Scottish Watches Podcast #755
All The Watches for British Watch Makers Day 2026 – With Alistair

Episode Overview
This episode is a comprehensive preview of the upcoming British Watchmakers Day 2026. Host Ricky (A) welcomes Alistair (B), co-founder and CEO of the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers, to break down all the limited-edition releases, discuss the evolution and rise of the British watchmaking sector, and share behind-the-scenes insights into British Watchmakers Day. The conversation also explores Alistair's unique background and the sector's remarkable growth, making this a must-listen for collectors and enthusiasts.

Main Topics

• British Watchmakers Day 2026 Preview
• Spotlight on Limited & Special Editions
• The Resurgence and History of British Watchmaking
• Sector Growth & Bellwether Report
• The Role of the Alliance and Building the Community
• Creative Push Among New & Established Brands

Notable Quotes & Highlights With Timestamps

The Purpose and Growth of British Watchmakers Day

• “If the record industry can do this...what if we could get all the brands to make a special edition only available day and date in one venue in Britain?”
  —Alistair [07:47]
• “It proved that the special editions really are the heart of the proposition.”
  —Alistair [09:32]
• “I always call it Darwinism in a day, Ricky, you know, you can just see how some brands nail it. Some are getting a very valuable learning from that.”
  —Alistair [04:50]

British Watchmaking: A Creative Sector

• “Honestly, I’m blown away by the standard and the creativity… the British watchmaking sector is a creative sector. That’s where we can really hang our hat proudly.”
  —Alistair [05:24]
• “If you’re entering a creative sector then you need to be creative... the question that anybody needs to be able to answer immediately... is why should I care?”
  —Alistair [24:44, 25:15]

History & Sector Resurgence

• “It’s a classic example of Britain snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.”
  —Alistair [11:16]
• “By the 18th, by the 19th century, we're making more than half the world's watches… and then mass making left us, went to the USA first… then to Switzerland… and we went into terminal decline from that point.”
  —Alistair [12:14]

Range of Brands and Diversity

• “You’re covering all bases. You’ve got stuff from super entry level all the way through… so that is… to have such a wide range on tap at the show itself.”
  —Ricky [32:35]

Industry Growth

• “The sector’s grown by 65%... from £125 million retail value in 2021 to £206 million as of last year… That’s 18% compound annual growth rate.”
  —Alistair [50:09]
• “We’ve got over 1,650 people approximately, employed directly or indirectly… by a factor of three.”
  —Alistair [52:10]

Major Segment Timestamps & Highlights

[00:00–02:00] Introductions & Set-Up

• Recap of last year’s episode and the origin of British Watchmakers Day.
• Alistair’s “outsider” background and motivation for founding the event.

[02:02–15:00] Alphabetical Countdown: Limited Editions (A–E)

• APS Gen 1.1 Underground: Only 3 pieces, dial inspired by the London Underground map, £2,500+VAT, in-person only. [02:40]
• Bowcroft Rebel Red: 50 pieces, stealth black/red design, local Cambridge collaboration, £695. [03:56]
• Brooklands Triple Four Redline: 10 pieces, racing heritage, red second hand, bespoke leather box. £3,900. [15:57]
• Christopher Ward Loco 7326: 10 pieces, Union Jack dial motif, all profits to the Alliance, £4,995. [17:14]
• D Trash Neo: 5 pieces, Matrix-inspired, beer-skin (leather alternative) strap, supports eco-charities. [18:27]
• Diatom Terra Meteorite: 50 pieces, each space-flown, QR code for video of flight, uses Apollo 11 artifacts. [19:45]
• Edward Christopher Ripple: 25 pieces, 3D mirrored ripple dial, price TBA. [21:16]
• Elliot Brown Beachmaster Automatic: 10 pieces, deep English green dial.
• Ember Rocket: 45 pieces, purple-pink to light blue gradient, £449. [22:51]

[23:45–33:00] More Brands & Reflections on Sector Creativity (F–J)

• Farer Cross: 20 pieces, inspired by SS Southern Cross, uses iconic fjord green. [27:23]
• Fears Brunswick 40, 1846: 25 pieces, anniversary piece, £4,350. [28:06]
• Gekota Pioneer Graphite: 50 pieces, £399, choice of colorful straps. [29:49]
• Golby Aqua RE40: 38 pieces, Cornwall-inspired, £450.
• Justin Richardson Pebble One4One Sunburst: One-of-one, platinum with gold dial, £49,000. [31:06]

[33:04–37:27] Notable High-End & Artisan Brands (M–O)

• Monroe Adventure Lost in Space: 50 pieces, playful astronaut on dial, aventurine. [33:04]
• Moriarty: Alison Moriarty’s enamel dial masterpiece, only 3 pieces, £3,950 plus tax.
• Nomadic CADE126 Chronograph: 7 pieces, British colorway, £2,550. [35:15]
• Olivia Malan GM 2019 Titan Moondate Blackout: 40 quartz (450 GBP), 10 mechanical (1,350 GBP), prices rise post-event. [36:31]

