Christopher Ward Magazine - Spring 2016 by Christopher Ward

SPRING 2016

C60

DIFFERENT CLASS CHRONOGRAPH

THE NEW C60 TRIDENT CHRONOGRAPH: A MILESTONE IN THE CHRISTOPHER WARD STORY

Trident_ titanium. C60 TRIDENT TITANIUM

Variation #1

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Chronographs are the

megastars of the watch world.

Like great footballers, they revel in their abilities – carrying functions way beyond that of ‘regular’ watches. And in the new C60 Trident Chronograph, Christopher Ward has created one of the best. Want to know more? The editor of QP magazine, Tim Barber, delivers his verdict in a comprehensive review on page 10. Away from this, the magazine has plenty more of interest, including a look at Moscow’s clocks, Liverpool’s forgotten watch factory and a feature on the northern soul revival – ﬂares and all. As ever, enjoy the magazine… it’s a privilege to make it for you. Peter, Chris, Mike Front Cover C60 Trident Chronograph CONTRIBUTORS

Jim Butler A long-time music journalist, in this issue Jim writes about the phenomenon of northern soul, the 1970s youth movement that’s undergoing a big revival at present. Learn the story of this uniquely British phenomenon on page 16.

John Mackin Author and history obsessive, John is known best for writing about his home city of Liverpool. That’s why we chose him to tell the story of Prescot’s Lancashire Watches, once one of the dominant brands in UK horology. Read it on page 24.

Timothy Barber One of the most respected names in watch journalism, Tim is the editor of QP magazine. Who better then to profile Christopher Ward’s stunning new C60 Trident Chronograph? His detailed overview will get you as excited about the watch as we are.

Christopher Ward (London) Limited, 1 Park Street, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 1SL, United Kingdom. chris@christopherward.co.uk Customer Services: wera@christopherward.co.uk Editor: Anthony Teasdale Design and art direction: ToyasO’Mara Colour reprographics: JP Repro

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CONTENTS SPRING 2016

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CWORLD NEWS

C9 Moonphase wins industry recognition BUSINESS BIBLE BLOOMBERG HAS GIVEN CHRISTOPHER WARD THE ULTIMATE COMPLIMENT BY NAMING THE C9 MOONPHASE ONE OF THE TOP 10 WATCHES FROM NOVEMBER’S SALONQP EXHIBITION: NO SMALL ACHIEVEMENT CONSIDERING THE HUNDREDS OF TIMEPIECES SHOWN AT THE EVENT.

REVIEWS

U P DAT E S

“Gradually, the work of our design team in the UK, and our watchmaking prowess in Switzerland, is being recognised...”

> Focus on the new C9 watch was heightened further when WatchPro magazine recognised the C9 Moonphase as one of its Mechanical Watches of The Year alongside models from IWC, Patek Philippe and Nomos. “We’re delighted that the C9 Moonphase has created such a positive response from the watch press,” said CW co-founder Mike France. “We’ve felt in the past that the media has been a little myopic about our achievements. That we challenge many of the precepts of the watch industry may be unnerving for some but, gradually, the work of our design team in the UK and our watchmaking prowess in Switzerland, is being recognised for its outstanding technical and aesthetic achievements.”

SalonQP

2015: THE CHRISTOPHER WARD VERDICT IT’S 6PM ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 14 AND THE DOORS OF THE SAATCHI GALLERY HAVE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE LAST TIME FOR THIS YEAR’S FINE WATCH EXHIBITION. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN 48 HOURS, THE REPRESENTATIVES OF MORE THAN 80 WATCH BRANDS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD CAN RELAX. WELL, AT LEAST UNTIL THE PACKING UP BEGINS!

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SalonQP was launched in November 2009. First held at One Marylebone, the event’s aim was to allow watch lovers to get up close with top brands and their latest timepieces without any sales pressure. Since 2011, SalonQP has been held at the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea which has allowed the event to expand with more brands exhibiting as well as new displays, exhibitions and workshops. This year there were more than 80 brands attending and more visitors than ever came to see them. Christopher Ward was again one of the most visited stands – as well as being drawn by the prospect of trying out the new C9 Moonphase, many people came to meet two of our senior watchmakers: Frank

Stelzer and, of course, Johannes Jahnke. Johannes was also a member of a seminar panel discussing the challenges associated with creating an in-house movement, thus ensuring our own Calibre SH21 was a major talking point of the exhibition as it was last year. As Chris Ward says, “The open style of SalonQP suits us. We like talking to people about our watches and for many visitors the show is the first time they’ve seen a CW in the metal. This year, the C9 Moonphase was one of the watches of the show, and the buzz around it helped to make our stand one of the busiest – and my voice, therefore – one of the hoarsest!” This year, SalonQP takes place in early November. Definitely one for the diary.

CWORLD

N EW RELEA SE

C60 TRIDENT TITANIUM

FIRST MODELS ARRIVING SOON

GOOD NEWS FOR TRIDENT FANS – THE FIRST TWO VARIATIONS OF THE C60 TRIDENT WITH TITANIUM CASES ARE SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE ON PRE-ORDER IN FEBRUARY The designs have created huge excitement in CW Towers, not just because of the introduction of the high-tech metal into the collection, but because of their looks. The Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) black finish of Variation #2 [pictured] and the grey of Variation #1 are both serious dive watches that look seriously cool. Senior Designer Adrian Buchmann said, “The reaction to the new Tridents has been unanimously positive from colleagues. However, the most important reaction is the one from the public. And I think it’s going to be good. As well as the new case and dial designs, we’re also introducing CW’s first titanium bracelet which we expect to be a real winner. The best news is that we don’t have long to wait to hear what people think.” The new Tridents are available to pre-order from February and will be priced at £750 for those with either a leather, or natural rubber strap, and £995 with a titanium bracelet.

“THE REACTION TO THE NEW TRIDENTS HAS BEEN UNANIMOUSLY POSITIVE FROM COLLEAGUES. HOWEVER, THE MOST IMPORTANT REACTION IS THE ONE FROM THE PUBLIC” Adrian Buchmann, Senior Designer

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CWORLD

CHALLENGERS GEAR UP FOR RIO ’16 LEN

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CHRISTOPHER WARD’S CHALLENGER PROGRAMME ENTERS ITS BIGGEST YEAR SO FAR AS THREE OF ITS YOUNG ATHLETES – WILL SATCH, AMBER HILL AND SAMMI KINGHORN – FINALISE THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMMES IN THE RUN UP TO THE OLYMPICS AND PARALYMPICS IN RIO... > Amber had an incredible 2015, during which she won gold at the World Cup and a European Championship title. For both her and rower Will, preparation in the remaining cold months is absolutely vital if they’re going to succeed in Brazil. “Whatever the rest of winter throws at me I endeavour to come out the other side as fit as a butcher’s dog,” says Will. “With Rio in sight there’s a heightened feeling of competitiveness in the air, making every inch rowed and every weight lifted that little bit more important. This is my first full Olympiad cycle, and I can tell you, it ain’t easy!” Amber, meanwhile has been undergoing an impressively intensive fittness regime with coach Tim Newman. “I think the biggest difference between winter and summer training is that I can make more drastic alterations to my technique when required,” she says. “In the winter, when there are fewer competitions, I have time to get enough blocks of training in to hone the necessary skills.” Sammi has also been putting in some serious work, winning a bronze medal in the T53 200m race at the World Championships in Doha. But it was her performance in the 800m that’s given her most hope for Rio. “My coach said it was the best race of my life,” says Sammi. “It makes me confident that I can mix it with the very best at distances beyond my preferred sprint events.” Listening to all three athletes it seems there’s little doubt our Challengers will soon be champions!

