British Watchmakers’ Day 2024 brought 44 brands and 1,300 collectors together, according to the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers’ 2025 retrospective. The event offered a high-profile showcase for British watch brands, but its attendance figures are evidence of a substantial gathering—not proof that the wider UK watch industry has returned to sustained growth.
What was British Watchmakers’ Day 2024?
Organised by the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers, British Watchmakers’ Day was an exhibition created to showcase work by the Alliance’s trade members. Its first edition took place on Saturday 9 March 2024 at Lindley Hall, Royal Horticultural Halls, in Westminster. The Alliance’s January announcement said more than 40 exhibitors were confirmed and that brands were preparing special-edition watches for visitors. Alliance announcement
In its later retrospective, the Alliance reported that 44 brands and 1,300 collectors attended. Time+Tide’s independent contemporary report described queues and crowds, offering a separate account of the event’s atmosphere. The 44-brand figure is the Alliance’s retrospective count; the earlier figure of more than 40 was a pre-event estimate, not a competing final total. Alliance retrospective Time+Tide’s event report
Which watches stood out?
The event brought together different makers and styles. The Alliance’s official highlights associated these four watches with the show: Alliance event highlights
#1 Best Overall
- Christopher Ward Bel Canto 9324: a special Bel Canto release connected with the event.
- Fears Brunswick 38 1924 Edition: a show-linked edition of the Brunswick 38.
- Studio Underd0g 02 Series: one of the watches highlighted by the Alliance.
- Mr Jones Indefatigable Sphinx: another event highlight, with a more individual design character.
The original announcement also identified a Roger W. Smith Series One made especially for the show. Time+Tide reported that the watch was auctioned at the event. That makes it a notable part of the day’s programme, but any auction result should be understood as a report of that specific sale—not a general valuation of the model or British watches as a category. Alliance announcement Time+Tide’s event report
The sources establish these watches’ connection to the 2024 event, not their current availability, specifications or prices. Check with each maker before treating a model or edition as available to buy today.
Does the event mean UK watchmaking is back?
It supports a narrower, defensible conclusion: British watch brands were able to attract a sizeable public gathering and put a broad range of work in front of collectors. The Alliance’s reported attendance, the number of brands, and the special editions created for the occasion make the event a meaningful sign of visibility and interest.
Those figures do not measure UK watch production, revenue, exports, employment or long-term market growth. British Watchmakers’ Day was a showcase, not an industry census. The phrase “is back” is best read as a description of renewed public attention around the event, rather than a quantified claim that the whole sector has recovered or expanded. Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers
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For a useful comparison, start with the maker and the watch’s design or complication, then check whether the event connection means a limited edition, a special configuration or simply a model highlighted at the show. Confirm edition details and current availability directly with the brand; the event sources do not provide a complete, current price or specification comparison.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Ships from Vermont
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