We’ve been running events for nearly 3 years and have held over 100 in-person and more online. One of the main things we’ve been consistently surprised by is the enthusiasm from watch lovers about British Watch brands. People really want to connect with things done in the UK, and love to learn about stories from founders about what’s inspired them to build their own brand.
Whether it’s companies that once sold watches around the world in the 19th Century, such as Fears Watches, or brand new Microbrands like Apiar or Helicon, watch lovers want to know more. We’ve been lucky enough to hold events for quite a few different brands over the last few years, and are looking forward to The Manchester Watch Show in November, where 25 of Britain’s most exciting watch brands will exhibit their range.
Our First British Watch Event
In September 2022, we had the privilege of hosting an evening in Birmingham in partnership with Bremont, who had just opened their sleek new store in the city. Eager to create a buzz, we chose to spotlight the iconic Supermarine range; a collection of dive watches with a wide range of great watches. The evening was set to begin at 6:00 PM, and everything was falling into place until a last-minute twist added an unexpected dash of drama. At 5:50 PM, a client arrived to pick up a watch, accompanied by his wife. Blissfully unaware of the growing crowd, they settled in, enjoying Bremont’s warm hospitality and engaging in lively conversation with their salesperson, while eager guests began to gather around them. Thankfully, they departed just in time, allowing the event to kick off without a hitch. Enthusiasts from across the Midlands, many of whom were devoted Bremont collectors, gathered to share their passion, making the evening a resounding success.
Celebrating watch design at the UK’s largest Design Festival
Fears Watches are a brand we’ve got to know over the last few years as we’ve met them at watch events and Meetups. The story of the brand’s resurrection is one we love, and getting to know and work Manging Director Nicholas Bowman-Scargill and the team has been great fun. In May 2023 we held an event at the heart of the world famous Clerkenwell Design Festival with Fears Watches, Studio Underdog and Schofield Watch Company. We interviewed each of the brand founders for a fantastic insight into how people think about watch design and what goes into the development of a new watch. We had over 70 guests and it was fantastic to be part of such a great festival.
Fears in Bristol
Last October we held an event at the Fears HQ in Bristol to help people see how it’s done. People came from far and wide to learn more about the brands, meet the design team and get up close with the whole watch range. One watch lover said he’d been collecting for 25 years and lived half a mile away, but before our event had never known Fears were there! We were delighted to introduce him to the brand.
Helping brands get started
Two members of The Watch Collectors’ Club have a passion to develop a brand based around 3D-printing technology. 18 months of hard work saw Apiar launch their first watch this summer, the Invenire. With a possible 600 combinations, buyers could design their own watch. The Club has helped them along they way as they’ve brought their prototypes to Meetups and gained valuable feedback from other watch lovers keen to help. We held a dedicated event in June to celebrate the launch of the watch and had a great time in a buzzing bar in East London.
The Manchester Watch Show
Our goal is to help watch lovers explore the watch world and the next obvious way to help British brands and enthusiasts connect was to run a watch fair or show. The Manchester Watch Show is our first event of this size and we can’t wait to present 25 British brands to watch lovers in the North of England for the first time. Demand was so high we sold all the tickets in under 24 hours and have a long waiting list. In partnership with sponsors CCM Motorcycles and Zing Cover, we’re looking forward to a fantastic day celebrating British watches.
Conclusion
We love holding watch events with brands of different sizes and we’ve connected hundreds of people with the best of British watchmaking at our exciting and inclusive events. Make sure you keep an eye on our events calendar or join as a Member to hear all about what’s coming up next!
If you’re still interested in a ticket to The Manchester Watch Show, all members of The Watch Collectors’ Club get a complimentary ticket. Membership starts at just £75 a year and you can find all the details here.