English watches?
Discussion
Apache said:
Aren't they made with a German case and a Swiss quartz or auto movement?
About as English as sauerkraut, in other words.
CommanderJameson said:
Apache said:
Aren't they made with a German case and a Swiss quartz or auto movement?About as English as sauerkraut, in other words.
Lorneg said:
My website gives me a summary of locations people have come to it from, so when good old Pistonheads popped up I had to see what you guys might be saying.
It's funny, but lots of people say they prefer the tachymeter bezel I tried out on one of the prototypes, but one of the good things about making your own watches is that you don't necessarily have to listen to advice! The roman numnerals, particularly my favourite number 8, really suit the watch far better than a tachymeter.
Ikemi said:
Miguel Alvarez said:
Don't know whether you realised this but the main symbol of the Barbados flag is a trident so when I see things with one it grabs my attention.
I instantly thought Maserati ... 
So Lorne. We've identifed two new markets for you Bajan's and Maserati drivers. What sort of commission do Ikemi and me get?
Miguel Alvarez said:
I missed that obvious PH connection.
So Lorne. We've identifed two new markets for you Bajan's and Maserati drivers. What sort of commission do Ikemi and me get?
Yup, Barbados, Maserati and OFFSHORE Professional chronographs - Tridents galore.So Lorne. We've identifed two new markets for you Bajan's and Maserati drivers. What sort of commission do Ikemi and me get?
No commission, but I'll give you a special price if you want one.
Hello all,
I tripped over this thread only the other day so apologies for raising a long dead topic, but it is one close to my heart.
Right now there are only two people I know making English movements: Roger Smith and Frodshams. Both contain versions of the co-axial escapement and both run 21,600 beats per hour and should give ace timekeeping. Roger Smith about £120,000 and Frodshams have yet to release a finished watch, but my guess is £35,000. Roger Smith is entirely hand made in the Isle of Man; Frodhsams is entirely manufactured in England.
I'm a bit quirky, I used a batch of 1950s Smiths movements to create our "made in England" watches. More of a childish whim than anything else, I just wanted to prove it was possible to make EVERYTHING here: sapphire glass, nylon and rubber seals, stems, mainsprings, jewels, winders, movement rings, dials, hands, collets, etc... and the movements significantly tweaked and uprated, hand engraved etc...
Yes, we also make cheaper watches and chronographs with Chinese movements. The Chinese have GREAT tooling and the quality of most of the bits in a Chinese watch movement is good. Chinese cleanliness and skill of assembly however is dire, so we strip and re-build them using our own mainsprings, and gilding and decorating plates as we go. It probably takes us 140 Chinese movements to make 100 watches though, as many have bad scars and damage from poor quality factory assembly. According to the Advertising Standards Authority, this is enough to call them "made in Britain". I don't, I just sign them "Stamford, England".
Interesting by the way to hear that at least one famous Swiss "manufacture" (the word they use to imply they make their own movements) now uses the same Chinese movement for some watches. I assume they also strip and re-build.
There are a few more British watchmakers who make their own cases and or dials etc... to fit to foreign movements. Forgive me if I miss someone off the list:
Rodgers London
Christopher Pinchbeck of Lincoln
Simon Benney
Meridian Watches
There are lots of British firms who design here and manufacture abroad. Many or most do the final assembly here, some also decorate and assemble the movements here:
Dent,
IWI,
Schofield,
Christopher Ward,
Eddie Platts,
RLT,
Offshore,
The list goes on and on but those are the ones I remember off the top of my head.
Then there is the firm so well known you have probably forgotten it is a British business, based in North London, with real staff and watchmakers and everything. It's Britain's biggest watch firm with turnover in excess of ten million and with around sixty UK staff: Accurist. Most Accurist watches are as British as most Swiss watches are Swiss, so don't laugh. (I might sneer at your "Swiss Made" if you do). A stylish British watch for £50? A British Minute Repeater for £425? It's all there if you want it. I see they have started to call their best watches "Accurist London" and who can blame them.
And forgive me, but I get deeply irritated by Swiss firms who imply they are British when they are not. I'm sorry but just acquiring the names Graham, Thompion, Earnshaw, Windmills etc... and registering them and using their web-address, it doesn't make them British.
Very best, love the discussion, Robert
I tripped over this thread only the other day so apologies for raising a long dead topic, but it is one close to my heart.
Right now there are only two people I know making English movements: Roger Smith and Frodshams. Both contain versions of the co-axial escapement and both run 21,600 beats per hour and should give ace timekeeping. Roger Smith about £120,000 and Frodshams have yet to release a finished watch, but my guess is £35,000. Roger Smith is entirely hand made in the Isle of Man; Frodhsams is entirely manufactured in England.
I'm a bit quirky, I used a batch of 1950s Smiths movements to create our "made in England" watches. More of a childish whim than anything else, I just wanted to prove it was possible to make EVERYTHING here: sapphire glass, nylon and rubber seals, stems, mainsprings, jewels, winders, movement rings, dials, hands, collets, etc... and the movements significantly tweaked and uprated, hand engraved etc...
