11 DAYS OF LONDONERS: Day 10 – Nick English, co-founder of Bremont Watches
Editor’s note: A few months back, we announced that former Editor of GQ Australia, Mike Christensen, was to be our first European Editor. In this series, ‘11 Days of Londoners’, Mike will be sharing the stories of a few notable local collectors, starting on Day 1 with King Nerd, and with a stellar lineup still to come. Lastly, you might ask, why 11 days? That, friends, will become clearer over time … There may be British watch brands with a richer heritage, but none has claimed the attention and respect of the watch world quite like Bremont. In the space of just 12 years, brothers Giles and Nick English have become the movers and shakers of British watchmaking and even inspired many others to follow suit. Here, Nick reflects on his own special relationship with watches that would go on to shape his working life. The story behind the watch you are wearing today It’s based on an event that happened in Giles’ and my life just over 25 years ago. Our father used to own an ex-RAF Battle of Britain Memorial flight Mark XIX Spitfire. After his passing in 1995, this remarkable Spitfire, which had been in continuous RAF service since 1944…
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Editor’s note: A few months back, we announced that former Editor of GQ Australia, Mike Christensen, was to be our first European Editor. In this series, ‘11 Days of Londoners’, Mike will be sharing the stories of a few notable local collectors, starting on Day 1 with King Nerd, and with a stellar lineup still to come. Lastly, you might ask, why 11 days? That, friends, will become clearer over time … If you’re going to drop out of university, you’d hope it was for a good reason. What if that reason was launching the career of 16-year-old Tinie Tempah when you were 21? That’s exactly what Dumi Oburota did, which started his days in the music business, where he still remains with a joint venture with Warner Music in London. He’s also one of the best-dressed gents on the planet – if you’re ever wondering what to look for this season, just check out his Instagram account. The story behind the watch you are wearing today I am wearing a Casio G-Shock x Bamford, which was given to me on my birthday by Tinie [Tempah]. We love what the Bamford team do with their watches. George is a good friend and this…
Editor’s note: A few months back, we announced that former Editor of GQ Australia, Mike Christensen, was to be our first European Editor. In this series, ‘11 Days of Londoners’, Mike will be sharing the stories of a few notable local collectors, starting on Day 1 with King Nerd, and with a stellar lineup still to come. Lastly, you might ask, why 11 days? That, friends, will become clearer over time … Bill Prince served as the Deputy Editor of the British Edition of GQ for 23 years and aside from his interest in all things horological, Bill is also a former music journo and has interviewed everyone from Mick Jagger to David Bowie and Elton John. He is also a member of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève Academy – further proof of his standing in the watch business. I buy watches … Because they represent the intersection between engineering, aesthetics and design. Rather like a fine wine, a great watch reflects the successful combination of a number of discrete disciplines, in service to the creation of a genuinely beautiful yet functional object. There’s a reason why the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” is currently the most coveted male accessory on…
Editor’s note: A few months back, we announced that former Editor of GQ Australia, Mike Christensen, was to be our first European Editor. In this series, ‘11 Days of Londoners’, Mike will be sharing the stories of a few notable local collectors, starting on Day 1 with King Nerd, and with a stellar lineup still to come. Lastly, you might ask, why 11 days? That, friends, will become clearer over time … Over the past few years, man about town, Mr James Yates, has made a name for himself in the health space, specifically as a mental health advocate working closely with the likes of Mr Porter. He also happens to know a thing or two about horology, so we caught up to chat all things watches in his life right now. The watch I’m wearing today is a … Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight, based on a vintage Tudor from 1958. I like the vintage look of it, where they have used a softer colour on the dials. I also prefer the 39mm case as it’s a little smaller than most modern watches and sits better on my wrist. It was recommended to me by my close friend Max Newlan, who deals…
Editor’s note: ‘11 Days of Londoners’ continues with a UK-based microbrand you likely know and love, none other than Farer Watches co-founder Stu Finlayson. The past 10 years has seen a host of brilliant British brands pop up and Farer is certainly one of the most exciting. The spirit of adventure and exploring is at the heart of its ethos, thanks to co-founders Stu Finlayson, Ben Lewin, Jono Holt and Paul Sweetenham. Finlayson talks us through his Farer journey and a quest for Farer watches to seek ambition beyond the ordinary. The story behind the watch I am wearing today The Farer Maze is from our recently released GMT Bezel collection. I love this watch because of the white tile-effect dial, which is reminiscent of a swimming pool. I’ve just put it on our Oyster-style bracelet, which has made it feel like a new watch. It’s named after Maze Hill – one of the three roads that surround the Royal Observatory at Greenwich in London, the home of GMT. Other watches I have in my collection I have a few vintage watches, mainly from the ’60s, but nothing particularly expensive. A tropical dial 1960s Angelus chronograph Cal. 215, a super…