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NEW we

bsite o n the wa y for

WORK IS UNDERWAY TO CREATE A NEW CHRISTOPHER WARD WEBSITE WHICH WILL BE LAUNCHED IN AUTUMN 2016. CW CO-FOUNDER, PETER ELLIS, SAID: “Our current site has served us well but the digital world moves very quickly. With the new site we’re aiming to create the best possible online experience for every visitor to Christopher Ward, no matter which device they choose for their visit. “The challenge is to create an inspiring and informative online environment that makes it easy and pleasurable for everyone to research, choose, and purchase the right watch for them. It’s an exciting and challenging project which, if successful, will place the Christopher Ward brand where it should be online – out in front.”

“We’re aiming to create the best possible online experience for every visitor”

T SPEAHE K CLOCING K INTER V WITH HORO IEWS L INFLU OGY’S TOP ENCE RS

Rebecca Struthers of Struthers London

comes with the peace of mind that the workers making it are being paid and treated fairly, and that the money is invested back into the domestic economy. What movements do you use?

Hi Rebecca. To start, what exactly is Struthers London?

We’re British watchmakers and jewellers. The company began in 2013 when we became the first watchmakers to win the Lonmin Design Innovation Award for groundbreaking design in platinum with our first watch. Struthers is run by you and your husband, Craig. What are your roles?

Craig’s a master watchmaker and handles the majority of the practical engineering. I’m more of a technical designer so I create the concepts and figure out how to make them. I’m an antiquarian horologist, too – having a good knowledge about the way watches have been made over the centuries is integral to the way we run our workshop and studio. What are your inﬂuences in terms of watch design?

My era is European pre-19th century, while Craig prefers 19th-tomid-20th century English, American and Swiss high-grade watches. If we meet anywhere it’s in our mutual love of quality and integrity. A lot of modern watches have little or no hand-finishing or craft within them which is what gives them their soul. Ours take between three months and a year to build so it’s important we feel a connection to them. You’ve made watches in collaboration with Morgan cars. Are you a fan of British engineering?

Absolutely! In this country we might not be the most reliable but our work has character. Plus we’re very passionate about ethical manufacture – investing in British engineering

So far, everything from 1950s Omegas to an English pocket chronometer from the 1880s. We used a 1930s IWC movement in a cocktail watch recently. Movements are chosen by us through our experience as restorers, so we know which designs are the most reliable, durable and beautiful. We’re working on an inhouse calibre at the moment, though we’re in no rush – rescuing vintage movements and restoring them back into watches is still important to us. You believe in more collaboration in the UK watchmaking industry. Why?

Industry rarely succeeds on any great level with one business on its own. What British watchmaking really needs is a whole raft of businesses and allied trades working together as a community. That’s exactly how the British watch industry worked at its peak and is how the Swiss operate. If we want a 100-per-cent British-made movement we’d do better pooling resources and experience to create the UK equivalent of ETA rather than struggling on our own. Your company also makes jewellery – how does that inﬂuence the watches?

We make all our own cases by hand in-house and it’s thanks to my training as a jeweller that we’re able to do that. The watches actually influenced the jewellery: we’ve met some incredible craftsmen over the years with skills that are dying out on home soil. We wanted to work with them to create something that highlight their talents before it’s too late. You’re studying for a PhD in horology at the moment. What are you looking at?

My thesis is on ‘Dutch forgeries’ – a

“There could be an opportunity for the Brits to seriously re-enter the fine end of the market” type of watch made on the continent during the second half of the 18th century to imitate English watches. Despite the name, they’re not believed to be Dutch and can’t be legally defined as forgeries either. What we do know is that they were some of the first mass-manufactured watch movements and did a lot of damage to the British watch industry. Who was making them is still a mystery, until I publish late next year! What’s your view on the British watch industry at present?

It’s an exciting time, there seems to be a lot more cohesion, and success stories like Christopher Ward show there’s definitely demand for British watchmaking. The Swiss have faced a number of economic issues recently which have taken a toll on their watch industry; with the boom in cheap movement manufacture in Asia there could be an opportunity for the Brits to seriously re-enter the fine end of the market. Finally, what are your plans for Struthers?

Our ultimate goal is to create a watch and jewellery manufactory in the UK: making everything either in-house or working with other British manufacturers and training our own apprentices. I’d like to see the Struthers brand become an access point for people passionate about British craft. struthers-london.co.uk

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C9 5 DAY AUTOMATIC

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THE

GREAT WATCH WEAR ER S

HUNTER S. THOMPSON THERE ARE MANY ALL-AMERICAN HEROES. AND WHILE THESE MEN AND WOMEN USUALLY FULFIL ALL THE SAME CRITERIA (BRAVE, WHOLESOME, PHOTOGENIC ETC), THERE ARE OTHERS WHO CAN’T BE SO EASILY PIGEONHOLED – AND YET STILL SYMBOLISE EVERYTHING THAT’S GREAT ABOUT THE US. HUNTER S. THOMPSON, THE ORIGINAL ‘GONZO’ JOURNALIST, IS ONE SUCH MAN.

Photo: Contour Getty images

o label Thompson as just a writer is to do him a disservice – he was that and so much more. Born into a middle-class family in Kentucky in 1937, Hunter started his professional life as a sports editor on a regional paper, before taking various positions on publications in the US and Puerto Rico. He was sacked from most of these. In 1967 he reached prominence with his book, Hell’s Angels: The Strange And Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs in which he described life inside the gang. It transformed his fortunes and made his name as a writer. From then on, Thompson was in demand with magazines like Esquire and Harper’s but it was one article, The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent And Depraved, that not just enhanced his reputation but transformed journalism itself. With a deadline looming, Thompson started sending his own manic notes from the event, which later formed the basis of the article. This crazy, first-person way of writing became known as ‘gonzo journalism’. And Hunter was its king. Everything about Thompson was cool. From his never - removed aviator sunglasses to his Hawaiian shirts, the man exuded style. And on his wrist he wore a watch, and often, two. His go to timepiece was the Rolex GMT with ‘Coke’ bezel, which he wore constantly but he also wore an equally sturdy Tag Heuer Super Professional pictured here. This combination ensured the man behind Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas knew the the time in at least three time zones. Thompson died in 2005 – via a self–inﬂicted gunshot wound – and his ashes were later fired from a cannon, to the sounds of Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit In The Sky. Even in death he was cool. christopherward.co.uk

THE ‘BREATHING’ DISPLAY IS A MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AND STYLISH SOLUTION 10 christopherward.co.uk christopherward.co.uk

