Exposure therapy for recovering watch addicts.
Following on from such things as London buses, celebrity deaths and bad news, it seems that you can wait ages for a watch event and then all of a sudden, loads of them show up at once. And having just been to the Hands on Horology event in London, it was interesting to come and check out the WatchIt! Watch Fair over in Solihull just a week later.
Started in 2019 by Joshua Clare-Flagg from 12&60 (a site that I love because I’m always happy to see people that, like me, still write about watches because I’m too old to start figuring out what the YouTube algorithm wants from me), this event has become a yearly staple in the watch collecting calendar, attracting hundreds of visitors as some of the best microbrands in the watch scene. And compared to the event a week earlier, this one definitely had more of a relaxed feel to it. Hands on Horology was a great event and a lot of fun, but you were always aware of the security guards. Like, mate, I’m just here to see if I can find another hot pink dive watch, I’m not about to sneak into the basement and start cracking your safe.
Solihull is also pretty conveniently located for everyone and, unlike London, you can actually park there. Seriously, I travelled to Hands on Horology with Rio’s own King of the Streets, Fernando (VCT watches) and we spent twenty minutes going up and down side streets like we were playing some sort of real-life version of Pac-Man until we finally found what appeared to be the last remaining car park space in Shoreditch. So, after a Red Bull, a bit of breakfast and a two-hour drive, I was pleased to find that the venue for this show was easy to get to, easy to park at, and there were no rope lines to queue at or snipers perched on a roof across the road. I even got to chat to Craig and Sarah Golby (Golby Watches), Henry from BVOR and Kieron Walsh (TopTierTicker/Area Nostalgia) before the event started and finally got to hang out with the Real Mayor of Hereford Dave Jones (MicroBrandWatch) after months of chatting on WhatsApp.
Indeed, it all just seemed to start. No faff, no countdown, no pomp or, indeed, ceremony. “You can go in now.” Thanks, nice lady who scanned my press pass. Also, thanks for giving me a press pass. It doesn’t always happen, but it is lovely when it does. But anyway, here’s a rundown of some of the best exhibitors and watches that I saw on the day (before the Red Bull energy crash). Note: this is the order in which I visited the stands. Also note: most of my photos were taken reaching over people, so be cool, guys. Be cool.
GOLBY WATCHES AND STRAPS
Something of a home game this one for brand owners Craig and Sarah Golby, who could have walked in if they weren’t bringing a display of watches with them. I’m a big fan of Golby, having bought and reviewed both the Coastal and the Aquareef 40, and it was great to be able to check out their latest offering, the Skipping Stone, with its ripple-effect dial and summery colour choices.
I was pleased to find that Craig and Sarah were both very pleasant and happy to answer all my questions, even if some of their answers are embargoed. But let’s just say, with the Skipping Stone ready to ship in August and their new fourth watch already in the prototyping stage, things aren’t slowing down for Golby at all.
I actually wore my Coastal to the event in London a week before, and quite a few people noticed it, and it’s assuredly in my top three favourite watches. If you’re a fan of bold colours, cool details and solid specs, all at very fair prices, then you need to be checking Golby out.
EMBER WATCH COMPANY
Devon-based brand Ember had me asking all sorts of questions. ‘Why have I slept on this brand?!’, ‘Can I justify buying another pink watch?’ and, most importantly, ‘Why didn’t I buy the Concept Edition?’ are the main ones. But you don’t need to read about my poor life choices and it was good to finally see what they are selling, having previously seen my first Ember in Fernando’s (VCT Watches) kitchen a week earlier.
But I’m ahead of the curve now, having seen what Ember are currently prototyping for pre-orders in November (unfortunately embargoed otherwise I’d be spilling my guts), as well as seeing their range of straps, including some new suede ones which looked impossibly swish. In the meantime, we’ll all just have to make do with this run of colour variants.
The company itself began life in 2020 before releasing the Rocket to market in 2024, but they’re clearly doing well, as evidenced by the crowd of punters they attracted and the fact that they were a major sponsor of the whole event.
