We've had another fantastic year building The Watch Collectors' Club and when I counted them up I was surprised to see we've held or attended 58 different events! I'll recount some personal highlights and some learnings from the year and at the start of 2026 we'll outline what you can look forward to. I run the Club and I usually arrange things I am most interested in, so I thought I'd recount some of my favourite things from the year to help you understand more about that the Club does and what Members can access.

My Favourite moment

Despite all the amazing watches I've seen this year and shared experiences I have had, my favourite moment came at our Manchester show in November. I was at the Club table talking to attendees about their collections and a man and his teenager daughter came up. I immediately noticed she was wearing a vintage TAG Heuer Carrera, one of my favourite vintage chronographs. I asked if it was hers and she said it was her Dad's and he'd lent it to her for the day. We carried on chatting and she said she though watches were so interesting she was thinking of training to become a watchmaker. I was delighted to point over her shoulder and say "You see that lady there, that's Rebecca Struthers, one of the top few female watchmakers in the world and easily one of the top 100 watchmakers in the world outright!". I gave her some more background info and took her over to personally introduce her. They had a great conversation, and I hope that she pursues watchmaking and we see her work on wrists at future shows.

My Favourite Event

We try to make all of our Meetups and Events as relaxed as possible but few matches our trip to the Christopher Ward showroom in May. The layout is fantastic and our group of 20 soon filled the three watch tables and dived right into changing straps, trying everything on and generally making merry with the range. It wasn't long before someone rushed from one table to another to show the combo they'd found - I myself put a luminous dive strap on my Bel Canto and just had to have it! Several people ordered watches there and then, which rarely happens at our events but just felt natural. No pressure, just people finding exactly what they wanted.

Afterward we decamped for an afternoon in the sun outside a pub. We compared our favourites and our CW host Declan even joined us for a round. We stayed until the train home beckoned, which turned out to be rather later than planned.

Our Overseas Experiences continue to grow

This year we experimented with taking Club Members to visit watch manufacturers in Switzerland, and I'm delighted to say it was a huge success. Our trip to see Horage and Armin Strom in particular was extraordinary. We got to see all the different stages of the process, the strict quality control , and at Armin Strom, how many different finishing techniques they do by hand. It gave us a true appreciation of the effort that went into putting these timepieces together. Later the same week in Geneva we visited the Atelier of independent brands like Singer and Urwerk, and it was a wonderful to see their workspaces and inspirational artwork. I was particularly struck by the Urwerk EMC watch, something I'd never heard of let alone got to handle, try on and understand. I went in thinking none of their timepieces would be right for me but was very pleasantly surprised by this one - a mechanical watch that can calculate it's own accuracy, thus allowing you to adjust it yourself.

Favourite Meetup

As the primary host of all our Meetups, it's my job to make everyone feel welcome and make sure people see all the fantastic variety of watches that are brought along. This summer saw out largest Manchester Meetup so far, with a great turnout in the city centre. Most of the attendees were brand new to the Club and to Meetups in general, but they swiftly got chatting as it's just so easy to bond over a watch. The excitement people feel when they come for the first time and find so many other people as into watches as they are is electric.

The best thing about building The Watch Collectors' Club? The People

None of this would be possible without the good grace and enthusiasm of the watch lovers who come along. The watch community is famous for its friendliness and we have not yet had a single instance of being let down by an attendee. While taste differs and each watch lover has a different budget and focus for their passion, everyone has a story to tell. It's the stories behind the watches that make our events so great - whether it's exploring the heritage behind a new model from an old brand, or seeing an inherited and cherished vintage piece on someone's wrist.

It's been a very busy year and we can't wait to start up again in January. 2026 promises to hold more events in Manchester and Glasgow as well as London, an additional show, and two new Experiences in Switzerland to add to those we've established. I can't wait to see you at an Event next year!