C60 CHRONOMETER | CW

C60

DIFFERENT CLASS CHRONOGRAPH

THE NEW TRIDENT C60 CHRONOGRAPH IS A MILESTONE IN THE CHRISTOPHER WARD STORY, AND ONE THAT POINTS TO A FUTURE AT THE VANGUARD OF UK WATCHMAKING. THE EDITOR OF QP MAGAZINE, TIMOTHY BARBER, TELLS THE STORY OF A VERY SPECIAL TIMEPIECE…

here are three initial surprises that greet you when you first handle the new chronograph for Christopher Ward’s C60 diving watch range. The first is the bold colouring: vivid yellow subdials set against a blue-grey background that makes one think of the North Sea at its most mysterious. The second is the sheer build quality – both sturdy and sleek, with chamfered case edges, a suave new rubber strap and a multitude of arresting details – it’s startlingly different to the simple C60 Trident watches of yesteryear (I can say this with authority, as the owner of a very early example of the latter). And then there’s the fact that the watch appears to be ‘breathing’. At 9 o’clock, where you’d expect to find the small seconds sub-dial, there’s something rather different: a circle outlined by white, oval

segments that appear to grow and contract constantly. It’s a simple trick, achieved via white segments on a disc rotating behind oval holes cut into the dial – a nice design flourish you might think, but there’s more to it than that. While a running seconds display is essential for showing that a dive watch is functioning, a tiny seconds hand counting its way around a sub-dial is unclear at depth and unnecessary – the ‘breathing’ display is a much more effective (and stylish, let’s be honest) solution. A small element this may be, but collectively these surprises bear greater significance: the C60 Chronograph is the early manifestation of a new creative force intended to transform the brand’s offering in coming years. At the heart of this is Adrian Buchmann, a softly-spoken designer who, at➸ 11

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wanted a moonphase watch that stood apart from others on the marketâ&#x20AC;? 12

C60 CHRONOMETER | CW

BUCHMANN’S BRIEF IS A SERIOUS ONE... TO DEVELOP “A RECOGNISABLE CHRISTOPHER WARD SIGNATURE THAT’S PRESENT ACROSS EVERYTHING WE DO” just 27, already has serious form. Brought up in the watchmaking heartland of the Swiss Jura, he spent several years at one of the industry’s top independent design agencies, and for three years co-ran his own start-up developing new mechanical watch concepts. It’s a measure of Christopher Ward’s increasing standing as a watch business that it could convince a whizz of Buchmann’s calibre to uproot himself from Switzerland’s horological hothouse and settle in the remote, genteel wilderness (comparatively) that is Henley-on-Thames. “In Switzerland you’d be working all day for one brand or another, but wherever you go you’d run into colleagues from other brands and watch businesses – everyone there is in the industry,” Buchmann says in faltering English. “Life is a little different now.” Evidently Buchmann already has the art of British understatement down pat. Meanwhile, Christopher Ward co-founder Mike France has been steeping him in the traditions of classic English design (it helps when you have an Aston Martin DB9 in the garage). But Buchmann’s brief is a serious one: in France’s words, it is to develop “a recognisable Christopher Ward signature that’s present across everything we do”. In other words, Buchmann is to establish a new, unifying design code for the brand, taking in not just the look of Christopher Ward watches, but also the feel, quality and overall sophistication. It’s a job France estimates will take up to five years, and the C60 Chronograph is the first step along that path. It’s an interesting choice as a starting point. While the chronograph points to Christopher Ward’s future, the C60 range as a whole reflects much about the brand’s past, and the distance it has come. The original Christopher Ward diving watch, the C60 Trident Mk 1, was launched in 2008. With its fulsome rotating bezel and black dial with large, circular white hour markers, it wore its influences obviously. “We’ve never made any secret of the fact that the inspiration is traceable back to the Rolex Submariner – many brands more famous than us share that,” says France. “Across the board, more watches with that type of look are sold than any other, and though we were relatively late coming to the market, it immediately became our best-seller.” While the Submariner was its obvious inspiration – one can perhaps trace some Omega Seamaster

DNA too – the Trident had enough character and style of its own to establish itself as a favourite among Christopher Ward collectors. The wave pattern stamped into the dial, the elegantly old-fashioned hands, the eponymous ‘trident’ counterweight to the running seconds hand, along with a robust build and 300m water resistance, made for a considerable package in return for an investment in the low hundreds. GMT versions, a 38mm model, Nato straps and different bezel colour options followed, though the essential elements remained constant. As a company, however, Christopher Ward was moving on apace, acquiring the Swiss manufacturer of its watches and developing a remarkable new movement thanks to another young tyro, watchmaker Johannes Jahnke. As its industrial manufacturing capabilities grew, so too did its access to the best materials and suppliers – in other words, from a company that ➸ opposite; The C60’s complex dial is the perfect showcase for designer Adrian Buchmann’s skills; below; The helium release valve adds a professional dimension to the watch

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THE RACING LINE

C 7 R A PI DE C HRON OM E TE R – LI M I TE D E D I TI ON

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C60 CHRONOMETER | CW

began life selling entry-level watches in mail-order catalogues, Christopher Ward had become an official player in the Swiss watch industry. Its best-selling line needed to reflect that: the ‘homage’ to classic dive watches needed to become a bona fide tool watch in its own right. Thus, a year ago, new-look C60 Trident watches appeared. Most noticeably, out went the Submarinerreferencing circular hour markers, replaced with baton indexes – despite their sleeker style, according to the brand these are even more visible at depth thanks to top-of-the-range Superluminova. In some models the wavy dial decoration vanished too, and the collection gained its first white dials. It’s a more understated, subtle and grown-up look, one that arguably reflects better the sense of Britishness that the brand is keen always to instil, and it has been complemented by improved build quality – most notably scratch-proof ceramic bezels, something commonly found in watches of a much higher price point (Rolex, Omega, Blancpain etc). The C60 Chronograph moves the story on further still – this is a professional-standard diver in every way, including 600m water resistance, robust screwdown pushers and what some see as the true signifier of a high-spec dive watch, a helium escape valve (a device for withstanding changes in pressure). But it’s in the details that the influence of Buchmann’s hand is really evident. The case alone is transformed, with a far more ergonomic and elegant case-back, and the edges of the case’s fluid contours now chamfered and softened – a detail that extends even to the tops of the screw-down pushers. The rotating ceramic bezel has been redesigned, the font for the numerals made clearer and the minute track

THIS IS A PROFESSIONALSTANDARD DIVER IN EVERY WAY, INCLUDING 600M WATER RESISTANCE, ROBUST SCREW-DOWN PUSHERS AND A HELIUM ESCAPE VALVE extended right around the bezel for ease of reading the chronograph. And then there’s the dial, which Buchmann describes as one of the most complex he’s ever conceived – and this from a man who has worked with several of Switzerland’s most respected watch brands in the past. As ever with Christopher Ward watches, the C60 Chronograph offers serious value in comparison to other watches of similar specification. But whereas with the homage-style Trident pieces that was, perhaps, the entire aim, Mike France describes how the plan has now moved on. “Bringing highly talented people like Johannes Jahnke and Adrian Buchmann into the business, and giving them real latitude to follow their ideas, is about creating desire first – then you’ll be wowed by the value as a secondary factor. That means you have to get the creativity and the details absolutely right.” In this light, the C60 Chronograph is a tantalising pointer to the future of the Christopher Ward marque.