ESCUDO WATCHES
Despite the Portuguese name (it means ‘shield’) and the red/green branding, it was cool to meet Escudo brand owner Simon and his wife Claire for a couple of reasons. Firstly, this enthusiast-focused microbrand is putting out some proper quality watches with great specs, Sellita movements and very attractive designs. But also because they’re from Liverpool which was a little taste of familiarity given that I work in Liverpool.
The one that really caught my eye was the Expedition Rich limited edition. A stunning piece with a gorgeous burnt orange aluminium bezel, a ton of lume (more lume all the time!) and what Giles from Schofield Watches (more on them later) calls a “huff crystal” which has a hidden design in it that can only be seen if you breathe on it.
What we also really liked about all their watches is that the shield logo on the caseback always aligns perfectly when closed. There’s a real sense of detail and quality to this brand. Certainly, these guys had some of the best watches of the whole show.
BVOR WATCHES
I’m a big fan of BVOR and found myself explaining to other visitors to their stand why their Vision watch is one of my favourite watches of the UK microbrand scene.
BVOR are an interesting brand. The brand came into being when Henry and Oliver were just 16. Now you might not expect much from a watch designed by weaponised toddlers, but these kids are no joke. The Vision launched when they were 20, and now that they are 24, we’re expecting big things from them next.
In the meantime, I was happy to check out the Vision in the blue PVD colour variant (having previously reviewed the black brushed steel version), and it didn’t disappoint at all, even if, so far, they’ve been a bit divisive. Some people think the watch is too large (it’s not; the 40 x 42mm case size sounds large, but that 40mm measurement is what matters), and I swear there’s some sort of optical illusion with the thickness because it’s only 11mm but has a ton of presence.
Their follow-up Aldenham Project, a collaboration with their old school, might only have the most niche of appeal (essentially, it’s probably only for you if you went to the school), and an upcoming Kickstarter is just offering the same Vision as before (but now with an extra strap which softens the overall industrial look a little and gives you a bit of variety).
But it’s a killer watch, and we had a glimpse of what Henry and Oliver are working on next, and it would appear that the future is bright for these Young Turks, and if the steady flow of punters to their stall was any indication, I think that people are starting to get what it is that BVOR are trying to do.
MAYSTONE WATCHES
Cheltenham’s own Maystone Watches hit the scene last year with a set of three GMTs, the Prosperity series, which immediately wowed watch enthusiasts thanks to their great colour choices and clean designs. The original Kickstarter had gold, blue and black models that were eventually joined by the Snowy Owl white and Red Kite versions (all five are based on birds of prey, the flappy sky murderers, not the rubbish Batman spin-off film). The latter of those is the only watch that is still in stock. We’re not sure why, as it looks absolutely gorgeous, but it does seem like Maystone is absolutely killing it, and it’s easy to see why when you look at the watches up close.
In the meantime, we chatted about some of their upcoming ideas which involve new sizes, colours and even movements, and we’ll all get to know more in September. In the meantime, I took the chance to nag brand founder Greg Mayo about doing a non-GMT version. So, fingers and toes crossed that that is an option he’ll be looking at.
MD (MARTIN DESIGN) WATCH STUDIO
Martin Iglody, a Slovakian watch maker now living in Cork, is a very talented graphic designer who started up the MD Watches Studio brand nine years ago, and design is very much the focus of this brand, but that doesn’t mean they’re slouches when it comes to specs.
Their current Supernatural range is a real showstopper with its three hands sitting inside individual dials. The main dial has a seconds hand stretching across the face of the watch, thanks to its long counterweight, but then you’ve got an hours hand sat in a 24-hour sub-dial and the minute hand in a smaller sub-dial. It’s all very off-kilter and unique, but it works. Sure, you might struggle if this watch is part of a larger rotation, but anyone looking for a really interesting piece that you can guarantee wrist time to is going to be utterly enchanted by it.
Aside from the great design, you also get a Miyota 82S7 movement, presumably customised somewhat, a 316L Stainless Steel case and a double-domed sapphire along with a choice of steel bracelet or a calfskin strap with a ‘classy clasp.’ So you can’t say fairer than that for just over £400.
