British Watchmakers’ Day took place this past weekend, seeing hundreds of horology fans pour into Lindley Hall in London to discover the latest in British watch design. It was really wonderful to see so many of you at the Oracle Time stand, sharing stories, discovering the magazine and taking part in our British Watchmakers’ Day quiz, but we’ll talk more about that shortly. If you weren’t able to attend and want all the details of what went down, or even if you were there and want to reminisce, enjoy our field guide to British Watchmakers’ Day 2026.
Improved Crowd Management
One of the major improvements to the event this year was how the event managed the crowds. In previous years overcrowding has been an issue as enthusiasts were crammed shoulder to shoulder just to get a glimpse of a watch stand. However, that issue has now been largely resolved through the implementation of a new Three-Session structure to the day, staggering the entrance of people to the event throughout the day. It means that there was a consistent flow of foot traffic through the venue, ensuring that while it was always busy and lively, there wasn’t the same discomfort as previous years.
It did prove to be a little bit of a double edge sword in one regard because the attendees from earlier sessions were having such a good time, they stuck around for longer than expected, meaning that in the last session of the day the venue had to implement a one-in, one-out policy, slowing down admission. But once inside, there was plenty to discover.
Studio Underd0g’s Hand-Setting Experience
Studio Underd0g didn’t produce an exclusive event special edition watch this year but their stand remained one of the highlights of the show. Their watchmakers were on hand, including Sam who was a recent Oracle Time cover star on issue 119, to guide attendees through the process of setting a watch’s hands. All tying into their new in-house assembly project.
Our Editor, Sam Kessler, was actually the first person in line to try the experience and proved why he writes about watches rather than builds them – immediately breaking one of sample watches (he was the only person at the entire event to break one). Turns out setting a chronograph seconds hand is harder than he thought.
Fresh Faces and Old Favourites
The array of brands exhibiting at the show was great to see. First time exhibitors like Diatom and Moriarty helped inject a sense of freshness and excitement with their new blood alongside the well-established names of the British watch industry. Christopher Ward of course proved to be as insanely popular as ever, holding court on one side of the room with a constant flow of visitors.
It just goes to show the strength of the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers, where brands like CW are using their 20+ years of experience to support and promote the smaller, newer brands around them. It’s a vibrant example of a rising tide raises all ships and this event is a great way to shine a light on some of the brands you may not be familiar with.
Event Exclusives Proved a Hit
When the official list of BWD Event Exclusive watches was published, there was a bit of discussion about whether this year’s watches were as strong as at previous events. Any doubts were quickly assuaged because in person, the watches were a significant hit. It was great to see them in the metal as some of the more unusual designs like Apiar’s Gen 1.1 Underground really in real life.
It wasn’t just the event exclusive watches that were popular though. After the event, every brand we spoke to reported a lot of sales on the day. Which makes a lot of sense because many of these brands don’t have traditional brick and mortar points of sale, making it very difficult to try before you buy. Whereas at the show, you do have that opportunity. A few brands even gave sneaky previews of upcoming collections that haven’t been announced yet.
British Watchmakers’ Day Quiz
As I mentioned in the introduction, at the Oracle Time stand we offered the opportunity to test your knowledge of British watchmaking with our British Watchmakers’ Day Quiz. Hundreds of participants took on the gauntlet, with the chance to win a Christopher Ward Twelve 40mm by taking part. It was so much fun that we have published the quiz online, so that everyone has the chance to join in and challenge themselves for fun. Make sure to sign up to the Oracle Time Newsletter so you don’t miss the next one.
