Everyone is hugely excited about the British Watch and Clockmakers Day, which will be held in London on 9 March. This is the organisation's inaugural meeting, with over 40 British watch manufacturers displaying their models. The public ticket allocation is sold out, such was the demand to attend, but don't worry if you can't make it because the WatchGecko Magazine and YouTube channel are official media partners, so there will be complete and detailed coverage.
As well as watches sold at the event, all manufacturers have been encouraged to develop a special edition specific to the show. Here is a sneak preview of most of those special editions. Some manufacturers are still opting to keep their watches under wraps and plan only to release them on the day of the show.
Fears 1924
A classic Fears design with a simple white dial and thermally blue hands with matching blue strap. Fears has developed a unique look that is instantly recognisable, and the BWMD special edition is the quintessential watch from this exciting British brand.
Studio Underd0g
A fascinating interpretation of a World War 2 British military watch; had Studio Underd0g, with their unique design flair, been asked to create one. Part of the 02Series, this vintage watch has the expected Studio Underd0g twist with a SuperLuminova dial, projecting lume beneath the printing.
Monro Adventure
Monro's release is a special "MA-BWD 1 of 1" piece unique to the event. One visitor will win the timepiece that has been commissioned. This multi-functional, automatic GMT watch tells the time in 24 destinations. It celebrates Britishness with a stunning red, white, and blue colour palette.
Brooklands
Brooklands are bringing a striking bi-compax blue chronograph with a bold red second hand. An intricate minute track and subtle printing bring a highly sophisticated look to a unique watch. We look forward very much to hands-on with this during the show.
Mr Jones Watches - MJW
The Sphinx is another fantastic creation from Mr. Jones watches. With each colour printed individually, this London-based manufacturer is synonymous with the ultimate in creativity and complex dial design. It represents a British take on Watches, and we are excited to see the latest creation in March.
Christopher Ward
To most of us connected with the British watch industry, the Christopher Ward Bel Canto was a standout product in recent years. So it is no surprise that the brand has chosen to make a special edition for this most important exhibition. The BWMD model is a rich contrast of blue and red, differentiating it ultimately from previous iterations.
Freese
If you like military and field-style watches, then the Freese 101 Mark II could be your top watch of the day. It was designed to mirror the Rolex Marlon Brando wore in Apocalypse. The 101 Mark II is stunning in its simplicity and represents the ethos of the classic military watch. It oozes robustness and functionality and will undoubtedly be hugely popular on the day.
Geckota
The Ocean-Scout is Geckota's most innovative creation and shows a brand in confident maturity. A genuine tool watch designed to represent the commencement and undertaking of a great journey and the arrival at a new destination. The design ethos of this watch takes inspiration from vintage dive and adventure watches, and the special edition brought to the show will have a classic bi-colour Pepsi bezel.
Duckworth
Duckworth has produced a very recognisable watch with an extremely clever twist. Instead of conventional indices to mark the hours, they have taken the letters of British Watch and Clock Makers and spaced these out to represent the 0 to 12 and 13 to 24 markers concentrically around the watch dial. This unique model is available in various colors and truly represents the day's importance.
MHD
MHD's offering is the Daily Driver Reverse Panda automotive chronograph. Based on automotive design, the stunning exoskeleton case defines this watch, as does the "red zone" dial graphic from 8 to 11. The automotive heritage of MHD is without equal. The watches are designed by Matthew Humphries, the chief designer at the British motor company Morgan.
Elliot Brown
For the inaugural show, Elliot Brown has designed a unique Beachmaster. This outstanding military watch, which we reviewed recently, now has a red and green rehaut, adding an exceptional design element to an already clever watch with its patented dial function. The red and green accents highlight this watch's unique count up and countdown capability.
Beaucroft
Beaucroft from Cambridge is bringing a variant of their 37mm seeker to the show. The Seeker is a watch that is designed to be worn at all times of the day and for all occasions, and this special edition has an ice blue dial with a bold red seconds hand.
Zero West
Zero West brings two watches to the show, each a variant of classic designs that define their portfolio. There is a blackout version of their DB-80 watch, which is a homage to the Lancaster aircraft and an alternate version of their FS-2 Flying Scotsman watch, which pays tribute to the famous clock above platform 8 at Kings Cross station where the flying Scotsman embarked on journeys.
Roger Smith
We can't say much about the new Roger Smith creation because we've only seen snapshots, but if you want to learn more, why not listen to the very special interview we did with him before the show? It's on our YouTube channel now. We can reveal that the new watch, part of his Series 1, will display unique engraving that Roger feels typifies everything about the modern and historical British watch industry.
