As British Watchmaker's Day returns for another year, legions of watch lovers will be descending on London for a day of horological excellence. Sadly I won't be in attendance this year, but the barrage of limited edition watches from the exhibiting brand's has made me think long and hard about the state of British watches.
Back in August last year, I compiled a list of five of the best British watch brands you don't know about. Those picks were under the radar ones, but creating such a compact list was tough going.
To that end, I'm back with another seven of the finest watch brands to exist on home soil. These are all worthy of your attention, and some will even be exhibiting at the event.
1. Detrash
Without doubt the most well known brand on this list, Detrash has gone from strength to strength in recent years. Backed by significant social media marketing, a legion of impressive reviews and a limited-run design which appeals to our consumerist nature, the brand has proven itself time and time again.
Earlier dive watches like the Midnight Sky and Au.M.G. we're a solid basis for the brand, but its range of field and dress watches like the McQ are marking a second dawn for the brand.
Top that off with some eco-friendly materials at an attractive price point, and it's not hard to see why this brand is so well-loved.
2. Split Watches
Another brand born from a desire to change conversations in the watch industry is Split Watches. Offering a range of automatic chronograph models, the brand aims to improve conversations around mental health by donating therapy sessions for each watch sold.
Not only is that a brilliant cause, it's a fantastic watch with a great design. I'm expecting more big things from the brand this year.
3. Ontic Watches
Based in the hills of West Yorkshire, Ontic is a watch brand designed with use in mind. Like the stereotypical Yorkshireman, Ontic isn't fussed with marketing hype and campaign engagement.
Instead, it sets out to build simple watches which do what they say on the tin, and can be relied upon to work even when others may fall down. Offering a range of dive watches with impressive resistance and titanium cases, there's a lot to love here.
Stay tuned to T3 for a review soon...
4. Abinger
To me, Nimrod is the name of the iconic late-90s Green Day album, and while the Abinger Nimrod has no such influence, there's something to be said for their similarities. That album was widely regarded as a refined moment, which never lost sight of what made the band tick.
Abinger's watch could be described in much the same manner. Debuts rarely come as good as this, with an honest story and perfect wearing dimensions.
5. Maystone Watches
While every watch offers something to love, value is one which scores highly for lots of us. And I'm not sure there are many better value watches out there right now than the Maystone Watches Complexity GMT.
My personal favourite is the Golden Eagle, which mimics the look of the Rolex GMT-Master II 'Root Beer' at a mind-boggling price. The design is intentional and well thought out – top marks!
6. Escudo
The last time I was at the British Watchmaker's Day, I spent a long time chatting with the team at Escudo. Fusing passions for the history of the UK and Portugal, you'll find inflections of both nations here.
The collection of dive watches are well made, and feel substantial on the wrist. If you're looking for a diver with a difference, they're worth a look.
7. Pompeak Watches
There's no shortage of dive watches in the modern arena, but the Pompeak Sub-Aquatic still impressed me when I first saw it. Unlike others which seem to hover around the £1,000 mark, these are just £669, and don't seem to miss out on any quality for that price.
More recently, the brand has added some dressier pieces, proving it is no one-trick pony. But I still think those divers offer the kind of value which is unmatched anywhere else. If I was in the market for a dive watch right now, this is where my cash would go.
