What is The Most British Watch Ever Made?

We’re proud of being British here at Oracle Time. We don’t fly the union flag above our office or anything, but there’s no denying a certain streak of patriotism runs through everyone here. And that’s not hurt by the current state of British watchmaking. Eclectic, colourful and with plenty of tongues in plenty of cheeks, British watchmaking’s in the best state it’s been for far too many decades.

And yet with so many different types of watches created here in the UK, pinning down exactly what defines British watchmaking is easier said than done. So, let’s answer it with a single question: what’s the most British watch ever made?

Christopher Ward’s logo is designed from the Swiss & British flags

The modern watch industry here in the UK has been shaped by the oft-touted tagline of ‘Designed in Britain, Made in Switzerland,’ and it’s a truism that’s become part and parcel of our homegrown horology. So perhaps the first port of call should be the brand that actually came up with that tagline: Christopher Ward.

Christopher Ward were one of the first direct-to-consumer brands, offering insane value by cutting out bricks and mortar locations. And they made a killing doing so as the hunger for fair pricing for your wristwear was as insatiable in the heady, early 2010s and it is today. But more recently, the brand’s also developed the kind of attitude embodied by Winston Churchill, proud ‘Vs’ pointing at the camera. It’s part distinctly British humour, part underdog antagonism against the Swiss and all wrapped up nicely in this year’s Mission to Maidenhead.

Christopher Ward C1 Moonphase Mission to Maidenhead

Firstly, nobody outside of the UK’s going to know where Christopher Ward’s HQ even is. Maidenhead’s not exactly a global capital of culture. But more than that is the direct (possibly too direct) dig at Omega. Hell, even Christopher Ward’s campaign did it: “Oh… Mega.” It’s a mix of eye-rolling and invective that only a British brand could get away with.

The fact that the watch itself was a fun, patriotic moon phase complete with a starry union flag and what I can only assume is Tim Peake in the background is enough to make it one of the most British watches ever made. That it was a limited edition for British Watchmakers’ Day takes it one step further – and that it was a cool, well-built limited edition watch for under £3K was just the icing on the space cake.

There are of course other watch brands with the same tongue-in-cheek approach. Mr Jones for example is defined by their humour and it’s hard not to love their uber-accessible quartz pieces recreating lazy pool days and autumn leaves. Farer too have a similarly quirky approach but with colour rather than kitsch humour and offer some of the greatest value in mechanical watches I’ve come across. But what if we took a different approach?

Vertex M100 Bronze 75

Over the decades, the Ministry of Defence has had a huge impact on utilitarian watchmaking. The Dirty Dozen are still as collectible today as they’ve ever been and are a definitional field watch archetype, often imitated, never bettered. That puts Vertex in the running then, surely? After all, they’re the modern heir to the DD legacy.

Well, I’d argue that British military watchmaking isn’t just about the Dirty Dozen, even if that’s the most iconic singular design. They’re collectors’ items now, not service watches. And in that light, brands like Elliot Brown are certainly in the running with their mission timer. But if we’re defining British watchmaking as military service pieces, it’s all about CWC.

CWC SBS Divers Issue Quartz Watch Mk.2 Day Date

The Cabot Watch Company is the de facto watch for the British military. Hard as nails, often quartz-powered for the reliability and built specifically for certain branches of the armed forces, they’re even priced to suit a quartermaster’s tally sheet. Take the CWC SBS Divers Issue as an example. It’s blacked out for spec ops night mission, easily and accurately readable at a glance and with a crown guard to protect its vital parts. It even offers a host of different upgrades like an extra outer case or a fully blacked-out diving bezel. If you think of old-school British military pieces, this is their modern equivalent. And of course, you need it on a NATO strap – another invention of the MoD.

Roger W Smith

But I’ve been burying the lead for too long here. Because there’s another, more practical definition of British watchmaking: watchmaking that actually takes place here in the UK. There are a number of watchmakers championing that particular definition, from the historically focused exploits of Struthers to the engine-turning-obsessed beauty of Garrick. But if you were to consider watchmaking in its purest sense, the artisan craft of designing and building a watch here in the UK, there’s one name that stands above the rest: Roger Smith.

Not only is he the heir to the obsessive Daniels Method, creating every part of his watches in his Isle of Man workshop, his continued auction results have shown that his pieces resonate with the kind of serious collectors that make auctioneers hot under the collar. The fact that his order book is closed says a lot, even if his numbers aren’t exactly huge.

Roger Smith The Great Britain

So, if Roger Smith is the most British watchmaker around, what’s his most British watch? Honestly, that’s the easiest part. Smith himself is part of the GREAT Britain campaign, promoting UK-based crafts and companies across the world. Back in 2013, he celebrated the project with a watch, the aptly named Great Britain.

Based on his gorgeous Series 2, the platinum-cased Great Britain had one of the most complex dials ever created, with an off-centre Union flag picked out in countless guilloche techniques. It’s patriotic in a restrained way and highlights the hand finishing Smith’s watches are known for. And yes, it has a Daniels Co-Axial escapement, because the great watchmaker’s protegee couldn’t use anything else.

Not only is the Great Britain more made-in-England than any other watch, but it’s the poster child for homegrown horology, literally flying the flag on behalf of both the industry and the government. How could there be a more British watch than this?