Christopher Ward, Bremont and more celebrate British watchmaking
A ‘Weekender’ at Time+Tide with the British Watchmakers’ Alliance sold out in one day. The exhibiting brands included domestic stars like Christopher Ward, Bremont, Studio Underd0g, George Bamford’s ‘London’ imprint and Farer. It took place at online publisher Time+Tide’s sleek new bricks and mortar just north of Oxford Circus. And – much like the British Watchmakers Alliance Day just over 8 months ago in Westminster – it was utterly mobbed.
If anything signals to the Swiss that the Brits are back in watchmaking, it was this, two weekends ago.
Since its ‘Bellwether Survey’ of 2021, conducted with KPMG, the British Watchmakers Alliance has advocated a genuine return to these Isles of wildly varied horological trades. In the 19th century, you’d find most down the road from Great Portland Street, in Clerkenwell. What Time+Tide’s British Watchmakers’ Weekender proved, however, was as well as the engineering know-how that’s never really left, the UK now has the watch brands to bind it all as an ‘industry’ or ’scene’ per se.
The new space on the 1st floor of West Portland House rents windows to brands, serves as Time+Tide’s HQ, as well as an event space and social hub. On the 24th and 25th November, all of the above seemed to be the case.
“With their ‘Discovery Studio’, Time + Tide has made a significant investment in British watch culture,” attests the Alliance’s Alistair Audley. “In the sheer buzz of the room it was actually hard to spot who was a brand owner and who was a watch collector at times. I guess it’s because everyone is, at heart, a watch enthusiast.
“It was exactly what the Alliance intended with British Watchmakers’ Day and hopefully we can add the British Weekender as a firm fixture on our calendar!”
Andrew McUtcheon is the founder of T+T, who’s recently migrated his entire outfit lock-stock from Melbourne to London.
“Our first Weekender was like a ride through Lake District terrain in a Defender; exhilarating, at times slightly unhinged, and everywhere you look it’s the UK at its finest!” McUtcheon enthuses. “The constant feedback was ‘the industry hasn’t come together in this way before’, in a large space, without the usual over-the-counter dynamic.”
Christopher Ward announced at the time of writing a rare retailer partnership ‘in the flesh’ chez T+T, following years of adamantly direct-to-consumer relationships.
“British Watchmaking is having a moment,” says McCutcheon, “and it is only the beginning.”
• Time+Tide’s new Discovery Studio is open to the public at 4 Great Portland Street W1W 8QJ, 10am-6pm, shop. Visit the website here