FEATURES

• Breathing regulator inspired small second disc chronograph with column wheel • Deep blue and orange guilloche wave pattern dial • 48 hour power reserve • Signature Trident counter-balance Hour, minute, second and date calendar • with 60 seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hours • Colour matched high-density chronograph indication rubber strap with embossed wave pattern or integrated • Central hacking seconds stainless steel bracelet with • Anti-shock system micro adjustment • Elaboré finish with Côtes de Genève • Presentation case and owner’s and blue screws • 43mm marine grade, stainless steel case handbook. • Water resistant to 600m/2000ft TECHNICAL • Screw-in deep-stamped 3D back plate • Diameter: 43mm Screw-in crown and chronograph • • Height: 17.10mm pushers • Case weight: 131g Integrated automatic helium release • valve • Calibre: ETA 7750 • Unique engraved serial number • Vibrations: 28.800 per hour • Anti-reflective sapphire crystal| • Case: 316L Stainless steel • SuperLuminova indices and diamond faceted hands • Swiss made • 25 jewels self-winding mechanical

C60-43-CHR-SBBS £1455 US $1,995

C60-43-CHR-SBBSi-B £1395 US $1,920

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AIT

SOUL

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CW | NORTHERN SOUL

DISMISSED AS AS A SCENE FOR FAILURES DURING ITS ’70S PEAK, NORTHERN SOUL IS BACK AND STRONGER THAN EVER. YOUTH CULTURE EXPERT JIM BUTLER GOES ON THE TRAIL OF A PARTICULARLY BRITISH MUSIC MOVEMENT

nless you’ve been stuck under one of those annoying rocks for the last couple of years, it can’t have escaped your attention that Northern Soul is having something of a moment. In the last few years any number of books, TV advertised compilations, documentaries, exhibitions, music videos and YouTube clips of northern soul girls dancing to Pharrell’s ubiquitous Happy, have kept this most mystical of musical cults in the public eye, all topped off with the release of Elaine Constantine’s feature film titled, simply, Northern Soul. Not bad for a genre that was ‘built from failures’ according to authors Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton, their tongues somewhat in their cheeks, in their definitive history of DJ culture, Last Night A DJ Saved My Life. So, why now? Why has a 1970s musical movement that flowered in northern towns such as Wigan, Cleethorpes, Preston, Stoke and Blackpool, among others, and that fetishised obscure black soul music from the ’60s, suddenly found itself not only hip again, but lauded in the mainstream? “To call it a renaissance is something of a misnomer,” says Richard Searling, a lynchpin of the original scene over 40 years ago thanks to his DJ residency at possibly northern soul’s most emblematic club, the Wigan Casino. “It’s never really gone away, but I think it’s true to say it’s probably bigger now than at any point since its heyday.” ➸

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“IT’S NEVER REALLY GONE AWAY, BUT IT’S PROBABLY BIGGER NOW THAN AT ANY POINT SINCE ITS HEYDAY”

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Getty images, Johnston Press plc

“KEEPING THE FAITH” HAS BEEN A WAY OF LIFE 18 christopherward.co.uk

Getty images, Johnston Press

CW | FASTEST TIME

NORTHERN SOUL | CW

“IT’S A WIDER RANGE OF PEOPLE THAN WHEN I WENT TO THE WIGAN CASINO AND BLACKPOOL MECCA IN THE 1970S, ONE OF MY STUDENTS IS A QC, A CRIMINAL BARRISTER” Searling is right, even during the scene’s darkest hours – the 1980s especially – there have always been fanatics for whom “keeping the faith” has been a way of life. These are the people who religiously attend the high profile weekenders and all-dayers, and the weekly club nights up and down the country. Their devotion has enabled the scene to survive, and, ultimately, thrive. Which is all the more remarkable because the average age of these zealots is fast approaching 60. “The biggest northern soul event at the moment is the one Russ Winstanley (another former Casino DJ) does at Skegness and they get 8,000 people at that,” says dance music historian Brewster. “And that is largely made up of older people.” It’s not just greyhaired old groovers though. Searling says that at a recent event at the Blackpool Tower he was spinning records for teenagers and 30-to-40-somethings as well as the original aficionados. And while the roots of the scene are traditionally working class – and, to be fair, remain so – there’s a broader mix involved in the 21st century. Professional dancer Sharon Sullivan has been teaching northern soul’s flamboyant dance moves since 2008. Among her clients are magazine editors, accountants and solicitors. “It’s a wider range of people than when I went to the Wigan Casino and Blackpool Mecca in the 1970s,” she says. “One of my students is a QC, a criminal barrister.” Joelle Riley, a teacher in her 40s, and a fan of the music since her teenage years, even goes as far to say that people’s occupations are irrelevant when it comes to a united love of music and dancing. “Nobody has ever asked me what I do,” she says. “People ask where you’re from, but never what you do. It’s a really accepting scene – quite anonymous in a way. People are just there for the music.” Moreover, and as Sullivan suggests, people love northern soul because of how it makes them feel. “When you’re a dancer,” she explains, “you feel the music. You don’t just dance to it. And northern soul is perfect for that.” Indeed it is. Although it wasn’t given its “WHEN YOU’RE name until 1970 (by London record shop owner Dave Godin), northern soul’s A DANCER YOU beginnings can be found in the euphoric FEEL THE MUSIC. uptempo soul music of the mid-’60s, YOU DON’T JUST typified by labels like Tamla Motown DANCE TO IT. and its various subsidiary imprints. As London clubbers embraced the slower AND NORTHERN sound of funk towards the end of the SOUL IS PERFECT decade, dancers from the midlands and FOR THAT” north stuck with the soul of previous years. In short, they were dancing to old records. ➸

above; Wigan’s famous Casino club left; Gloria Jones, the woman behind the original soul version of Tainted Love below; Athletic dance moves are intrinsic to northern soul’s appeal

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CW | NORTHERN SOUL

“I DEVISED THE NAME AS A SHORTHAND SALES TERM. IT WAS JUST TO SAY, ‘IF YOU’VE GOT CUSTOMERS FROM THE NORTH, DON’T WASTE TIME PLAYING THEM RECORDS CURRENTLY IN THE US BLACK CHART, JUST PLAY THEM WHAT THEY LIKE – ‘NORTHERN SOUL’” above-right; Northern soul fans display their devotion with patches, which commemorate their favourite clubs courtsesy of northernsoultrain.co.uk

From his Soul City record shop in Covent Garden, Dave Godin saw a gap in the market and decided to act on it. “I’d started to notice that northern football fans who were in London to follow their team were coming into the store to buy records, but they weren’t interested in the latest developments in the black American chart,” he later said. “I devised the name as a shorthand sales term. It was just to say, ‘If you’ve got customers from the north, don’t waste time playing them records currently in the US black chart, just play them what they like – ‘northern soul’.” “It wasn’t commercial,” notes Searling, and he should know. In 1973 he discovered a soul gem by Gloria Jones entitled Tainted Love. It had been a flop upon release (hence the assertion that northern soul was a genre built upon failure), but Searling popularised it in his sets, leading to a memorable cover by Soft Cell in 1981 “It wasn’t something that everyone knew about. You felt you were special. The people had good taste. They wouldn’t accept bad records. The quality was incredibly high and it was very, very hip.” Elusive records, obsessive DJs and dancers, notions of a secret cabal and the stylish and athletic dancing, it’s little wonder that northern soul became the greatest underground youth culture of the time and a forerunner for the acid “IT’S AN house movement of the late-’80s. INTRINSIC It was also about pure PART OF escapism. Those attending the BRITISH YOUTH Wigan Casino, the Blackpool Mecca, Stoke’s Golden Torch CULTURE... and co lived for the weekend. I CAN’T SEE IT “People had these horrible jobs DISAPPEARING” in factories all week,” says Searling, “and they looked forward to the weekend.” Brewster concurs: “A lot of dance music is about escape and forgetting your problems, especially through the release you get from dancing. Northern soul was certainly no exception. The songs were very uplifting, with powerful messages.” This is undoubtedly one of the reasons for its appeal today. In troubling times people look for uplifting music – northern 20 orderline +44 1628 763040

soul provides that. Then there’s the availability of the music via streaming services. You can now watch the original singers from Detroit and Chicago in the ’60s on YouTube. The music’s secret nature is now freely available, but because it was never mainstream you still have to put in the legwork. “Social media has also helped,” explains Searling, who still plays all over the north-west, as well as presenting two radio shows devoted to the music. “People can communicate and spread the word so much easier these days.” Will it ever fade away? Searling and Brewster certainly can’t envisage a time when northern soul isn’t a vital cornerstone of British music. Ever the DJ, Searling notes that incredibly there is still fantastic music being unearthed, some 40-odd years later “There was a recent compilation, The Motown Girls. Some of the stuff on there was incredible. In the sleevenotes it mentions that Motown commissioned 3,000 songs over a five-to-six year period that never saw the light of day. They were recorded but never came out. That would be the same at Atlantic and Chess. So there’s still plenty to be found.” Brewster believes that the scene is now embedded in British culture, much like the mods, punks, teddy boys and ravers. “It’s an intrinsic part of British youth culture,” he says. “I can’t see it disappearing. People will always remember it.” In short, people will always keep the faith.