There’s also the Emerald Island range, a love letter to Martin’s adopted home country, which is a little more traditional but still has plenty of character thanks to its cool dial colour choices, the Nuada, the first jump hour watch to make us want a jump hour watch (which is elevated by a cool day complication, textured dials and suede straps) and the Bel Canto-esque Connemara which has a skeletonised dial that shows the two balance wheels while all the time-telling action happens in a smallish dial on the right-hand side. It won’t be for everyone, but if it’s for you, it’ll be 110% for you.
In terms of confident design, MD might have had the boldest selection of watches in the whole show, and I really hope that people stopped by to check them out because they’ve got the kind of design language where you can’t just take it all in in a few seconds. This is a brand whose watches demand your undivided attention.
FURLAN MARRI
I ran into Furlan Marri’s incredibly pleasant Operations Manager Camille at Hands On Horology a week earlier and we had a really good chat about this Geneva-based microbrand, so it was good to run into them again. A partnership between Creative Director Andrea Furlan and Artist Hamad Al Marri, the brand is known for its selection of absolutely gorgeous Sector mechanical watches (that have some of the nicest dial intricacies you’ll ever see, just look at those chapter rings) and their mechaquartz chronographs.
I was particularly impressed by those, as while I’m not a big chronograph guy (I always find chronos to be a bit ‘dead’ because of the third hand only being in operation during the chronograph use), I really like the fact that they have single and bi-compax sub-dial versions. I also really love fussy dials with lots of detail and so these ended up really impressing on the day.
For under £600, we’re not sure where you’d ever find such an attractive-looking chronograph as this, the Castagna. And if you’re looking for a Studio Underd0g killer in more restrained colours but arguably nicer design, this is a brand you should check out.
MHD
MHD might not be the first brand to take motorsport aesthetics and apply them to watch design, but they could be one of the best right now. I previously owned a Revelot Mecadromo, which absolutely impressed in terms of its automotive-style design, but, on closer inspection, it didn’t really have the quality control and attention to detail (it was, however, extremely affordable).
That’s not really an issue with MHD, a passion project from Matthew Humphries, a car designer behind the Morgan Aeromax, Superports and 3 Wheeler. All three cars had an absolutely stunning art-deco/vintage design to them, the Supersport being achingly gorgeous, and so it’s good news that Matthew has applied all that design expertise.
But this isn’t Car Country. I was there to check out watches and, thankfully, MHD’s watches were absolutely incredible to look at. From intricate chapter rings, curved square cases, industrial touches and pops of colour, there’s already a lot to like, but when you factor in the laser cut holes in the dials and cases that reveal the Super Luminova lume behind, you’re looking at some of the coolest watches to grace the show. Check them out here, but make sure to look at the side and back views too. There’s a lot to take in with these pieces.
SCHOFIELD WATCH COMPANY
The brand might be priced a bit higher than what we normally write about, but one of my favourite people to talk to at the show was Giles Ellis, the Brighton-based designer behind Schofield. I idiotically tried to say ‘you must be Mr Schofield then’ when meeting him, but no, it turns out that the Schofield in question isn’t him or a tribute to Philip “Unwise but not illegal” Schofield, but rather a Civil War era revolver produced by America’s favourite purveyors of death, Smith & Wesson.
After a little bit of legal argie-bargie, Giles managed to get permission to use the name (with certain conditions) and set about creating the watch that he had envisioned in his head. And while the inspiration for the brand has historical roots and a real sense of British eccentricity, the watches themselves enjoy clean, almost modern stylings and some bold colour choices. There’s a freshness to the design that’s sort of at odds with what feels like a brand that is happy to acknowledge.
