Discussion
There is a watch industry bubbling up, but to be honest most english watchmakers move to switzerland to further thier career, you can only go so far here.
That said Bremont, Christopher ward and Dent (still mainly a clock maker) are british based makers with movements supplied from ETA switzerland which probably in turn get them supplied from their chinese factory now.
The only exception i can think of is R W smith, the only apprentice to the great george daniels, who only works alone in a shed on the isle of man.
If you could get into this line of work now in this country you could be very sucesfull, all the makers above have said they would like to have there movements made in the uk, but there is a massive skills shortage, which looks like it not going to change. However the German have built an industry (or rebuilt post war and unification, admittedly not to swiss size yet, but it can certainly hold its head up high.
I live in hope that I can wear a reasonably priced british made watch in the future, until then my omega will have pride of place upon my wrist.
That said Bremont, Christopher ward and Dent (still mainly a clock maker) are british based makers with movements supplied from ETA switzerland which probably in turn get them supplied from their chinese factory now.
The only exception i can think of is R W smith, the only apprentice to the great george daniels, who only works alone in a shed on the isle of man.
If you could get into this line of work now in this country you could be very sucesfull, all the makers above have said they would like to have there movements made in the uk, but there is a massive skills shortage, which looks like it not going to change. However the German have built an industry (or rebuilt post war and unification, admittedly not to swiss size yet, but it can certainly hold its head up high.
I live in hope that I can wear a reasonably priced british made watch in the future, until then my omega will have pride of place upon my wrist.
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