For more information about Sharon Sullivan’s northern soul dance lessons visit: northernsouldance.co.uk

Getty images, Johnston Press plc

KEEPING THE FAITH | CW

“IT WAS ABOUT PURE ESCAPISM. PEOPLE HAD THESE HORRIBLE JOBS IN FACTORIES ALL WEEK... THEY LOOKED FORWARD TO THE WEEKEND”

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C1RUSSELL

SSIC A L C D

WAR

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CHRISTOPHER WARD MAY BE A LONDON WATCHMAKER BUT ITS ORIGINS LIE IN A CITY 200 MILES TO THE NORTH: A CITY THAT’S BARELY ENGLISH AT ALL – LIVERPOOL. AND IT WAS THAT TOWN’S GREATEST WATCHMAKER THAT PROVIDED THE INSPIRATION FOR ONE OF CW’S MOST CLASSICALLY BEAUTIFUL WATCHES… Thomas Russell, who moved his watchmaking business to Liverpool’s Slater Street in 1848, was at the centre of the Lancashire watch trade, and particularly noted for his Hunter watch. He was also something of an inspiration to a young Scouser called Chris Ward who claims he bought a vintage Russell pocket watch with his first pay packet. While there have been some questions about this – notably from Mike France – what is definitely true, however, is that the famous Hunter watch was the inspiration for Christopher Ward’s first ever small-second wristwatch, the C1 Russell. The piece, introduced in both stainless steel and gold-plated versions echoed the styling of Russell’s Hunter watch, although the Ronda 1014 quartz movement resulted in a higher positioning of the small-second function than was originally intended. “The watch is a Christopher Ward enigma,” says Mike France. “Loved by many of the brand’s most ardent followers, it failed to sell well and was eventually de-listed in 2011. It’s a shame because it’s such a lovely timepiece.” Looking at the watch’s sophisticated face, you can see exactly what Mike’s talking about. The C1 Russell’s design is a flawless interpretation of 19th century watchmaking, with Roman numerals set off perfectly by a richly-coloured face. “Maybe it was the positioning of the small-second or the fact that it was a quartz movement that did for it,” says Mike. “One thing is certain – since its demise, the C1 Russell has become very sought-after with models trading well above the original selling prices from £125. Proof again, possibly, that ‘only the good die young’?” In this case, he’s absolutely right.

“Loved by many of the brand’s most ardent followers, it failed to sell well and was eventually delisted in 2011”

TURN O FOR VER T HE STOR Y OF THE LIVE WAT RPOOL CH T RAD E

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CW | MERSEY MASTERS

Industrial

EVOLUTION IT MAY NOT BE APPARENT NOW, BUT IN THE 19TH CENTURY,

SOUTH-WEST LANCASHIRE WAS ONE OF BRITAIN’S MAIN HOROLOGY CENTRES. HERE, JOHN MACKIN TELLS THE STORY OF THE COMPANY THAT INDUSTRIALISED WATCHMAKING AND BECAME THE LAST

BULWARK AGAINST FOREIGN COMPETITION

ou might not have heard of Prescot, a small town in the north-west of England. But in its 19th-century heyday it was as cutting-edge as Silicon Valley is today, a hub of hi-tech engineering and excellence in precision craftsmanship. This quiet corner of rural Lancashire, on the edge of the thriving mercantile metropolis of Liverpool, was at the centre of an industry crafting indispensable items as superbly designed as today’s smartphones. Yet, just a few decades later, and at the exact moment of its grandest physical statement – and not inconsiderable investment – it was already an industry in decline. The grand opening of a state-of-the-art factory in Prescot, Lancashire in January 1890, was as splendid as it was ultimately doomed. Its gala unveiling by The Earl of Derby, while celebrated, was already being acknowledged (in private at least) as a last throw of the dice to preserve watch-making in England. Publicly, however, TP Hewitt’s recently formed Lancashire Watch Company was bullish – intent on staking a claim of the growing international spoils from watchmaking. Hewitt had entered the horology business in 1882 when he bought out John Wycherley’s wellestablished movement-making company in Prescot. The new John Wycherley, Hewitt & Co was to become one of England’s foremost watch manufacturers. Prior to this, small companies like Wycherley’s had assembled watch movements from individually handmade

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components produced in nearby farms and hamlets. It was reported at the time, “wheel cutters, chain makers, case makers, dial makers – every speciality that went into the making of a watch” could all be found in the countryside between Liverpool and Prescot. The completed watch movements would then be sold on to ‘watchmakers’ who tailored a variety of timepieces of differing styles and prices dependant on the cases and watch faces used in this final assembly. This area immediately to the east of the Atlantic port of Liverpool had been bypassed by the Industrial Revolution, having no coal to mine nor rivers to power cotton mills. It was an undulating idyll of lush farmland. Yet it was not entirely agricultural. But why did the watchmaking industry grow here? John Platt, author of an extensive history of The Lancashire Watch Company can’t really put his finger on it. “Nobody really knows,” he says. “Some say it was the industrious and skilled Huguenots fleeing persecution in France. Another theory cites Prescot’s position on the Hull to Liverpool route, and the availability of quality metals from the continent that fuelled the rise of fine toolmaking in SW Lancashire. It’s not clear, but what is apparent is that the history of Prescot’s watchmaking is contemporaneous with the development of the watch in Britain.” The Prescot workshops, often no more than an outhouse or a kitchen table, enabled agricultural workers to provide for their families in the idle winter months. By 1860 a third of the town’s population was employed in the trade. However, by 1875 ferocious competition from central Europe and America

swamped the international market with cheaper timepieces and sent the industry into a downward spiral. Hewitt’s acquisition of Wycherley’s business was a direct attempt to kick-start a revolution in the manufacture of English watch movements; from a homespun, manual craft into a modern manufacturing process. No longer could individual precision craftsmanship suffice; the Industrial Age was decreeing otherwise.