You can tell that Giles is something of a lone wolf in this scene, not really affected by trends but rather just doing whatever the hell he thinks will produce a great watch. When you’ve got a caseback that shows a UFO flying over the Smeaton’s Tower lighthouse (on their Strange Lights model), you know that there’s something a little punk rock about this brand. Or at least a bit steampunk. And that’s before you get into the craziness of his resin-cased Skeptiko, which was an event exclusive to the fact that his watches have that whole ‘huff crystal’ thing going on, where you can breathe on the crystal to reveal an etched design.
But equally, this isn’t a gimmicky brand. It’s just one full of horological whimsy, and that’s why we love them now.
OCTANE & LOCK
Hang on. Square cases, round dials, automotive design… didn’t we just see this with MHD? Well, yes, but scene newcomers Octane & Lock most certainly didn’t stall on the start line when they launched the brand in January 2025.
Although it’s not the day job for brand founder Steven Huntingford, who best known as the editor of What Car? magazine, his skills as a trained car designer have clearly translated brilliantly to their debut series of watches, the Newport Pagnell (named after the market town that is home to Aston Martin).
Available in three colours (Raven Black, Pacific Blue and the superbly pretty Dubonnet Rosso), this series of capable chronographs offers some particularly punchy specs. A Sellita SW510 Swiss movement provides 62 hours of power reserve, but what really struck us about the watch was the depth of the dial with three levels making up the surround, the main dial and then the bi-compax sub-dials. And while the 42mm squared-off case and 13mm thickness might sound chunky, in reality, it all felt nicely proportional, even with that fairly chunky bezel which mimics the look of a chrome bumper on a vintage sports car.
And when you factor in that their watches are all assembled in Great Britain by Loop Works, the facility established by Beaucroft Watches in Cambridge. So, if you’re looking to step up from a Far East factory watch to something British, while also knowing what carrying speed through an apex means, Octane & Lock might be for you.
GREAT BRITISH WATCH COMPANY
One exhibitor that offered something truly unique on the day was Colin Andrews, the watchmaker and historian behind the Great British Watch Company. Now look, sure, the Spitfire Watch is currently priced at ‘£if you need to ask…’ but what was truly fascinating was the story behind the watch, and it takes a man as knowledgeable and passionate as Colin to tell it.
You see, the Spitfire Watch is made from recovered parts from an actual World War 2 Spitfire, specifically ML295. Yes, an actual Spitfire. Colin even had some of the aircraft’s aluminium chassis there. But it went so much further. Almost every part of the watch, and even its box, had some sort of element that tied directly to the plan. The crown literally (actually?) being a bolt from the plane.
Colin even explained how the original pilot’s watch that inspired this one worked. When you watch those old war films where people synchronise watches, they’re not all rocking some sort of hacking Miyota movement. Instead, the bezel was turned to indicate where that synchronisation happens.
Did you know that? I sure as hell didn’t, and it has made me realise that I need to look into the history of watches a lot more. And while I probably won’t be picking up one of these watches unless my Premium Bonds come in, boy am I glad I got to spend some time chatting to this gentleman.
MCQUAIDE
I’ve already declared my undying love for McQuaide’s C1 watch, having reviewed a prototype model earlier this year. Already at that early stage, the watch clearly was one of the absolute bangers of the year, and certainly my early runner for Watch of 2026.
Brand founder Rob McQuaide is a human shark. If he stops moving, he dies. So, in between renovating a house, running triathlons, planning a wedding and expecting a baby, he was unavailable for this event. However, his good friend Will stood in we had a good old chat about how great this watch is.
I was particularly keen to see the finished version in one of the new colour variants. I reviewed the C1 Sunburst, essentially a yellow fume dial. It’s been a while since I’ve had that watch in hand, but I was blown away by it. The Damascus Steel case is the obvious highlight, so much so that I’ve been kind of drawn to the black version of the watch as I think it’ll really show off that case. However, it turns out the red and green versions are also pretty stunning.
One thing that people are divided on is the crown. Yes, it’s kind of chunky, but that’s a feature, not a bug. Firstly, it’s reassuringly grippy and, more importantly, it also uses the same material as the case, so you get more gorgeous steel for your buck. Quid. Whatever. The watch rocks the house; you need at least one. Maybe four. I don’t know. You do you.
