WATCHES

It’s widely recognised that the watch market overall is not strong right now. We all remember (and shudder at) the boom in interest in watches in 2020 and 2021 and the associated leaps in pricing for certain famous models. It seemed for some time that the Hype train would never end, but it did with an auction of a very special Patek Philippe, and the market has been soft with falling prices ever since.

New watches have seen sales volumes fall dramatically and brands looking for ways to encourage buyers back amidst ever-increasing competition from new Microbrands and new High-End Independents. There are a few areas of the market where interest remains sky-high, however. As an events business and community of watch enthusiasts, we get to see exactly where people’s energy and activity is going in this market; to great value timepieces with a great story, and often, a local flavour.

Ever since we started The Watch Collectors’ Club in 2021, we’ve been astonished by the interest and demand for British Watch Brands. We recognise the amazing diversity of design and great story telling have inspired clients to try these often very young brands. We’ve done our best to help, running many events with British brands over the last couple of years.

We’re even more excited that opportunities for these brands to promote themselves and get their watches on to people’s wrists continue to grow with more and more shows and events popping up. This November we’re running The Manchester Watch Show for the first time, welcoming over 350 enthusiasts to Central Manchester to meet 25 brands from those just starting out to well established names with customers all over the world.

Ours is not the only show coming up! Later in November there is the Time and Tide weekender in London in conjunction with the Alliance of British Watch and Clockmakers, bringing together 15 brands for two full days of horological excitement. On the same weekend over in Bristol there’s the new Bristol Watch Show featuring another 10 British brands for a day in Bristol’s smart Clifton neighbourhood. The first of these shows is already sold out, but there are tickets available in Bristol, find them here.

There’s also the well-established Watchpro Salon on the first weekend of the month in London’s Leicester Square, featuring over 40 brands including many British brands, brands just launching, and some famous names from Switzerland and elsewhere. We’ve got a discount for tickets you can use, and The Watch Collectors’ Club will be giving tours of the show during the Saturday afternoon if you want to meet some friendly watch people while you’re there and get help finding the watches you’re most interested in.

This year has seen some successful shows already, namely the WatchIt Watch Fair in the Midlands in June, where over 400 people saw timepieces from 40 brands. The current biggest enthusiasts fair in the world is Windup Watchfair in New York, and plenty of British brands were there visiting clients last week. Both are great signs that the market is healthy for great watches with interesting design at good prices.

The other area that remains strong is that of smaller independent brands. These range from handcrafted low double digit producers making exceptional High Horology, such as Roger Smith on the Isle of Man, Kari Voutilainen or Berneron in Switzlerand, Felipe Pikullik in Berlin, to more affordable new ideas, like Anoma or Killokium. Enthusiasts love getting behind these brands as they offer something different to what’s found from the large legacy companies that dominate the industry.

We’re aiming to put more events on next year that help you get close to these watches. We’re running 7 events in November, but 2025 will see us step up again. We’ll run more than one show in the UK, and are returning to Watch and Wonders in Geneva in April (come with us for exclusive access, we’ll take care of your whole itinerary). We’re also looking to set up more events around the UK for brands to showcase their watches if they don’t already have distribution. If you think we should come to a city near you, let us know!

We love hosting great watch events that bring the community together and allow watch people to meet other watch people and get hands on with great watches. Keep an eye on our site and social media so you don’t miss out as we start to schedule some of the fantastic stuff we’ve got planned for 2025. If you’re coming to Manchester, we can’t wait to meet you there, and if you still want a ticket, the only way to get one is to join the Club as a Member. There’s a great set of benefits and a year’s membership starts from only £75.

The post Upcoming Watch Shows demonstrate parts of the Watch Market remain Strong first appeared on The Watch Collectors’ Club.

This article is written by Club Member John O’Connor

The historic Halle St Peter’s venue in Manchester came alive on November 9th, 2024, hosting the eagerly anticipated Manchester Watch Show. The event, which sold out in under 24 hours, brought together watch enthusiasts and manufacturers in a celebration of horological craftsmanship that exceeded all expectations.

24 prestigious watch brands (we would have had 25 but for Marloe having a breakdown on the way!) showcased their collections, offering attendees the rare opportunity to experience their timepieces firsthand. The intimate setting allowed visitors to engage directly with designers, founders, and craftspeople, creating meaningful connections between creators and collectors.

The Watch Collectors’ Club, represented by Co-Founders Hamish and Ed alongside us volunteers – myself, Michal and Hrishi, put into practice the club’s mission of fostering in-person connections among watch enthusiasts. It was such a pleasure to be able to share that joy with so many of you in Manchester. “Thank you so much for putting something on up North! When is the next one?” became the day’s recurring question, highlighting the pent-up demand for horological events outside of traditionally London-centric locations.

Among the highlights was Christopher Ward’s presentation of their latest releases, including the newly launched guilloché Bel Canto, which drew consistent crowds throughout both sessions. This watch was announced a mere 9 days before the show, already demonstrating the show’s significance in the watch industry calendar.

While established brands drew significant attention, the show also spotlighted smaller manufacturers like Harold Pinchbeck, whose representatives shared insights into their hand-assembly process in Lincoln. These interactions with independent watchmakers provided a refreshing counterpoint to the industry’s larger Swiss houses, embodying The Watch Collectors’ Club’s commitment to celebrating horology at all scales. As a member of 2 years and counting, I get to see a lot of watches from almost every brand I can name. It can be easy to become a little desensitised! It’s putting names and faces to the people behind the brands that keeps that passion for watches alive for me, so I’d encourage you to join if your main outlet is looking at renders on a screen.

The success of the Manchester Watch Show demonstrated the enduring appeal of in-person watch events and the vibrancy of the UK’s watch community beyond London. By bringing together enthusiasts, makers, and collectors in a single venue, the show created an environment where the shared passion for horology could flourish, setting a promising precedent for future events in the region.

The Watch Collectors’ Club are already planning next year’s show in Manchester in early November, and you can register your interest here so you don’t miss out on tickets going on sale next summer. The Club is also hoping to hold Meetups and Events in Manchester early in the New Year. Register your interest in those here. Finally, the Club’s next large show will be in Glasgow on May 10th 2025.

The post A Celebration of Horology in the North first appeared on The Watch Collectors’ Club.