Editor’s note: A few months back, we announced that former Editor of GQ Australia, Mike Christensen, was to be our first European Editor. In this series ‘11 Days of Londoners’, Mike will be sharing the stories of a few notable local collectors, starting on Day 1 with King Nerd, and with a stellar lineup still to come. Lastly, you might ask, why 11 days? That, friends, will become clearer over time … In the past decade, the hype around vintage watches has escalated to a point of no return. For all the woke vibes floating around the watch industry in 2020 and on people’s wrists, it’s great that the value of relic pieces has never been higher. One man knows this only too well, Mr David Silver of the Vintage Watch Company. The story behind the watch I’m wearing today I’m wearing my 1966 Vintage Rolex GMT-Master with Pepsi bezel. This watch features in the opening pages of my new book, Vintage Rolex: The Largest Collection in the World. I love to wear it on all variety of different skin straps which I have made in Italy. Each time I change the strap I feel like I’m wearing a new watch and get…
Editor’s note: A few months back, we announced that former Editor of GQ Australia, Mike Christensen, was to be our first European Editor. In this series ’11 Days of Londoners’, Mike will be sharing the stories of a few notable local collectors, starting on Day 1 with King Nerd, and with a stellar lineup still to come. Lastly, you might ask, why 11 days? That, friends, will become clearer over time … David de Rothschild is an adventurer and environmentalist, who has a laundry list of feats to his name. Born into the English banking dynasty, he was a top-ranked horse rider as a child, trekked to both geographical poles before the age of 30, and sailed across the Pacific Ocean on a boat made from recycled plastic bottles only a few years later. He hasn’t slowed down in recent years, though, continuing to work on different environmental conservation projects around the world, aimed at protecting different ecosystems and building awareness about climate change. What’s your watch of choice on any given day, David? I’ve always been drawn to the ocean [understatement — he’s sailed from San Fran to Sydney on a boat made of plastic bottles], so for me it’s Breitling’s Superocean…
Editor’s note: A few months back, we announced that former Editor of GQ Australia, Mike Christensen, was to be our first European Editor. In this series, ‘11 Days of Londoners’, Mike will be sharing the stories of a few notable local collectors, starting on Day 1 with King Nerd, and with a stellar lineup still to come. Lastly, you might ask, why 11 days? That, friends, will become clearer over time … James Marks is a “horological globe trotter” for Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, who spends his time hunting down the finest watches from around the globe to offer for sale. With more than a decade and a half of experience in finance, working as a hedge fund portfolio manager, he brought his eye for detail and analytical skillset with him when he joined the auction house in the middle of 2018. In the relatively short time since, he’s shaken up the game, opening a bricks and mortar store in London called Phillips Perpetual, where the auction house can offer watches between sales, and he encourages collectors not to think of “investment watches” as a dirty phrase. Tell us about the watch you’re wearing today I am wearing…
Limited-edition collaborations in the watch industry are growing in popularity in 2020. We wanted to dig a bit deeper and get some behind-the-scenes insight on the sumptuous new hook-up between Fratello Watches and Oris. We can really only liken this combination to a glass of Bordeaux in a rich golden goblet for the wrist. I mean, look at it. Here, Fratello founder Robert-Jan Broer reveals how the partnership started and the hidden details that make this 300-piece run feel so distinct and fresh. How did this partnership and collaboration come about? What is the origin story here? We had a meeting with Oris in 2018 at Baselworld. They had just released the first bronze model with a green dial, and our editor Michael Stockton was enamoured with the watch and bought one. A year later, at Baselworld 2019, they came with a steel watch with an oxblood red dial – which Michael thought was absolutely stunning. He began to think about how it would look in the bronze case, so he managed to track down a separate oxblood red dial and have our watchmaker install it into his bronze watch. He then showed it to me, and we both agreed…
Editor’s note: A few months back, we announced that former Editor of GQ Australia, Mike Christensen, was to be our first European Editor. Based in London, Mike – who, confusingly, is actually English – has since been beavering away on an opening salvo of stories to properly introduce him, and his fine city, to you, dear readers. And, without further ado, here they are! We’ve named the series ’11 Days of Londoners’, and it does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a chance for Mike to share the fine wristwear of some notable and notorious locals that he happens to knock around with. We won’t give away the full list yet, but let’s just say it includes possibly the most handsome man on the planet, the most nimble-fingered engraver (come on down @kingnerd), and the maddest watch modder to ever take the controls of a PVD machine. Lastly, you might ask, why 11? That, friends, will become clearer over time … Better known as King Nerd, Johnny Dowell is an example of how far the watch industry has evolved when it comes to embracing change. An engraver by trade – he was an apprentice at James Purdey & Sons, the 205-year-old…