Daniel Hart · ·
MVMT arrived in 2013 with an argument rather than a watch. Traditional brands, it said, load retail markup onto a simple product, and buying direct removes that layer.
The argument was sound and the watches sold. What changed is the part of the story nobody updated: in August 2018 the company was acquired by Movado Group, one of the traditional watch groups the pitch was aimed at.
So the useful question is not whether MVMT is cheap. It is whether the watches still earn their price now that the founding argument has expired.
The short answer
Who owns MVMT now
MVMT was founded by Jake Kassan and Kramer LaPlante and grew through social advertising rather than shops. In 2018 Movado Group acquired the company in a deal reported at more than one hundred million dollars.
That does not make the watches worse. Movado Group is a competent operator and the range has broadened since. It does retire the marketing claim that you are cutting out an established watch company, because the established watch company now owns the brand.
It also puts MVMT in the same corporate family as a much older name, which is worth remembering when comparing the two on price.
What the watches actually are
Japanese quartz throughout, in slim cases with pared-back dials. The house style is deliberately plain: no date on the entry models, minimal indices, thin hands. Restraint is the whole design argument, and MVMT executes it more consistently than most brands at this money.
Water resistance varies more than the uniform styling suggests, and it is the specification to check before buying. The Classic II is rated 5 ATM, the Chrono II only 3 ATM despite costing more, and the Voyager is the most capable of the three.
Sizes run from a modest 40 mm on the Classic up to 45 mm on the chronograph, which is large for a dress-leaning watch. Our watch size comparison tool renders cases at true scale, and the strap width finder confirms fitment for replacements.
| Model | Case | Movement | Water resistance | Band | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic II Vintage | 40 mm | Japanese quartz, 3-hand | 5 ATM / 50 m | Leather | About $118 |
| Voyager | 42 mm | Quartz multifunction | 5 ATM / 50 m | Leather | About $158 |
| Chrono II | 45 mm | Quartz chronograph | 3 ATM / 30 m | Leather | About $182 |
Where MVMT sits against the rest of the tier
Against the Fossil-built brands, MVMT is competitive on price and better on restraint. A Classic II at around $118 undercuts most of Michael Kors and nearly all of Emporio Armani, with cleaner design than either.
Against Daniel Wellington, the comparison is closer and mostly favours MVMT. Similar minimalism, similar Japanese quartz, but better water resistance on the entry models and a lower price.
Against actual watch brands it loses on the same grounds all fashion labels do. There is no movement here worth servicing and no crystal worth bragging about, and at the top of the range the money reaches into territory where mechanical watches live.
Who MVMT is for
Buy one if you want minimalism without the Daniel Wellington premium. The Classic II is the sweet spot of the range and arguably of the whole fashion tier on price alone.
The Voyager suits someone who wants a slightly more capable everyday watch, with the better water rating and a larger case that still reads as dressy.
Skip the chronograph unless you specifically want the look. Paying the most in the range for the weakest water resistance is a poor trade, and at that price the alternatives outside the fashion tier become serious. For a first mechanical watch instead, start with Seiko.
Three MVMT watches worth knowing
Picked to show where the value actually sits in the range, which is not at the top of it.
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Frequently asked questions
Are MVMT watches good quality?
For the price, yes. Japanese quartz movements, tidy steel cases and consistent minimalist design. The limits are the ones every fashion watch shares: no mechanical movement and no sapphire crystal.
Is MVMT still a direct-to-consumer brand?
Not in the original sense. Movado Group acquired MVMT in August 2018 in a deal reported above one hundred million dollars, so the brand now sits inside an established watch group.
Is MVMT better than Daniel Wellington?
On specification, generally yes. The two share a minimalist look and Japanese quartz, but MVMT entry models carry 5 ATM water resistance against Daniel Wellington’s 3 ATM, and they cost less.
Can you swim with an MVMT watch?
It depends on the model, so check the reference. The Classic II and Voyager are rated 5 ATM, which covers shallow swimming, while the Chrono II is 3 ATM and should stay dry.
Are MVMT watches worth the money?
At the entry end, comfortably. Around $118 buys a well-proportioned quartz watch with decent sealing. At the top of the range the value case weakens, because the price approaches proper watch territory.
The verdict
MVMT is a better watch brand than the enthusiast consensus allows and a less radical one than its own marketing claimed. The design discipline is real and the entry pricing is genuinely good.
Buy the cheap end, skip the expensive end, and ignore the middleman story. It stopped being accurate in 2018, and the watches stand up fine without it.
Daniel Hart is the editor of Watch The Watch. He researches and writes the site’s buying guides, brand comparisons, and explainers, focused on accessible, enthusiast-level watches — affordable automatics, divers, field and dress watches, everyday quartz, and the straps, winders and tools that go with them. The goal is practical, budget-aware advice that helps readers choose the right watch for their wrist and their budget. Recommendations draw on manufacturer specifications and the wider enthusiast community.