The Q1 (Quest) was also on show. That was McQuaide’s debut watch, but being a little larger than the QI and having a textured dial that steals the limelight from the case a little, my heart still belonged to the C1 after I said goodbye to Will.
OOO (OUT OF ORDER)
Venezian brand OOO (Out of Order) have been going for some twelve years now, and they are the sort of brand that we love. Lots of variety, bold designs, good specs. Sure, that’s the sort of thing that keeps us interested in watches generally, but OOO bring a sort of craziness to it all.
I spoke to their marketing man, Ian, about the name. Is it ‘out of order’ as in broken? Or ‘out of order’ as in has some attitude? Or did brand owner Ricardo (a native Italian speaker) intend it to mean something out of the ordinary? In reality, it’s all of those things (in a good way).
You’ve got the bold design language, colour-drenched models such as the cocktail-inspired Shaker Collection, which was fully on display at the event, and even the choice of brushed or distressed models.
And it’s quite mad because right now if someone asked you if you want a well-finished brushed look or an aged, distressed finish, you’d probably go for the former, but there’s something about that tarnished look that’s really cool and, in the case of the Shaker series, actually really makes the dials pop.
Honestly, OOO have so much cool stuff going on that you may as well just check out their website and start trying to narrow down a choice, but on the day, this was probably the boldest of all the brands there.
MONROE ADVENTURE
Having worked together at an established brand, watch designers Matt O’Neill (the MON in Monro) and Ryan Ould (the RO), these two proven watch designers combined forces back in 2020 to form the Monro Design Studio, a consultancy to help other brands develop their own watches, but it was in 2023 when the pair decided to keep some of the sweet, sweet know-how to themselves and they launched Monro Adventure, their own watch brand.
I spoke to Matt about the history of the brand, the effect COVID had on them getting started and then checked out their watches. Their original 44mm Monro Adventure GMT is still a staple of their catalogue but since then they’ve added a 41mm Ocean Adventure diver, the 40mm integrated Urban Adventure sports watch, the 39mm Luna Adventure (best known for some very cool natural stone dials and an incredible new alien-inspired limited edition that’d certainly dominate our #lumetest hashtag on Instagram) and the upcoming Atlas series. We got a good look at most of the range, and Matt was very pleased to show off that new Luna. He was also a proper chap. One of the nicest brand owners we met (not that anyone was a prick).
LORESUM WATCHES
Seven years in and this UK brand continues to impress. Again, a very design-forward kind of brand, Loresum had some proper showstoppers at their stand. From the stunning natural stone LS06 series, the stylish sectored moonphase watches of the LS04 and LSO5 sets, everything on show was pretty spectacular.
When Founder/Designer Jason Chans says that he believes “a designer can change the world”, you have to believe him on this evidence. Much like the guys at Monro, Jason has a background as a designer with an established brand, but his work with Loresum is clearly him expressing himself, and we’re here for it.
BAMFORD LONDON
Formed back in 2009 (which people are telling us is 17 years ago, but that’s not possible, right? RIGHT?!), Bamford London had one of the most eye-catching stands on the day and that was thanks to how colour-saturated it all was. And, look, I’m a complete mark for bright, colourful watches (it’s also how I pick my guitars – colour first, all that other stuff second) so these guys drew me in like a moth to a fireworks display.
Their range starts out with the more affordable Mayfair series of colourful chronos, all super bold and bright, settle into the mid-range sporty B80s which are a bit more subtle (apart from the glorious Adventure Orange), through the incredibly varied GMT range (some of which are so beautiful that I’d almost be tempted to wear a GMT, a complication I generally don’t like – please make some some non-GMT versions, George Bamford!) and then into the high-end Titanium B37 chronos which are full of the lovely, fussy detail that can make chronos great.
Their marketing chap, Simon, was very patient with me when I was trying to understand how the modding side of their business works. I’m still not sure about it, but they did have some very cool modded TAGs on show, so whatever their arrangements are with other brands, the collabs are nice enough. But yeah, make a non-GMT GMT-4, GMT-5 or GMT+1 and take my money.
