Photo Report: Highlights From The 2026 British Watchmakers’ Day
The British Watchmakers’ Day enjoyed its third outing with another successful show. With 48 brands and 26 event-exclusive timepieces, there was a lot to see. Some changes this year included splitting general admission tickets into morning, afternoon, and evening time slots. The morning tickets sold out quickly, but the evening still had spaces right up to just before the show. Another change was restricting the brands to 50 pieces of each limited edition. That meant there was a greater spread, and brands were reporting sellouts within hours of doors opening. I was there as the curtains went up to capture the full British Watchmakers’ Day experience.
The change to limit special show editions was a response to the previous year’s event — specifically, the Fears × Studio Underd0g 02Series “Gimlet”, which was a smash hit at £1,000. However, there was some feedback from other brands that weren’t overly keen on the long lines cutting across the stands. But Fears and Studio Underd0g took it in stride, noting that the decision to cease the cocktail collection was to preserve the spirit to 2025 and start with fresh concepts for 2026, such as the Brunswick 40 “1846” edition. Also, I always applaud when brands choose to quit while ahead and not oversaturate a concept.
Christopher Ward C1 Loco 7326
Christopher Ward had a stonking start to the show. All 10 pieces of the limited-edition C1 Loco 7326 sold out within 24 minutes. Sorry to afternoon and evening ticket holders. This demonstrates that morning tickets are the way to go, although some brands space out the allocation per time slot. Still, the response to the £4,995 C1 Loco, including from our dear readers at Fratello, was extremely positive. And Christopher Ward is not a brand to let a potentially successful core range go untapped. Thus, we will likely see more C1 Loco editions, possibly with exciting colors and preferably more contrasting finishing techniques on the case band and bezel.
Apiar Gen1.1 Underground British Watchmakers’ Day
Apiar had a similarly successful outing, with all three limited-edition Gen1.1 Underground watches having sold out within 40 minutes. The watch I went hands-on with was a customer piece with a slight defect in the sapphire crystal, which the brand will swap out before shipping to the lucky owner. There was some frustration that Apiar could’ve pushed beyond the three-watch limitation and perhaps stretched to 10 pieces. Certainly, the watches would’ve still sold out quickly at £3,000, but it was a missed opportunity. But at least the three owners are proud to own such a rare timepiece. Chris Alexander, The Dial Artist, applies the enamel paint meticulously between the brass framing. The application was exceptional and really drove the tube-map concept home. It may not be the last of its kind, with colorful dials proven to be a winning combination with Apiar’s 3D-printed cases.
Diatom Terra Meteorite Verdant British Watchmakers’ Day
Diatom had an interesting USP for its new Terra Meteorite collection. Each watch has been flown in space, with up to 100 watches at a time soaring 50km above Earth’s atmosphere. Owners can even see the watches as they hover above our blue planet, thanks to Diatom sharing short clips of them in space. Of course, payload recovery is important for Diatom’s aerospace industry, so the same applies to bringing the watches back to Earth. But with over 20 years of experience, this is what Diatom does best. The brand uses a 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite from the Gibeon cluster and is transparent about each dial’s origin. Traceability is rare for meteorite dials, so this openness is refreshing. Diatom also uses the Sellita SW200 movement to make the £2,200 Terra Meteorite wear thin and sleek on the wrist.
Omologato Alex Palou CGR Carbon Chronograph
Omologato shows off its motorsports passion in spades. The CGR Carbon Chronograph features a dial forged from last year’s Indy 500-winning Chip Ganassi race car driven by Spanish driver Álex Palou. Even the svelte carbon fiber rear wing needed to be shaved down to fit within the 43mm case. The 1mm-thick carbon sheet retains structural rigidity due to its carbon-weave construction. Some of the oil splats and debris from the race are present to maintain authenticity. Limited to 500 pieces, only 20 remain after the show at £750 each.
Marloe Haggis Works Pinky
Marloe had an interesting theme this year, with a new take on its Aerodyne watch featuring striking colors and an eye-catching layout. The concept is that Haggis Works breaks into the Marloe HQ and sprays cyan and magenta paint over blueprints and designs. As you may know, cyan and magenta are two of the four ink colors (along with black and yellow) that can be combined to create all possible printing colors. The split transparent dial uses magenta with a broad stroke, with cyan populating the semi-skeletonized half. In honor of Burns Night, a tiny Haggis character replaces the 25 on the date wheel. The Marloe Haggis Works Pinky wasn’t limited to the show, but it still sold out at £449 each.
Edward Christopher Ripple British Watchmakers’ Day
Edward Christopher’s new Ripple is just as interesting in person as it was in the pre-release. Assuming my interest would be solely in the special edition, I was surprised by how intriguing the Blossom Pink was. It’s not a particularly feminine color and toes the line to appeal to all. Only the protruding end links on the prototype didn’t articulate downwards as smoothly as expected. Thankfully, I was reliably informed that the final production pieces, at £925, would resolve this for a better fit. Even with the 38mm case diameter, this small change will improve the lug drop for everyday comfort.
Studio Underd0g Classic Cheese and Burnt Pepper0ni
The Studio Underd0g pizza edition was a steady seller. Though with 50 pieces per timed entries in the morning, afternoon, and evening, the supply was plentiful. This new edition wasn’t an instant sellout, as the Gimlet was the year prior. Perhaps the dough was stretched a bit too thin. And if I’m honest, the auction piece, which sold for $17,000 last year, was already the perfect bookend to the pizza-themed watches. Revisiting this theme seemed a bit stale. But the sales tactic of Richard Benc (Studio Underd0g) and Andrew McUtchen (Time+Tide) hand-delivering the watches is still unique.