[38:53–44:00] Remaining Standouts (P–W)

• Paulin Dazzle Clock: 50 pieces, screen printed in Glasgow, inspired by Eduardo Paolozzi. [39:00]
• Pinion Pure Chance: 50 pieces, aventurine dial, £1,350. [40:05]
• Pompeique Mallory Tux: 50 pieces, spinning bow tie second hand, £849. [40:45]
• Scofield Skeptico Artifacts and Sightings: 50 pieces across two models, Ultem case, £4,680. [41:08]
• Sidereus Railtare: 10 pieces, GMT with under-dial disc; price TBA. [42:38]
• Timor Heritage Field Watch: 20 pieces, Union Jack/Team GB colorways, £1,699. [44:43]
• William Wood Great Fire of London: 50 pieces, includes actual £2 coin, £995. [45:37]

[47:57–49:00] Finale: Special One-Offs and House Announcements

• Zero West HO1: Unique one-off, in-house dial, Alliance logo, location/date on dial, £4,995. [47:57]

[49:02–55:16] Sector Growth & Industry Impact

• The Bellwether Report: Confirms 65% growth, over 1,650 industry jobs, Alliance’s upcoming Careers Hub. [49:41, 52:01]
• Community & Access: The global inclusivity of the Alliance, club perks, and the value of joining for enthusiasts.

Memorable Moments

• Alistair compares the day to "Darwinism in a day" as brands compete for attention with boundary-pushing creativity. [04:50]
• The sector’s full spectrum of price points highlighted by Golby and Justin Richardson, from accessible to haute horology. [31:06]
• Giles Ellis of Scofield described as “a genuine boffin” and “the Doc Brown of the British watch world” for his wild creativity. [41:15]
• Roger Smith’s headline sponsorship marks his workshop’s 25th anniversary—“Roger’s journey maps almost precisely onto the transformation of British watchmaking itself.” [43:36]
• Emphasis on safety and enjoyment for event attendees, with nods to London’s current environment. [54:00]

Quick List: Key Limited & Special Editions (Brand - Model - Quantity - Price Where Known)

• APS – Gen 1.1 Underground – 3 – £2,500+VAT
• Bowcroft – Rebel Red – 50 – £695
• Brooklands – Triple Four Redline – 10 – £3,900
• Christopher Ward – Loco 7326 – 10 – £4,995 (All profits to the Alliance)
• D Trash – Neo – 5 – (Eco-themed)
• Diatom – Terra Meteorite – 50 – (Space-flown)
• Edward Christopher – Ripple – 25 – TBA
• Elliot Brown – Beachmaster Automatic – 10
• Ember – Rocket – 45 – £449
• Farer – Cross – 20
• Fears – Brunswick 40, 1846 – 25 – £4,350
• Gekota – Pioneer Graphite – 50 – £399
• Golby – Aqua RE40 – 38 – £450
• Justin Richardson – Pebble One4One Sunburst – 1 – £49,000
• Monroe – Adventure Lost in Space – 50
• Moriarty – Enamel Dial – 3 – £3,950+tax
• Nomadic – CADE126 Chronograph – 7 – £2,550
• Olivia Malan – GM 2019 Titan Moondate – 40 Quartz (£450), 10 Mechanical (£1,350)
• Paulin – Dazzle Clock – 50
• Pinion – Pure Chance – 50 – £1,350
• Pompeique – Mallory Tux – 50 – £849
• Scofield – Skeptico Artifacts/Sightings – 50 – £4,680
• Sidereus – Railtare – 10
• Timor – Heritage Field Watch – 20 – £1,699
• William Wood – Great Fire of London – 50 – £995
• Zero West – HO1 Special Edition – 1 – £4,995

Takeaways for Listeners New to the Event

• British Watchmakers Day has become the single best opportunity to see, try, and buy truly limited British horology—available once, in one place, only.
• The sector is more diverse than ever, from fresh microbrands to established artisans; creative risk-taking is celebrated.
• Growth of the sector is real and validated, with opportunities for collectors at all levels and a thriving, collaborative industry community.
• The show promises not only watches but clocks and exciting, playful collaborations that blur the lines of tradition.
• Membership in the Alliance is open globally and offers exclusive benefits and early access to future events.

Recommended Actions

• Check the show notes for the full list of releases and relevant links.
• For priority access to future events, consider joining the Alliance—even from outside the UK.
• If interested in a particular watch, move quickly—quantities are extremely limited.

Closing Quote:
"I get more excited every year just seeing the amazing work and creativity that's just pouring into the sector. It's a brilliant time to be part of British watchmaking."
—Alistair [55:20]

For more, visit the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers website via the show notes.