Inside Time + Tide’s British Watchmaking Weekender, where passion, craft and community shine

It was easier to navigate than last year, far less crammed, and I actually got to spend proper time with people instead of being carried along by the crowd like a confused salmon. A huge thank you to Time + Tide for putting on such a brilliant day, and to the amazing Katya from the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers for inviting me along.

She has this uncanny ability to make the whole thing feel both welcoming and effortlessly professional.

One of the highlights for me was catching up with Guy and Gem from Elliot Brown. EB make my favourite watches in the world, so spending time with them is always a pleasure. What I love is that the conversation never stays in one lane; within ten minutes we’d covered watches, vintage motorbikes and pocket knives, as if the three naturally belong together. In our world they sort of do.

EB really do have something interesting brewing, and while I definitely can’t repeat what the Gem showed me, I can say this much: next year is going to be huge for them. The kind of huge where you blink and the entire first batch is gone. Their community is fiercely loyal for good reason, and what they have coming will sell out in seconds, no question. You could feel the excitement in the air just talking to them. It’s that classic EB blend of practicality, toughness and thoughtful design, dialled up a level. And I don’t just say this because they let my mate leave his bag at their table while he wandered around

The atmosphere in the studio was exactly what you hope for from a community like this. A proper buzz in the air, but never frantic. People drifting from brand to brand, taking their time, chatting, comparing notes, asking the kind of nerdy, thoughtful questions only watch lovers come up with. It felt like everyone there genuinely cared about the craft and the direction British watchmaking is heading.

What struck me this year was that everyone seemed happy to talk about other people’s work, which says a lot about where the industry is right now.

As for the watches that stood out, two absolutely stole the show for me. First, the Nomadic Fíor 555 GMT in Shipyard Yellow. I adore this watch. The sentiment behind it, the Belfast roots, the storytelling woven into that yellow GMT hand, the rock solid Sellita movement, the lume, the ceramic bezel, the whole honest, purposeful build. It feels like a true companion piece, something with heart.

Then there was the Fears Arnos Pewter Blue. Just stunning, I would not normally like this kind of watch at all being the sort of person who very much goes for 'virtually identical diving watches' (and one "mate" put it). The rectangular case, the curvature, the two tone German-made dial, the Roman numerals, the exquisite finishing, the pipette hands, the sheer refinement of it all. It’s a modern watch with a vintage soul, and it’s impossible not to admire the care that’s gone into every detail.

All told, it was a genuinely brilliant day. Warm, welcoming, packed with great conversations and even better watches. I left feeling inspired, slightly poorer in spirit for not being able to take everything home, and already looking forward to next year.