Hewitt firmly believed that by properly training and paying a skilled workforce, his factory could prosper in the competitive marketplace Within five years of the foundation of the new company Hewitt’s ambition grew. If the Americans could successfully export here then the British needed to successfully compete and export there. Following a visit to the US to study the manufacturing methods of the Trenton Watch Company in New Jersey, Hewitt proposed a new enterprise, The British Watch Company, which would adopt a new production line manufacturing system, and the use

above; The Prescot Watch factory, photographed during the First World War, when it was used as a barracks for the Liverpool Pals’ of the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment, raised by Lord Derby. left; TP Hewitt founder of the Lancashire Watch Company

of specialised machine tools. These modern methods resulted in cheaper standardised watches, made from reliable, interchangeable components. Hewitt returned determined to match the Americans at their own game and following a £50,000 capital flotation on the London Stock Exchange, a less-grandiosely monikered Lancashire Watch Company was born. The January 18th 1890 edition of The Manchester & Salford Weekly Times recorded the formal opening in a piece revealingly entitled ‘Reviving a Lancashire Industry’: “On Saturday, the new factory of the Lancashire Watch Company, built at Prescot with a view to the revival of the ancient watch-movement making industry in the town, was opened… TP Hewitt, managing director, presided, and in opening the proceedings said that the manufacture of watches in the future would require a cultured brain as well as a cultivated hand.” Hewitt firmly believed that by properly training and paying a skilled workforce, including embarking on a programme of apprenticeships, his factory could prosper in the competitive marketplace. “If this were done,” he ➸ orderline +44 1628 763040

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The Lancashire Watch Company was sadly dissolved in 1911 after producing over 900,000 watches told the assembled noted guests, “in a few years we would be able to look back and feel that in a critical juncture of their trade’s history they stood in the breach and held it from annihilation.” Lord Derby, in his address, noted that “Watches here had been hitherto something of a luxury, It was only within the last few years that the art had been discovered of making them so cheaply to be within reach of the ordinary everyday labourer. They are so useful, so necessary, that no person who could afford one would willingly go without.” He went on to proclaim that this grand new venture held huge possibilities in “an immense new market, subject to, no doubt, American and Swiss competition”. His words were prophetic, but not in the way he’d hoped. Foreign competition consistently outperformed the Lancashire company which failed to innovate, and produced too wide a range of movements to remain competitive. TP Hewitt’s dream lasted a little over 20 years. It was a death that could maybe have been prevented, or at least postponed. “The government could have acted to counter unfair foreign competition,” says John Platt. “English precious metal watch cases had to have all parts below; Movement from the Russell Hunter Pocket Watch widely regarded as his finest work and earned Russell & Son a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria, image courtesy of David Penney ©

of the case silver or gold. Foreigners could use base metals for many parts – their watches were cheaper.” Companies like Hewitt’s and Wycherley’s had for years found a market for their watch movements in the cities of Liverpool, London and Coventry where watchmaking flourished. The Lancashire sub-contracting system had made watch movements affordable, and taking advantage of the growing necessity for owning a watch from factory workers in the rapidly industrialising towns, and the need for accurate chronometers and ship’s clocks in the tidallydependent ports, one Lancashire watchmaker – Thomas Russell – moved the family business to Liverpool in 1848. The Rope Walks area of the port, where Russell settled, was a hive of ship’s suppliers, chandlers and rope-makers, and all just yards from the recently completed colossal, granite, Albert Dock system. Here, at No.32 Slater Street, Thomas Russell produced some of the finest and most sought-after pocket watches and chronometers in the country. Widely regarded as his finest work, the Russell Hunter Pocket Watch was a fitting emblem of the company’s expertise; craftsmanship that earned Russell & Son a Royal Warrant, granted by Queen Victoria. The finest examples of these watches have fetched £3-4,000 at auction and fully illustrate Russell’s talent, as well as the esteem in which these beautifully elegant, precision-made timepieces are still held. Thos Russell & Son prospered well into the 20th century, expanding across the north-west of England and north Wales, and it was not until 1994 that the two Liverpool retail outlets, and their workshops (relocated to the more prosperous Church Street in 1877) closed their doors for the final time. Yet the name of Thomas Russell lives on. Chris Ward, himself a Liverpool man and schooled in Prescot, took inspiration from Russell’s elegant designs to create his company’s C1 Russell watch [see previous article], an example of which forms part of Liverpool Museum’s wonderful horological collection. And what of The Lancashire Watch Company? It was sadly dissolved in 1911 after producing over 900,000 watches. Its great factory hall in Albany Road, Prescot survives today, but not as a hive of precision watchmaking. It will – like much of Industrial England’s surviving architectural heritage – soon be given a new lease of life as an apartment block. Time, it seems, is always marching on. John Platt’s The Lancashire Watch Company And The Watches It Produced is out later in 2016

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ALASTAIR MENNIE IS A SURFER LIKE NO OTHER – FORGOING THE TROPICS FOR THE WILD, BITTER SEAS OF THE NORTH

COLD WAR ATLANTIC NEAR HIS HOME IN NORTHERN IRELAND

THE

urfing. Just the very word sparks images of the Pacific Ocean, dudes riding ‘the big one’ and VW camper vans nicking all the decent car parking places near the beach. Giving the dangers of the sport, to surf anywhere but a tropical paradise seems a bit of waste of time. What’s the point in risking death if you can’t have a sunbathe afterwards? Northern Irish surfer Alastair Mennie, however, sees it very differently. “I like to surf whatever the conditions,” he says. “For me, being in the ocean is when I feel most comfortable and I try to surf every day at least once, even if it’s just for 30 minutes.” ➸

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Photo: Contour Getty images

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Photos: Contour Getty images

The biggest waves come to the Irish coast in winter, which means that Mennie, based at Portrush, has to battle not just the sea, but gales and snowstorms, too. To do this requires serious preparation: throughout the summer, he trains his body to withstand the most testing of conditions – one exercise involves him being held underwater by a heavy rock, while another has him racing up and down sand dunes, carrying a weight on his back, and holding his breath. With this, and his study of weather conditions to predict when the 30ft-plus waves will come, Mennie has more in common with highaltitude rock climbers than ‘regular’ surfers. Over 18 months, photographer Charles McQuillan documented his fellow Northern Irishman’s adventures, snapping him at locations around the Antrim coastline as the surfer tried to find that elusive ‘perfect’ wave. With four other people to help out (and make sure everyone comes back to the shore safely), the results – shown here – bring to life the incredibly challenging conditions he was willing to undergo. For Mennie, surfing is so much more than a hobby. “A hobby is playing cards, collecting stamps and playing football on a Saturday morning with the boys,” he says. “Big-wave surfing is a vocation, an obsession, a life, a mission.”

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“BIG-WAVE SURFING IS A VOCATION, AN OBSESSION, A LIFE, A MISSION” 32 christopherward.co.uk

Photo: Contour Getty images

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CW | NO. 1 PARK ST

Perfect timing

CHRISTOPHER WARD’S MAIDENHEAD SHOWROOM BRINGS THE PHILOSOPHY OF BESPOKE TAILORING TO WATCH-BUYING

nteresting things happen behind closed doors. That’s certainly the case at No 1 Park Street in Maidenhead, better known as Christopher Ward HQ. Here you’ll find workshops, offices, kitchens – there’s a Nespresso in the upstairs one – and something rather special indeed: CW’s official showroom. If you’ve never visited the place – and you should – picture a smart members’ club or Savile Row tailor’s, complete with tasteful furniture and subtle lighting. It’s the sort of room that makes anyone who enters feel relaxed and privileged – ideal for those who want to try on and buy watches. “We opened the showroom in March 2013,” says CW co-founder Peter Ellis. “It had been an ambition for a while to have a physical presence and the refurbishment of our Head Office gave us the impetus to create a retail space on the ground floor.” The purpose of the showroom is simple: to let Christopher Ward customers testdrive watches before they buy, something that’s not usually possible because of the nature of the company’s internet-based sales strategy. Guiding through the process is the welcoming and very smart Declan Strange.

