Thirty-three miles west of London, along the banks of the
River Thames, you’ll find Marlow. Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of the
place. While it is painfully pretty in a traditional British way, there’s no
real reason it should be on your radar other than potentially for a scenic walk
or two.Yet despite its sleepy nature, the town directly inspired
one of the rising stars of British watchmaking: Marloe Watch Company.
Marloe Watch Company founder Oliver Goffe, right
While today Marloe Watch Company is located up in Perth,
Scotland, it was in Marlow that founder Oliver Goffe first discovered the
downsides of many a quartz timepiece. Sure, they keep near-perfect time, but
open up the back when you need to change the battery and you’ll find out that
they often don’t exactly feel ‘prestige’, despite the sometimes prestige price
tag.
This was back in 2015. By 2016, Oliver had teamed up with
Gordon Fraser and launched their first collection under the Marloe Watch
Company name. That’s an impressive turnaround by any stretch, but all the more
so given the watches were genuinely cool.
A Story Of Endeavour
Each watch in the Marloe collection is inspired by a story
of endeavour, of explorers, record breakers and individuals that did the
supposedly impossible. That means plenty of rugged tool timepieces combined
with a healthy dose of British heritage, two elements that go together very
nicely.
The Haskell
Take, as an example, the Haskell, which is inspired by the
Terra Nova expedition by legendary British explorer Robert Falcon Scott. The
expedition didn’t go well. Not only were they second to reach the South Pole,
the team never made it through the return leg of the journey. Scott’s final
entry in the journal, still preserved in the British library, read:
“Had we lived, I should have had a tale to tell of the
hardihood, endurance, and courage of my companions which would have stirred the
heart of every Englishman.”
It’s not hard to imagine the Haskell on the wrist of such
explorers. A modern adventure watch with its oversized crown for grip, it’s
easily legible numerals and classic good looks, it’s a fitting tribute to
Antarctic adventuring. Perhaps more poignantly, the latest edition, the Haskell
Global, hopes to raise money to support the #WeTwoExpedition, a 100% carbon
negative trip for underprivileged young adults. Scott would be proud.
Haskell Field Standard
Haskell – Global,
Haskell – Green,
Haskell Sand,
The Haskell Global in fact is the first in a new series of
watches that hope to shine a light on environmental issues across the world –
be that ocean plastics, deforestation or global warming. Given this is one of
the most handsome timepieces in the Marloe collection, they’re off to a good
start.
Now, there’s no denying the watches are well-designed and as
they’re built in Switzerland, quality shouldn’t be an issue either. But like
many a British watch brand – and our homegrown watch industry in general – what
sets Marloe apart for most watch lovers is value.
The Haskell for example, with its old-school field watch
good looks, impeccably handsome dials (especially in the green) and Sellita
manual-wind movement comes in at just £745 (or £795 for the more ornate Haskell
Global). And that’s pretty much Marloe’s top end.
Recent Releases
Bonneville and Eyre
The brand’s most recent pair of releases, the Bonneville and
Eyre, have been created in honour of Sir Malcom Campbell and his son Donald and
named after the pair’s land speed records. They’ve been built in official
partnership with the Campbell estate, they’re handsome in a vintage racing way
and will set you back just £329.
That’s a good price for any Miyota-equipped watch, but
for one of these limited editions it’s incredible.
Bonneville Rally,
Eyre Rally,
So whether you’re buying into the story behind the watches,
the impressive build quality in this price range or simply the sheer value on
offer, Marlow should no longer be just a sleepy town on the Thames, but the
birthplace of the next British brand you should own.