Horology education is backbone in rise of British watchmaking

The race is on, the tide has turned; just like the minute hand, traversing 360 degrees, has watchmaking come full circle and become important in the United Kingdom. It will not be long before British watch brands sit atop the summit of luxury watches. It is fitting for the British styles are understated with an elegance that only they can craft. There is hardly any ostentatious styling nor is there an outlandish pop cultural signature; British watches speak bespoke, solidity and resilience.

 

Rosie Kirk is the recent recipient of Trailblazer award from the School of Jewellery located in Birmingham. She may well be a true trailblazer in the real sense of creating a signature lady’s watch in the classical British understated style. There is a vacuum in women’s wearable fashion as envisaged by Charlotte-Parks Taylor who attests the need for engaging customers with proper information that will boost the purchasing power of luxury watches (courtesy of a well-researched article “The missing link in luxury watch marketing”).

Britain has top class institutions devoted to learning the skills of watchmaking such as BHI -British Horology Institute and aforementioned Birmingham’s School of Jewellery among a few others. A former alumni of BHI Alex Photti is the CEO of Perpetual Time brings passion to the field of watchmaking that is verified by stellar words of appreciation in Perpetual Time reviews on watch forums.

 

Education in horology in the UK is on par with legendary institutions such as Finland School of Watchmaking and WOSTEP in Switzerland.  In another Perpetual Time review the credentials of WOSTEP certification was lauded due to the excellent service rendered by Perpetual Time (also certified by Guild of Master Craftsman, UK). It augurs well for British Watchmaking as brands such as Accurist, Alfred Dunhill, Backes& Strauss, Benney Watches, Christopher Ward, CWC, Dent London, Graham London, Harold Pinchbeck, J & T Windmills, Meridian, Peter Roberts, Robert Loomes& Co, Roger W Smith, Schofield among others are making a name synonymous with British bespoke style and elegance.

 

Brexit has now given the opportunity for British Watchmaking to take the next step in the evolution of truly world class watches with mass production technologies. The people of Britain have spoken and so has the Government via British PM, Theresa May’s announcement of Article 50 that will be a defining moment. The future is perfectly poised for boosting British watch brands to the pinnacle of luxury as well as affordable watches.