A new fair promoting the work of British watchmakers will give participating collectors the chance to purchase limited edition pieces not available anywhere else.
Most of the 44 brands exhibiting at the first British Watch Maker Day, to be held at London's Lindley Hall on March 9, have created special designs for the event. These include variations on popular models from record-breaking independent watchmaker Roger Smith and award-winning brand Christopher Ward.
The fair is the first live event hosted by the Union of British Watch Makers since the industry body was launched in 2020, and is expected to attract collectors from around the world.
Alistair Owsley, the alliance's chief executive, said the concept evolved from Record Store Day, when independent record shops sell vinyl records specially produced for the annual event. He said it was an inspiration. Similarly, he wants British Watchmakers' Day to become an annual tradition for the watch sector.
Britain has a proud history of horological innovation, particularly from the 17th to the 19th century. However, the country's watch industry declined in the 20th century, even though later manufacturers, including George Daniels, made their mark worldwide.
Owsley is hoping to make a statement with its latest sales event: 'British watchmaking is back'. “From your first £50 watch to your £500,000 Roger Smith, and almost everywhere in between, we have a watch to fit every wrist and pocket,” he says. He added that each exhibiting brand has a “completely unique approach.”
Smith is attracting a lot of attention at the fair. He is offering a rare opportunity to purchase a new watch, as well as displaying his unique Great Britain creations created in 2013 in support of the UK Government's international marketing campaign of the same name. The Isle of Man-based watchmaker, which produces 18 handcrafted pieces a year, will close its waiting list in 2021, with lower-tier watches facing a five-year wait.
He is working on his “ideal watch,” which will be sold at a private auction at the event. “the [a] Very simple and very streamlined, the Series 1 is made of 18K red gold with a mixed metal engine rev dial and very beautiful engravings. [of a rose] We've done that specifically for this watch by raising the barrel bridge of the movement,” says Smith.
His second pocket watch sold for $4.9 million in June last year, setting an auction record for a British watch. He is chairman of the 91-member alliance, which includes all brands registered in the British Isles, and all funds raised over the new watch's retail price of £350,000 will be donated to the not-for-profit organization. I plan to donate to.
Christopher Ward makes ten Bel Canto watches, named Bel Canto 9324 after the date of British Watchmakers' Day. The first two 300-piece limited editions of the Swiss-made C1 bel canto chime watches are the Azzurro Blue version, which won an award at last year's Grand Prix d with watches priced between CHF2,000 and CHF8,000 ($2,300-$9,200). “Winner of the Prix Horlogerie de Genève and sold out within hours of its 2022 launch.”
Currently, customers who pre-order the Bel Canto, which will go on general release in January 2023, will have to wait seven months to receive their watch.
Mike France, CEO and co-founder of Christopher Ward and co-founder of the Alliance, said the limited sale “is going to cause a little bit of a stir, which is exactly what we want to do. ” he says. This model features a laser-etched Union Jack in platinum and Roman numerals on the dial. It will be sold by lottery at the fair, and the proceeds will be donated to the Alliance.
Zero Waist's special design also has a British feel. One of his two unique watches for the event commemorates his 100th anniversary of the Flying Scotsman steam locomotive. The brand's first railway-inspired watch, it incorporates boiler tubes salvaged from engines.
Christopher Ward Bel Canto 9324
FS-2 Flying Scotsman Custom Special
By designing for watch enthusiasts who admire British watchmaking, Bristol-based Fears management says they were able to “make something a little more esoteric” rather than thinking about commercial aspects. Director Nicholas Bowman Scargill said. A new reference for his 10 Brunswick pieces, inspired by his 1924 designs from the Brunswick archives, is the brand's first watch with a sterling silver case since the 1920s.
Johnny Garrett, founder of William Wood Watches, said many of his customers own products from other British independent watch brands, but Smith's participation at the fair will allow his brand to He said it would bring a new “elevated audience” that he could introduce to the world. His Fire Exit Busy Man Day-Date watch, which is limited to 300 pieces, lights up at night like an emergency exit sign and depicts a different activity for each day of the week, including a party on Saturday. I am.
william wood fire exit busyman day date
Fears Brunswick Ag Sterling White
Tickets for the event cost £10 and are free to members of the Alliance Club for Enthusiasts and Collectors, which has just under 800 people in 19 countries, according to Mr Owsley. France notes that Christopher Ward has received interest from customers in the United States and Singapore, and expects “many collectors will come from across the continent” for the limited editions at the show. He says this type of event is “uncharted territory” in the watch world.
Independent watch expert and auctioneer Geoffroy Ader expects British Watchmaker's Day's “great concept” to be a success with collectors “looking outside the box”.
“Gathering people together in one venue means… [means] It’s much easier for everyone to recognize the importance of British watchmaking,” he says.