Yes, we also make cheaper watches and chronographs with Chinese movements. The Chinese have GREAT tooling and the quality of most of the bits in a Chinese watch movement is good. Chinese cleanliness and skill of assembly however is dire, so we strip and re-build them using our own mainsprings, and gilding and decorating plates as we go. It probably takes us 140 Chinese movements to make 100 watches though, as many have bad scars and damage from poor quality factory assembly. According to the Advertising Standards Authority, this is enough to call them "made in Britain". I don't, I just sign them "Stamford, England".
Interesting by the way to hear that at least one famous Swiss "manufacture" (the word they use to imply they make their own movements) now uses the same Chinese movement for some watches. I assume they also strip and re-build.
There are a few more British watchmakers who make their own cases and or dials etc... to fit to foreign movements. Forgive me if I miss someone off the list:
Rodgers London
Christopher Pinchbeck of Lincoln
Simon Benney
Meridian Watches
There are lots of British firms who design here and manufacture abroad. Many or most do the final assembly here, some also decorate and assemble the movements here:
Dent,
IWI,
Schofield,
Christopher Ward,
Eddie Platts,
RLT,
Offshore,
The list goes on and on but those are the ones I remember off the top of my head.
Then there is the firm so well known you have probably forgotten it is a British business, based in North London, with real staff and watchmakers and everything. It's Britain's biggest watch firm with turnover in excess of ten million and with around sixty UK staff: Accurist. Most Accurist watches are as British as most Swiss watches are Swiss, so don't laugh. (I might sneer at your "Swiss Made" if you do). A stylish British watch for £50? A British Minute Repeater for £425? It's all there if you want it. I see they have started to call their best watches "Accurist London" and who can blame them.
And forgive me, but I get deeply irritated by Swiss firms who imply they are British when they are not. I'm sorry but just acquiring the names Graham, Thompion, Earnshaw, Windmills etc... and registering them and using their web-address, it doesn't make them British.
Very best, love the discussion, Robert
Robert - brilliant to see your post.
Is your shop the one right next to the bridge in Stamford? I was there a couple of years ago, looking longingly at a very nice Omega Constellation pie-pan. I didn't know at the time that you had your own products - but looking at the website they seem very nice!
Also, very interesting information about Accurist; I had assumed that they were American, in a "good honest timepiece" vein like Timex.
Is your shop the one right next to the bridge in Stamford? I was there a couple of years ago, looking longingly at a very nice Omega Constellation pie-pan. I didn't know at the time that you had your own products - but looking at the website they seem very nice!
Also, very interesting information about Accurist; I had assumed that they were American, in a "good honest timepiece" vein like Timex.
as this thread has been resurrected, my resurrected Smiths Everest, courtesy of the recommendation on this thread!!
I do like that it says "Made in England" on the bottom of the dial!!
Lovely work done, but does need a few more tweaks (watch was in an embarrassingly bad condition) so will be back to UK again in a jiffy bag soon!
I do like that it says "Made in England" on the bottom of the dial!!
Lovely work done, but does need a few more tweaks (watch was in an embarrassingly bad condition) so will be back to UK again in a jiffy bag soon!
robert loomes said:
Then there is the firm so well known you have probably forgotten it is a British business, based in North London, with real staff and watchmakers and everything. It's Britain's biggest watch firm with turnover in excess of ten million and with around sixty UK staff: Accurist. Most Accurist watches are as British as most Swiss watches are Swiss, so don't laugh. (I might sneer at your "Swiss Made" if you do). A stylish British watch for £50? A British Minute Repeater for £425? It's all there if you want it. I see they have started to call their best watches "Accurist London" and who can blame them.
embarrassed to admit i never realized that Accurist were British!I have been quietly looking for a new British watch to celebrate the birth of my Daughter. Having lived in Stamford several years ago I was aware of Robert Loomes watches but the look of the Copper Black and the Robin didn't appeal (although the movements were stunning) I was over the moon that when I popped into the shop this weekend there was 1 remaining (previously reserved) chronograph that was available. Mrs M has rarely seen me so happy. Bought it there and then. Understand a ladies watch may be on the way........... 10 weeks old to young to buy her first watch???? I may have to sell the wife.
SUPERRITZ said:
I have been quietly looking for a new British watch to celebrate the birth of my Daughter. Having lived in Stamford several years ago I was aware of Robert Loomes watches but the look of the Copper Black and the Robin didn't appeal (although the movements were stunning) I was over the moon that when I popped into the shop this weekend there was 1 remaining (previously reserved) chronograph that was available. Mrs M has rarely seen me so happy. Bought it there and then. Understand a ladies watch may be on the way........... 10 weeks old to young to buy her first watch???? I may have to sell the wife.
Treat your wife to one for producing a lovely daughter and start saving to get your daughter one for her 21st (18 is too young to appreciate it 
).M.
This is an interesting subject - given britains place in horology i would have thought there were more reknowned makers. The swiss dominate this space but even Rolex was started by a german in London if I remember correctly (they are also sh#t timekeepers but thats besides the point).
Mr. Magoo said:
This is an interesting subject - given britains place in horology i would have thought there were more reknowned makers. The swiss dominate this space but even Rolex was started by a german in London if I remember correctly (they are also sh#t timekeepers but thats besides the point).
Interesting.My 45 year old 5512 keeps better time than anything else in my collection.
Yours must need servicing and/or regulating.
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