 movement. It launched with an original retail price of £195.

Fortunately for Eddie, the Speedbird was an immediate success. In 2001 there were very few - if any - examples of watches being launched by independent brands, but with the backing of like-minded enthusiasts on the horological forums of the era, the PRS-1 sold out shortly after launch.

Successfully navigating this first project gave Eddie the confidence and momentum to pursue a second watch—one that would go on to achieve cult status. The Dreadnought PRS-2, launched in 2003, is now celebrated as a pioneering example of the microbrand movement. Yet it may never have come to fruition were it not for the ground broken by its (much) smaller sibling, the Speedbird PRS-1.

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