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“I try to make buying a watch as pleasurable as possible,” says Declan, who’s worked for Christopher Ward for four years. “Customers make an appointment, turn up and knock on our door. Usually we’ve had a chat beforehand so I know what they’re interested in. I’ll then give them a selection of watches with a few wildcards thrown in. We have a coffee and a chat to make sure we get them the right model. It’s all very informal.” Coming to Park Street is a treat for many CW customers. Unlike most highend jewellers the products aren’t stored in glass boxes and there’s a distinct lack of monosyllabic, snooty staff around. Here, people are welcomed, as CW co-founder Mike France says. “Guests can get as close as they wish to our watches and try as many as they like – we even have bracelets fitted as required during the visit. It’s very much this hands-on approach, combined with Declan’s knowledge of the collection, that people appreciate. There’s an unhurried, unpretentious atmosphere in the showroom that really defines the experience.” The company is also keen to point out that there’s no hard-sell involved – the whole ➸

“There’s an unhurried, unpretentious atmosphere in the showroom that defines the experience”

CW | DEATH & GLORY

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“It’s not easy to buy a watch, so I try to make it as pleasant as possible… People also enjoy coming back for an inside scoop on new models, you can’t get that from looking online” 70 per cent returning after their first visit. “It’s not easy to buy a watch, so I try to make it as pleasant as possible” says Declan. “Maybe it’s because I’m a good speaker and a people person that they like coming here. Without sounding obnoxious, it’s just something I do, and it’s enormously pleasurable. People also enjoy coming back for an inside scoop on new models, you can’t get that from looking online – you get that from the showroom. You become part of the club.” A club anyone can join simply by clicking on a link. A club where you leave with a watch that will last you a lifetime. A club just for you. And who wouldn’t want to be a member there? If you’d like to make a reservation at the Christopher Ward showroom, just go to christopherward.co.uk

Photos: David Ramos Getty Contour

goal of the showroom is to put the potential buyer at ease. Chris Ward says, “Because it’s by appointment only, most people are obviously inclined to buy prior to their visit. Nevertheless, we’re very proud that virtually everybody leaves having purchased at least one watch, and sometimes several!” The key to potential customers getting the most out the visit, says Declan, is to come with an open mind. “Have an idea of what you want the watch for: is it for the boardroom, or diving, or casual? But also allow me to introduce other styles and colourways. In some cases people come for one watch, and end up with two or three. Others arrive thinking they’ll be spending a a few thousand pounds, but are pleasantly surprised at the value of our pieces.” The showroom has been enormously successful for Christopher Ward and sparked genuine friendships between staff and customers, but it’s unlikely this will translate into regular high-street store any time soon. Mike France: “If you mean by a regular shop a highly-rented boutique in an expensive street staffed by people who barely have a clue about the difference between a quartz watch and a mechanical one – well no, we won’t be going down that route. However, we do see CW having an increased physical presence in the future.” Such is the quality of the experience at Park Street that many customers come as often as once a month for their fix, with over

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MASTERCLASS PART 3

JJ’S

THE WHEEL TRAIN THE PREVIOUS ARTICLE IN THE SERIES WAS ABOUT THE POWER STORAGE IN THE BARREL – PRIOR TO THAT WE DISCUSSED THE ESCAPEMENT. BETWEEN THE BARREL AND THE ESCAPEMENT IS THE WHEEL TRAIN – AND THAT’S THE FOCUS IN PART 3.

ERS HMAK C T A SS W E RC LA M A ST

First wheel

Second wheel

Minute wheel

The wheel train is a system of wheels that transmit the force of the timepiece’s power source, the mainspring, to the escapement to drive the balance wheel. Movements such as ETA’s 2824 and 6497 calibres have the following wheels: · A minute wheel – often in the centre, mostly one revolution per hour like 6497 · A first wheel which is faster than the minute wheel · A second wheel which usually has one revolution per minute · Escapement wheel (which is the interface to the escapement) The minute wheel often carries the minute hand (e.g. our own Calibre SH21) and the second wheel often directly carries the second hand. As we have only one second wheel it is vital that its location

is decided during construction. The face of the watch will change if the second wheel is at the 6H Position (ETA 6498), at the 9H Position (ETA 6497) or in the centre (ETA 2824) as the second hand will be displayed on the wheel position. During the development of SH21 we wanted instead, to be able to determine the position of the second wheel during assembly. From 1940 to 1960 most watch designs incorporated a central second hand rather than the traditional positions of 6H and 9H. To overcome this issue, some watch constructions have two second wheels, both turning at the same speed, which creates a new problem. The additional second wheel is like a dead-end street as it isn’t located within the gear train where the power goes through. This means the second hand is powered

mood illustration

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Reliability, precision, robustness and flexibility were the guiding principles of Calibre SH21. The design of the wheel train is an example of how these qualities were actually built into our movement from the outset. by the other wheels which can lead to slackness and, in some circumstances, a temporary stopping of the second hand. All wheels have play between their teeth, but in the general gear train where the power is going through, the wheels are all pressed by the barrel to one flange of the teeth. One principle of SH21 is that all hands should move without slack or play, which precluded us from using the additional ‘dead-end’ second wheel approach. To bring the power to the central and small second position we have installed a more complex gear train which goes through both positions on each watch. So because the power is delivered from the first wheel to the centre second pinion and via a second first wheel to the small second pinion located on the opposite direction, we need one pinion and one wheel more. However, this means we can take out the play of the central second without any additional springs or pieces. You can check this function on any SH21 watch when it is nearly unwound. Revolve the crown five revolutions to bring a minimum of power to the barrel. If you pull the crown to the second position you can make the play visible by turning the hands backwards and forward. The second hand will jump around three to four seconds backwards and forward. This is the normal play of the gear train. In our construction the power of the barrel will take out the play and will push the central second hand always to the forward position. With this power on the central hand it must move in a continuous motion. This ‘jump back’ function of the seconds hand requires the power in the barrels to be lower than the friction of the hand which is why the test created is on a partially wound watch. Reliability, precision, robustness and flexibility were the guiding principles of Calibre SH21. The design of the wheel train is an example of how these qualities were actually built into our movement from the outset.

STANDARD SMALL SECOND

STANDARD CENTRAL SECOND

standard small second

SH21

standard central second

SH21

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A GREAT CITIES

MOSCOW GREAT CLOCKS

MOSCOW’S KREMLIN IS THE ULTIMATE SYMBOL OF THE POWERFUL CAPITAL CITY…

his ancient citadel, located on the banks of the Moscow river, has been the centre of the Russian state since the 1090s. Here, you’ll find five palaces, four cathedrals, and, particularly relevant when the international political situation gets a bit iffy, the official offices of the president. There is much for the architecture fan to enjoy here – St Basil’s cathedral never fails to impress – but those who value horology are also looked after in the shape of the impressive Kremlin clock.

