The William Wood Great Fire of London Watch

Tomorrow is British Watchmakers’ Day and William Wood Watches will be marking the occasion with the launch of the brand’s Great Fire of London Watch which is being releases as a British Watchmakers’ Day exclusive special edition, with the first 50 pieces only available to purchase at the event.

This limited edition timepiece blends British historical narrative with modern, utilitarian watchmaking with its literal connection to history on the reverse of the watch. Embedded into the case back of each watch is a genuine British £2 collector’s coin that depicts the Great Fire of London in 1666.

This actual coin is not a reinterpretation or engraving but rather a small, tangible artifact that connects the watch directly to the event that made history and reshaped London’s skyline and its future.

Inspired by Big Ben, the face and dial of the Great Fire of London Watch has certain subtle influences in its symmetry, proportions and layout, giving a natural historical reference that sits comfortably within William Wood’s established fire service-inspired design.

The 41mm case is crafted from 316L stainless steel with a brushed finish across the sides and lugs. Measuring 15mm thick and 49mm lug-to-lug, puts it in the medium-watch territory on the wrist. The 20mm lug width makes it easy for owners to choose a stap of their own choice. The watch comes fitted with a black fire hose strap and the crown is made from a 100-year-old melted-down British brass firefighter’s helmet.

At its heart is a Seiko Group NH35 automatic movement, known for its reliability that comes with a 41-hour power reserve. Seiko rates the movement at -20 to +40 seconds per day and recommends approximately 55 turns of the crown for a full wind.

The case is sealed by a double domed sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating, giving distortion-free legibility from most angles. With its subtle medium blue tint, the sapphire is a personal nod to William Wood’s founder and his 25 years of service on “Blue Watch” with the Newcastle & Gateshead Fire Brigade.

You will find that the unidirectional aluminium bezel has firm, positive clicks, while all case back markings, including the limited edition details have been applied using laser engraving for a clean and precise finish.

Priced at £995 that includes a 3 year warranty, the Great Fire of London Watch will be sold initially at tomorrow’s British Watchmakers’ Day on 7^th March and will also be available to purchase on the William Wood website thereafter: www.williamwoodwatches.com.

Author Bio:

Simon Burrell is a UK-based travel and motoring journalist and editor, a former member of The British Guild of Travel Writers and professional photographer.

Photographs courtesy of William Wood Watches