Henry Catchpole and Gethin Jones
Arken Alterum
Revered automotive journalist Henry Catchpole of Hagerty fame was again at the show, checking out the latest British watches. Alongside Catchpole was rally racing instructor Gethin Jones. Henry Catchpole wore the Arken Alterum with a half-orange, half-blue strap. He was inspired to get this watch thanks to his interest in the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Everest. At £600, this offering from Arken is more approachable, even if it sells out quickly after each restock.
Bremont MB Meteor × Felix the Cat
Bremont brought its new MB Meteor collaboration with Felix the Cat at £5,950. The “watch your six” motif has a characterful dial with Felix stealing the six from its position. It’s a playful take on what typically is a stoic pilot’s watch that withstands the shock and vibrations of ejection seats. Curiously, the Stealth Gray version of the MB Meteor initially envisaged using an actual meteorite for the dial. However, during the strenuous testing with the Martin-Baker ejection seat, the meteorite material essentially shook itself to bits. Therefore, Bremont opted to use a meteorite-effect dial to live up to the namesake.
Zero West hiOctane
Zero West unveiled its new hiOctane collection featuring famous livery-inspired dials. There’s pale blue and orange in reference to the Gulf Oil logo, as well as the black and gold colorway of John Player Special. Both of these looks were iconic on 1970s Lotus cars. The ’60s are also represented by the Lotus F1 colors with which Jim Clark and Graham Hill won many victories. Lastly, the silver and red livery is notable for Norton motorcycles. Although all colors are unofficial in terms of direct partnerships, the inspiration is unmistakable.
Schofield Skeptiko British Watchmakers’ Day
Schofield brought its new Skeptiko to the show with a steel “Sightings” version and “Artefacts” LE made from Ultem polymer. The translucent case shows some of the case construction, but it is also a first in the watch industry. I asked Giles Schofield if it’s easy to work with, and he enthusiastically confirmed that it was. Ultem machines and molds wonderfully to the unique Schofield case design. However, the steel feels core to the Schofield aesthetic, and the plastic version may look a bit too technical. That said, it was wonderful to feel the 85g lightness and perfectly formed case of this £4,680 watch in person.
Roger W. Smith
Roger W. Smith, the show’s headline sponsor, celebrates the 25th anniversary of his brand this year. There wasn’t a new watch for the occasion, but I did get to see last year’s Series Six. As you can imagine, the watch is impeccable, and chatting to the watchmaker was a treat. The finishing and assembling of each Roger W. Smith creation is a journey of many months. Sadly, it was a customer piece and therefore remained in the protective glass case. But the watchmaker enthusiastically talked me through the frosted finishing of the mainplate and ink engravings.
Alongside this were the thermally blued screws and gold indications. The hands were made by another watchmaker who specializes in them, but each component is a labor of love. This becomes apparent when realizing that Roger W. Smith now only delivers 20 watches per year. And over the last 25 years, the brand has only produced 200 watches. The engine-turned dials are exquisite as well, with varying textures in each sector. But with his watches garnering exceedingly long waitlists and commanding sky-high six-figure prices, this event is as close as many will get to a Roger W. Smith timepiece.
Golby Watches Aquareef 40 British Watchmakers’ Day
Despite being based in landlocked Solihull in the UK’s Midlands, Golby Watches takes inspiration from the British coastline. The British Watchmakers’ Day exclusive Aquareef 40 features a dial inspired by the Royal Air Force roundel. Many of these pieces were sold on the day, including when I was at the stand next to a buyer. Any remaining pieces are available for £450 each when signing up to Golby’s mailing list.
William Wood
William Wood had a real boost this year thanks to the endorsement from Australian actor and director Russell Crowe. On his private social media account, Russell Crowe takes his followers on a tour of his watch collection, among which is the £2,795 William Wood Triumph Chronograph Jubilee with a purple dial. But how did Crowe get acquainted with the brand? That was thanks to fellow Aussie and comedian Adam Hills, best known for hosting The Last Leg on British TV. Hills was once heckled with “go you big red fire engine” at a comedy gig, and the phrase stuck with him. Honoring the Australian Fire Service, Adam Hills partnered with William Wood to create a limited-edition watch with a UV-checkered dial. On the back is a microphone stand with the heckler’s quote.
Russell Crowe met with Adam at an Australian pub and noticed his watch. Crowe went out and bought the William Wood timepiece and later bought several more. This led Crowe to select a £820 red Valiant watch for an upcoming role in the boxing movie Beast, out next month. Look out for the movie and more from William Wood.
Paulin Mara Blue
Paulin is the sister brand of anOrdain and shares the same Glasgow facility. Interestingly, anOrdain is still not part of the Alliance of British Watch & Clock Makers, but Paulin is. The Dazzle clock certainly catches the eye, but the most fascinating watch was the Mara Black and Blue, priced at £1,100 each.
The Strap Tailor
Outside the exhibitors, I also caught up with David from The Strap Tailor, who was wearing a sumptuous Tudor Submariner. Naturally, the watch was on one of his very own leather strap creations.
Those were my highlights from the 2026 British Watchmakers’ Day, and I hope you enjoyed this photo report. See you there next year!
