WHAT MAKES A GREAT WATCH?

If I think of all the products that we own and enjoy in our lives, there are only a few, like a well crafted mechanical watch, that are really quite magical, that are brought to life by the meaning we give to them; they carry importance that goes far beyond the sum of their parts.

When we give great meaning and connection to a watch; such as a link to a memory, a life achievement or a special person, it has a lot to live up to! This an important responsibility for us as designers - a watch will be worn and treasured for a long time, so it’s design needs to remain classic to outlast the latest trends, fleeting fashions or technology, be fit for the challenges of daily wear/changing seasons and feel as great to wear and admire in 20 years as it does on day one.

On the flip side, there's nothing worse than when a product you have tied meaning to doesn't deliver. I remember buying a watch with some money my grandma gave me when I was 15; at the time I thought ‘this is the watch I'm going to have for a long time and always remember my Nana by’, but a few years later it was dated, out of style, with glass scratches and the battery had gone flat. I was disappointed in myself for picking it as it wasn’t a fitting product to associate with someone who had so much importance in my life, in many ways this experience sparked my love for mechanical watches;

The more I learn about mechanical watchmaking, the more I understand why a mechanical watch is so special. I fell in love with this craft and it’s so exciting to introduce this passion to new people. We find that many people we speak to either don’t understand how mechanical watches work, or do but feel these type of watches are an expensive luxury which is inaccessible for them. We saw that for too many people (such as the 15 year old me) their choice of watch often falls between two camps - a fashion watch designed for current trends, battery powered, built for the moment, or a luxury watch from a heritage brand - true mechanical craftsmanship and design, but with eye watering price tags limiting the majority of people from experiencing them.

We are part of a collection of a few brands defining a new space in the watch world and driving a change; creating watches focused on purposeful design and personal customer experiences, watches crafted from materials and components of high quality and with styling, comfort and performance to match. Watches that are attainable, beautiful and worthy of the meaning we give them. We are designing mechanical watches that are priced respecting quality, and allowing more people to discover the beauty of mechanical timekeeping.

It is a competitive market, but with space for new watches which are designed with these important factors in mind, and a place for new brands that believe in making the wonderful experience of treasuring a great watch accessible for more people.

Why a mechanical watch in digital world?

My friends tease me (as all the best ones do) about the things their smart watches can do over a mechanical watch; like counting steps or measuring heart rate, in return, I like to tease them when their smart watches interrupt them mid conversation with notifications and alerts, go flat or tell them to get up and move around.

There is no denying the functionality of a smart watch, saying this, does everything we wear need to be connected?

There is someone wonderful about putting on a watch or a piece of jewellery that we just love, putting our productivity devices back on charge and saying; ‘I’m done with work now, I’ve finished checking my emails and monitoring my vitals, I’m offline and on my time. In today’s digital world, offline has become the new luxury, we are encouraged to switch off devices, limit screen time and practice being present, I think a mechanical watch takes us back to a time when this was the norm, when we could move at a slower pace and enjoy the things right in front of us.

Call me old fashioned, but I don’t believe in the drive to make everything smart and connected, not everything needs to be smart, some things can simply be beautiful and do one thing very well.

I’m pleased to say that on a a special occasion, it is a Beaucroft watch that many of my friends now switch to over their smart watch, making Beaucroft watches the perfect choice of watch for any special occasion.