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GREAT CLOCKS | CW

opposite page; The Spasskaya Tower at the Moscow Kremlin right; Bell tower, Trinity-St Sergius Monastery below; Moscow university

Located on the Spasskaya tower at the entrance to Red Square – that open space famed for its entertaining military parades during the Cold War – the clock boasts a black face with gold hands and matching Roman numerals (28kg of gold was used on all its four faces). A clock has been on the tower since the 16th century but the first real clock of note appeared in 1625, with its construction overseen by British clockmaker Christopher Galloway. Sadly it was destroyed the year after in the Moscow fire – you can imagine how well that went down – but was restored soon after. It was replaced in 1706 by Emperor Peter the Great who bought a new clock from Amsterdam. Since then, this classical timepiece has undergone various repairs and renovations, with the tune its chimes play changing according to the political stripe of the government. Currently it plays the Russian national anthem. Away from the Kremlin, there are plenty of other great public timepieces. At Belorussky train station a clock makes a stunning focal point to the classic entrance, ideal for travellers rushing to get their train to Russia’s south-west. Moscow University boast an altogether more grand clock, one that can be seen from miles ➸

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A GREAT CITIES

MOSCOW GREAT CLOCKS

this page; The imposing main entrance to Belorussky railway station opposite page: From clocks counting down to the Winter Olympics to flower clocks celebrating the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday, Moscow boasts incredible timepieces

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GREAT CITIES | CW

around. There’s a reason for this: the tower that houses it is the tallest university clock tower in the world – a whopping 774 feet high. As well as telling the time, the 30ft-wide clock also boasts a barometer and a thermometer. While Russia isn’t noted as a centre of horology, in a city where the state has often played a dominant role, its citizens have learned not to be late when authority demands it. Luckily there are plenty of clocks to aid them in this.

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TIME S PAN M O M E N TS

I N

T I M E

Henry Cooper floors Cassius Clay DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE RETIRED LONG AGO, MUHAMMAD ALI IS STILL THE MOST ICONIC FIGURE IN WORLD SPORT. BUT BEFORE THE EPIC FIGHTS AGAINST FOREMAN AND LISTON, BEFORE HE EVEN CHANGED HIS NAME TO MUHAMMAD ALI, HE WAS PLAIN CASSIUS CLAY, THE ‘LOUISVILLE LIP’ AND SIMPLY THE MOST EXCITING BOXER ON THE PLANET

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n March 1963, he came to fight British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper in a non-title bout at Wembley Stadium. Clay, never short of confidence, predicted an easy victory, entering the ring wearing a large crown and a regal purple and gold gown. And though in the end he did come out on top, it was anything but easy. Cooper began the fight ferociously, attacking with left hooks and stinging jabs. As Clay fought back, Cooper slipped and ducked his opponent’s punches, his twostone weight disadvantage playing in his favour. For three electrifying minutes, Cooper – often beset by nerves – looked like the best fighter on the planet. Clay – bleeding from the nose – suddenly rather less cocksure. By the end of the second round however, a cut appeared under Cooper’s heavily scarred left eye, and Clay became more confident, dancing round the ring with his arms by his sides, his head unprotected. This was something he’d regret at the end of the fourth, when he was knocked senseless by ‘’Enry’s ’Ammer’ – Cooper’s left hook – only the ropes slowing Clay’s progress to the canvas. Luckily for the American, the strike came just before the bell, which meant he could be guided to his corner by wily trainer, Angelo Dundee. In a direct breach of British boxing rules, Dundee wafted smelling salts under Clay’s nose, then even more controversially, complained of a tear in his fighter’s gloves – a tear he opened up to waste time. Getting a replacement pair caused further delay, and by the time the next round started, Clay had recovered. In the end, the fight was stopped in the fifth as the cut under Coopers left eye opened up to such an extent that he was completely covered in blood. Clay danced around the ring in joy, but he knew deep down that the better man was in the other corner, and that only his trainer had saved him.

14:25 14 MIN

UTES: 2

5 SECO

NDS

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LIINKDE ED MRANDS WITIRHITTHE B

P CW S

BRITISH LUGGAGE MAKER TUSTING COMBINES TRADITIONAL CRAFTSMANSHIP WITH MODERN STYLE TO DELIVER A RANGE FIT TO GRACE THE ARM OF EVEN THE GRANDEST OF JETSETTERS

Handle with care

hanks to the availability of cheap air fares, everyone’s a traveller these days. But if you really want to set yourself apart from the departure lounge madness (that’s why you got speedy boarding, right?), then you’re going to need decent luggage. And it’s hard to find better than the bags and cases made by Northamptonshire brand Tusting. Like Christopher Ward, Tusting invests heavily in craftsmanship, meaning its bags will last long after your week away is just a memory of bad paella and sunburn. Here, Gillian Tusting answers our questions about the business and sets out just why a Tusting bag is a friend for life. Hi Gillian. The company’s been going a while. When – and how – did it start? It all began in the late 1800s when the great-great grandfather of the current directors set up a leather tannery to supply the emerging Northamptonshire shoe factories. We’re on

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the fifth generation now and although we’re not tanning leather any more, one part of our business still supplies leather to some of England’s finest shoemakers (such as Crockett & Jones and Joseph Cheaney & Sons). We’ve been making bags out of our premium leathers for 25 years now so even though that’s recent history for us, it’s long enough to have got quite good at it. How many people do you employ? What sort of skills do they have? We have almost 40 people working here and the majority are in the workshop making our beautiful bags. They’re expert leatherworkers who do everything from selecting the finest hides, right through all the stages of preparation and stitching to hand-finishing the final product. What processes does the leather go through? Each hide is individually inspected and graded for quality to ensure we only use the best skins. ➸

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“We’ve been making bags out of our premium leathers for 25 years now so even though that’s recent history for us, it’s long enough to have got quite good at it.” christopherward.co.uk

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“Design makes a great bag – if it doesn’t work as your friend and helper, and you don’t like looking at it, the rest doesn’t matter”

We aim to use leathers with as natural a finish as possible, so a certain level of inherent marking will always be evident and indeed desirable. Cheaper leathers are made to look good by sanding off the defects and painting on a fake ‘perfect’ surface. That’s not for us! How long does it take to make a single bag – say, a satchel? A typical bag takes about a week to progress through the factory, and there are usually eight distinct production phases during the construction process.

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Simpler styles obviously take less production time, but others, such as our signature Weekender holdall, which has no less than 80 separate pieces and components, takes longer. What are your best-selling designs? Our number one holdall is the Weekender, which we’ve been making almost since the very beginning of our bag-making story. It’s a really goodlooking bag, exuding British style and character while being practical and hard-wearing. Our Clipper satchel is our most popular briefcase-sized bag, while our most in-demand ladies item is the Kimbolton tote – a gorgeous large handbag. What challenges do you face in the present economic climate? We’re committed to our British manufacturing base which means that our products genuinely are designed and made in here the UK – so rare amongst domestic apparel companies. It’s something which our export markets value very highly (we export 60 per cent of everything we make). It’s not easy though, overheads are higher in the UK

than virtually anywhere else in the world and we have fixed costs here running our factory. You’ve opened a shop in China. Why? We’ve got a beautiful store in Tianjin in China and another in the offing in Beijing next year. Exceptional British-made luxury products are desirable in China – they’re different in style and quality from the products more widely available there and their exclusivity makes them attractive. The Chinese shopper is increasingly discerning, making a move away from the really well-known luxury brands in search of greater subtlety. These stores are part of a grander plan – we also aim to open a store in London within the next couple of years. In your opinion, what makes a great bag? Surely the question is not what, but who – us! But of course, it’s the design, if it doesn’t work as your friend and helper, and you don’t like looking at it, the rest doesn’t matter. After the design comes the quality – the best leather, the workmanship and the detail. These bring enhanced looks, class and durability: once you’ve got your perfect bag, you want it to look great and stay with you (and make your friends a little jealous, too!). Finally, what’s the point in owning luggage from Tusting? When you buy one of our bags, you become a member of our extended family. We make our bags with love and dedication and remain committed to them for as long as you have them. We regularly renovate and repair Tusting bags which have already given 20-plus years of hard service; their owners just love them and don’t want to have to find a new bag partner! There aren’t many luxury goods makers that can deliver that level of promise. tusting.co.uk

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