You've got 24 hours to yourself in London, a passion for watches, and no idea where to start. Luckily for you, London is one the world's greatest cities for horology where you can try on a huge number of watches. From independent ateliers and showrooms to three-story temples of Swiss watchmaking, I've included all the Google maps links so you can find them easily!

Most shops and stores open at 10AM, which is the perfect time for coffee. Head for a warm welcome at the Time and Tide Discovery Studio, right next to Oxford Street tube station. The team there are all watch enthusiasts and they'll take you through their selection of independent brands. They're about to host a temporary Tudor exhibition from November to April, so if you can get there then I'm sure it'll be fantastic.

If you need another cappuccino you could head round the corner to the fabulous attic showroom of French brand Baltic on Nearby Margaret Street. They only have three showrooms worldwide and this one is "tres cool". Next it's time to head down London's famous Regent Street, pausing at the Omega flagship just after the tube station. This is the place to see the latest releases and they've always got some of the Limited Editions in stock, e.g. the new Speedmasters for the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Further down Regent Street is the Breitling townhouse, and you're probably ready for something stronger to drink so head down to the basement to visit their fully stocked bar. This is one of the largest Breitling stores in the world and you'll see the entire range and a motorbike right in the middle of it! Across the road from Breitling is Europe's largest watch store, the Watches of Switzerland flagship. This three story temple of watches sells 35 brands and a wide range of Certified Pre-Owned stock. The staff here are great and it's always worth checking your favourite brands here to see if they have anything interesting in stock. It's one of the only stockists in London of Zenith, Ulysse Nardin, MB&F, Nomos, and Jacob & Co. watches.

Now take a deep breath and head over to Bond Street, London's centre for some of the most famous names in watchmaking. Europe's largest Rolex just opened, and IWC, Vacheron, Patek, Grand Seiko and more all have presence here. If you want to see award-winning High Horology in one of London's most beautiful stores, don't hesitate to pop into the Bulgari "Temple" and go to the marble-lined watch room at the back. It's stunning.

In London, the real treasures often hide in plain sight. We don't want you to miss out on some of the world's top dealers of pre-owned and vintage watches. The Watch Collectors' Club have a close relationship with the Somlo family at Somlo London, which is on the corner of the North end of Burlington Arcade, not far from Cartier, Tiffany and Ralph Lauren on Bond Street. As the world's only Authorised Dealer of vintage Omega, there is very little the team don't know about this brand's long history of great watches. They are specialists in important pocket watches, so if you've ever wanted to see some historic, complicated, or beautiful timepieces from before 1900 please do go in and ask. Also in the Burlington Arcade are dealers Maunder Watches and David Duggan, both of whom usually have fantastic stock and have a good reputation. When buying pre-owned or vintage watches, you must Buy the Seller, not the Watch, and we recommend these sellers.

If you're passionate about independent handmade watch and clockmaking you should visit the Frodsham Gallery in St. James. You must make an appointment, but enjoy a warm welcome and an amazing lesson in horological history. If you're interested in the High End of pre-owned Rolex and rare and gem-set pieces, check out Watch Collectors on Grosvenor Street for a great selection and decades of experience selling these types of watch.

Want to dive deeper into horological history? You've got options. The Clockmakers' Museum at the Science Museum tells England's timekeeping story in about an hour. The British Museum's Clock Room houses the oldest known pendulum clock and two George Daniels pieces. Or, for the full experience, venture to Greenwich's Royal Observatory where John Harrison's marine chronometers still tick away.

We've barely scratched the surface of what London has to offer, the watch scene here is huge. Whether you're hunting for your first Speedmaster or a special vintage piece, this city rewards horological curiosity. The Watch Collectors' Club run events every week to help enthusiasts explore the many boutiques, showrooms and dealerships across the city, and we can show you the places even this guide can't fit in. You can find all our Events on our website and if you've got any questions, just ask! We help enthusiasts get hands-on with the watches they care about.