TIMOR WATCH COMPANY
Another brand looking to stay true to heritage while producing something modern was Timor, and their story was another great one. I got chatting to their brand owner, although perhaps he sees himself as more of a custodian, Ben Briggs, a former soldier and now a software developer.
The story of Timor goes back to 1923. They were one of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ brands commissioned by the British Military to provide watches for World War II. Known as the WWW spec (Watch, Wrist, Waterproof), this was the standard for field watches, and that was Timor’s bread and butter until the quartz crisis put the brand on ice until the early 2000s, when they scraped along by making pocket watches.
But it was in 2018 that Ben acquired the UK rights to the brand, and he, with the help of a Kickstarter, launched the Heritage Field watch, an up-to-date take on the original Timor field watch (they didn’t have fancy names back then). And with similar dimensions but sporting an updated Sellita movement, Super-LumiNova instead of radium and a sapphire crystal, the new version speaks to the great history of the brand while making it more appropriate for modern watch enthusiasts.
The fact that Ben had one of the original watches there so you could compare them side to side was certainly one of the coolest things at the show.
AREA NOSTALGIA
It was a good job that I went around the show anti-clockwise because by the time I got to Area Nostalgia’s stand, it had finally calmed down a bit over there, and I was just about able to muscle my way in for some photos. They’d been busy all day, in part due to the brand founder being the popular YouTube reviewer Kieron Walsh (known to many watch enthusiasts as TopTierTicker), but also because of what he is trying to do with these watches.
If you’re a fan of affordable microbrands, Kieron has always felt like one of us (as opposed to the luxury watch reviewers with their ‘here’s my Patek Poncemaster 3000 but also my F-91W because I’m so down to earth’ bullshit). No clickbait, no snobbishness, no cliches. And so it’s been really interesting seeing him put his money where his mouth is and put out his own watch.
Kieron explained that after attending the Time to Watches show in Geneva last year, he just didn’t see enough original, interesting watches there. And so, while sitting in the pub afterwards, he started to sketch out designs for his own watch. However, instead of taking the easy route and throwing out a diver, chrono or some sort of GADA, he went down a completely different route.
Firstly, it’s a dress watch. It’s also sporting a square case that’s just 30mm across and a mere 9mm thick. And it sports an ornate, gothic-inspired design based on the Victorian-era clock towers that are found in Kieron’s home city of Manchester. It just feels completely uncompromising, as though he was making the watch he wanted. Which, when it comes to creativity of any kind, is the sort of thing that produces the best art.
Even the name, Area Nostalgia, is atypical of what you’d expect, but with its vague resemblance to Echo/Neutra (oddly, my favourite brand name in the whole scene), it just has something to it. Like, it’s not really trying to be on-trend, but that might make it more timeless than brands that are designing for what’s popular right now.
The newest version of the watch is the Manchester Bee, which sports a gun-metal grey case, a mesh bracelet, and a full lume yellow dial. And, on the day, it stood out for two reasons. One, it was probably the most unique watch of the day, and two, it really did seem to punch above its price point.
SHER WATCH COMPANY
I first became aware of Sher when Chris (The Budget Watchman) reviewed the Sher Kids Watch, a cool little 32mm watch that taught kids to tell the time. With its sectored dial and detailed chapter ring, the idea was that the time was right there for them, but still analogue.
It was the blue and white version that caught my eye, mainly because it looks like QPR’s home kit, and despite, you know, the last forty years of being a fan, I still sort of like the useless hooped bastards.
Sher was also showing off their first adult watch, the Sher x TWP Limited Edition. The TWP stands for That Watch Podcast, whose hosts helped to co-design the watch. A solid diver with a lovely textured blue fume dial, it looks like this could be a winner for brand founder Darren Sher and the TWP boys.
