Our Favorite Watches from British Watchmakers’ Day

Over the weekend, Worn & Wound’s Zach Kazan and Devin Pennypacker attended the second annual British Watchmakers’ Day event at Lindley Hall in London, England. British Watchmakers’ Day is the main public facing event for the British Watch and Clock Makers Alliance, formed in 2020 to encourage and guide a new generation of British watchmakers. Over 40 brands exhibited at the single day event, which was packed with watch lovers from all over the world.

One of the unique things about British Watchmakers’ Day is that brands are truly incentivized to launch limited editions available on the day of the show. It generates interest in the ticketed event, giving watch lovers a specific reason to show up early to Lindley Hall, and proceeds from both watch sales and tickets benefit the Alliance. To that end, one of the most fun aspects of the show is going from brand to brand to see what kind of limited edition release they came up with for the big day (we’ve already told you about a few). 

Here, as a recap to the show, Zach and Devin pick three of their favorite British Watchmakers’ Day limited editions that they saw at the show. It was tough to limit these choices to just three. If you attended the show, be sure to drop your favorites in the comments below. 

Zach Kazan 

Isotope Mercury BWD Micro Marquetry

Visiting with José Miranda at the Isotope display was a highlight of the show for me. Not only did he have an excellent BWD limited edition on display (and another one that unfortunately didn’t make it to the event because of the inherent logistical nightmare that these shows can be – it happens), he was also showing off a number of pieces that have been in the works for some time, including the final production version of his Moonshot chronograph. But it was the Mercury BWD Micro Marquetry that really blew me away. 

The Mercury case, in any iteration, is a pretty cool thing to have on your wrist. It really nails the imagined alt-reality vibe that the Isotope project has always been about. It’s somehow both retro feeling and sci-fi flavored at the same time. Combining that case with a marquetry dial, inspired by the Union Jack, was quite impressive. Miranda partners with a Paris based craftsperson whose specialty is marquetry derived from colored straw. It allows, in this case, anyway, for a dial that is vibrantly colorful and also quite abstract, which again seems to fit into the Isotope mission quite well. Seeing this type of old-world craft on an accessible watch executed to this high a degree will always make me smile, and represents exactly what I think is best about independent and micro-brand watchmaking at the moment. 

Vertex M60 Taormina Limited Edition

I freely admit that I have Vertex on the brain. Ever since Griffin’s review of his personal M60 Aqualion, I’ve been thinking about just how good and under-the-radar Vertex really is. Plenty of digital ink has been spilled on the price of these watches, with many in the camp that thinks they are somewhat wildly overpriced (this line of thinking inspired an entire podcast episode). But, frankly, I don’t get it. To handle an M60 is to understand that it’s an incredibly well made, high quality diver, with a build quality through just about every facet of the thing that is on par with the likes of Tudor. And if you think Tudor is a value proposition against their own sister brand, by the transitive property…

All of this is to say, I’m a fan of these. The Taormina limited edition displayed at British Watchmakers’ Day is, when you get right down to it, just a blue version of the regular M60. But the color is just about perfect, and does a great job of recontextualizing the M60 from a rough and ready tactical tool watch to something that is perhaps more appropriate for sipping cocktails at the poolside bar. You won’t need three guesses to identify which of these vibes speaks more to me, personally. 

Apiar Gen1.B

One of the brands I was most anticipating seeing at the British Watchmakers’ Day event was Apiar. I missed them a few months ago when they were in Boston and hosted our local RedBar chapter for a meetup, and there was a buzz in the group chat about how cool their watches were, and that they were doing something truly distinctive. Apiar specializes in 3-D printed cases, and the new Gen1 design language pushes the brand to its technical and creative limits, with an elaborate and complex printed case and dial that seem to be a single, organic piece. 

Apiar seems to be discovering what they are capable of in real time, which is pretty exciting. The prototype they had on display was, by their own admission, a little rough around the edges. But they showed us a dial that had been printed more recently that was dramatically cleaner. I imagine once the printing and finishing processes are tweaked and refined a bit more, the final product will be truly impressive. As it stands, the Gen1.B makes the list for its creativity, audacity, and the promise of a young brand still figuring it out. 

Devin Pennypacker

Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour Edwardian Edition

The watch that seemed to lead the way as an early announcement before the show, the Fears Brunswick Jump Hour Edwardian Edition took root in my brain and never left. Having the opportunity to try on other Jump Hour models at the New York Windup Watch Fair just last year, I already knew that the piece would wear well and offer a refined yet significant wrist presence. What I did not expect was the level of infatuation that would grow for this very special piece. Limited to just 10, the Edwardian Edition sets itself apart primarily through its case, constructed of precious hallmarked .925 sterling silver. Fitted with a striking red Alcantara strap, it is the perfect balance of flash and refined elegance with a minimalistic approach allowing each detail to shine. For me, this watch blends a lot of elements that I love into one package. 

Clemence Munro Concept Edition

To be fair, when I visited the Clemence booth, the 2025 Concept Edition was not the watch that I immediately went for. Standing behind an enthusiastic line of watch nerds, the striking Juniper dial seemed to be screaming at me like something from a Tolkien novel. I can also sing the praises of the Ridgeline and Ridgeline Dusk models as well, but since Kazan insisted on honing in on special editions we can shift back to the Concept Edition.

Again limited to just 10 pieces, Clemence iterated on their popular field watch platform in terms of detail, color, and dial layout. They have stripped back the indices leaving just the arabic 12 and 6 allowing the other details to stand out a bit more. For the dial, Clemence has opted for a polished bronze gilt to accentuate dial and hand details giving it an elevated visual from a bygone era. The watch feels somewhat art deco in design while still keeping its modern field watch essence. 

Mr Jones Watches Khaosify 

The law of surprise won the day for me as I found myself falling in love with an unexpected watch that somehow felt familiar. Originally powered by a quartz caliber with a black coated case, the Mr Jones Khaosify was not an entirely new design, though it made its debut at the show with bare steel construction, a custom leather strap, and a swiss mechanical caliber. Partnering with Brighton illustrator Mister Phil,  the Khaosify leans into the wacky yet wonderful, rotating at different depths to create a visually confusing display. The watch sat at their booth under a large microscope forcing you to stare at its central eye as you attempted to walk by.

I found myself coming back to this watch several times throughout the show just to pick it up and give the crown a few extended twists. While the previous two picks fell heavily into romantic and classic styling, Mr Jones followed its own path bringing street art to life in a small wristborn package. The best part about this collaboration is that while the show exclusive might be gone, the original quartz version is still available online for $235. Going into the show I had seen press information and stock photos of all of the special editions, so to be caught off guard and still be thinking about one nearly a week later is a fun and tricky thing to pull off.