VESUVIATE
This Singapore-based brand is all the work of one man, YK Wong, who started designing these watches as a post-retirement project, and he’s been going at some pace. And if their fireball logo and volcanic name is anything to go by, Vesuviate are here to make one hell of an impact. The Attivo (Italian for ‘Active’) range of square dress watches came in six attractive colours, really mixing things up (YK mentioned the famous “any colour as long as it’s black” quote from Henry Ford as an example of what the brand isn’t about). But this has been followed by the Attivo Duplex, which takes the same square case shape but ups the colour and texture and then squeezes in two separate dials, giving you immediate access to two time zones. It’s niche, but if it’s a function you need, you’re guaranteed a stunning-looking piece capable of doing it.
The Attivo-Chrono then added a range of also beautifully coloured chronographs to the range. If you’re looking for something Brew-esque but with some really unique colour options, these are worth checking out.
And if you’re looking for something rounder, the Volare series adds some interesting dive-style pieces with, again, great looks and has the best GMT complication I’ve seen. I generally don’t like GMT watches because the fourth hand feels like clutter. But here, YK has placed the GMT function in a day/night disc that looks like a date complication but actually just shows you the hour of the other timezone you’re tracking, and it goes from white to black to ensure you know if you’re tracking day or night. Clever!
ALPHARO WATCHES
By the time I ran into Alexander Ryan, the man behind Alpharo, I was starting to feel burned out from the 5am start, the two hour drive and the four billion questions I’d just asked all these brands. And so it might have been easy to write off the Alpharo Model 1 as just a gimmicky dress watch with curved hands.
However, my chat with Alexander was one of the most interesting of the day when it came to the design and details behind this watch. Inspired by the lightning bolt seconds hand on the Rolex Milgauss, Alexander wanted to make a watch that could be practical but didn’t stick to the rules that had silently governed watch design for so long.
He began sketching a watch with curved hands in 2015 and attempted to prototype it a year later. He couldn’t get it to work, and the idea went on the back burner for almost a decade until two years ago, Alexander looking into it again but this time with some actual experience behind him from his job as a medical device engineer.
Seeing that no-one had stumbled upon his idea, he finally returned to it and created the Alpharo Model 1, a dressy affair that brings his curved hand concept to life. And while it’s either going to be for you or it won’t, Alexander revealed that the design is a little divisive but not polarising. People don’t hate it; they just sometimes need a little help getting on board. And initially, I wasn’t quite there either.
However, when you get into the geometry behind the design, it all comes together in a frankly incredible way. Every curve on this thing references some other part of the watch (or just some sort of mad Non-Euclidean geometry). The arc of the hands matches the curvature of the case itself. While the engraving on the back of the case is a Poincaré Disk design, a sort of mad design that lets you map infinite parallel lines on a curved space (LOL at me even trying to explain that). But there’s also a small exhibition window in there, just a cool bit of ‘why not’ horological whimsy.
Honestly, the more Alexander talked about this watch, the more incredible it got. In terms of pure design, this was one of the most considered watches of the whole show and a real pleasure to have it explained to me. Even if afterwards, half my brain melted and ran out of my ear. One of those conversations where you learn a bunch of stuff and, at the same time, realise how dumb you are compared to other people.
MARLOE WATCH COMPANY
Marloe are one of the leading lights in the UK watch scene, this Oxfordshire-based are now one of the most established microbrands in the country and as such was extremely popular at the event. And it’s not hard to see why, they’ve got an absolute ton of cool watches, crossing over from dive, dress, racing and pilot watches with so many textures and colours to pick from, you could easily just have a collection of these and never need anything else.
Formed in 2015, the brand now has some real flagship models. The Aerodyne pilot watches with their bold colours but great legibility, the bold Sceptre S2s with their characteristic chunky hands and radar-esque dials, to the new Haggis Works Pinky, a semi-skeletonised affair that looks like two separate great designs that have been cut in half and stuck together. The effect is quite stunning (as are the riveted leather straps).
And with these watches all being assembled in-house in the UK, there’s a sense of genuine British eccentricity to the brand but backed up by non-nonsense specs too. And, as co-founder Ollie said, ‘people just see [our watches] and smile’, and you can’t argue with that.
