William Wood Watches Celebrates Five Years of Philanthropy and Innovation in Luxury Design
The British luxury brand William Wood Watches celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, boasting impressive achievements. In September 2021, the watch company auctioned its latest Swiss collection, the Triumph Collection, for $19,000 USD, donating all proceeds to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation in New York in honor of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The company has become a recognized luxury watch brand, with five collections, clients in over 50 countries, and impressive coverage in international watch media. What makes William Wood Watches unique in the ever-changing landscape of watchmaking?
William Wood Watches creates luxury timepieces from genuine recycled firefighting materials - a tribute to the late grandfather of the founder and namesake of the brand, William Wood, a distinguished British firefighter. The company donates a percentage of all sales to several international firefighting charities, including the Firefighters Charity in the UK, the Australian Bushfire Relief Fund, and the Tunnel to Towers Foundation NYC. Charitable contributions in 2021 are expected to total $70,000 - an impressive sum for an independent watchmaker just starting out.
In March 2021, William Wood Watches released its latest series of Swiss Made chronographs, called the Triumph Collection (£2,995), selling all 100 pieces of the first batch in just 48 hours. These watches are equipped with the Swiss Sellita SW510 chronograph movement and are available in three colors: Fuel (white), Oxygen (blue), and Red.
It's evident that these watches feature many elements paying homage to the fire service. The subdials are inspired by a fire truck cabin, the hands mimic the design of water pump gauges, and the case back is engraved with the unique inscription "In case of fire, break glass".
What elevates William Wood Watches to a new level is their recycling. The brand's motto is "A true story of British firefighting heritage running through every component", and their products demonstrate this well. The crown of this chronograph is made from a melted-down original brass helmet of 1920s British firefighters, crafted in the heart of London. The iconic straps are made from genuine recycled British fire hose material, used in real-time firefighting over the past decade. William Wood claims you can still smell the rich scent of smoke in the rubber.
Interestingly, the fire hose strap can be attributed to each local fire service - the red fire hose strap belongs to the London Fire Brigade, the yellow to the West Midlands Fire Service, the green to the British Armed Forces' fire protection unit, and the blue to the Tyne & Wear Fire and Rescue Service, where William Wood himself served for 25 years. William Wood Watches are also known for their watch unboxing experience, centered around an Italian leather box inspired by a fire alarm. The first level can hold up to three watches, and pulling the emergency cord reveals the fire hose strap and cufflink compartment, as well as a document library - a very nice touch.
Certainly, these are great watches for a firefighter, but William Wood confirms that their owners consist of 80% watch enthusiasts and 20% firefighters. However, the brand remains true to its rich firefighting history and creates collections for fire services worldwide, including the London Fire Brigade, the Melbourne Fire Brigade (pictured below), and the Kuwaiti Fire Force.
The collection that brought William Wood to the attention of most British watchmakers is the automatic Valiant Collection from the diving series. Designers created a watch case that accommodates either a Japanese Seiko or a Swiss Sellita movement (£695 - £1,150), depending on your budget. The watches are available in six color options and feature all elements from the Triumph Collection. William Wood released a bronze version of these watches, which is now one of the company's bestsellers, retailing for £795.
William Wood Watches plans to repurpose a closed British fire station into the brand's headquarters and concept store. Full architectural plans can be found on the website - a vintage converted fire truck and a firefighter's pole will be stationed at the entrance, allowing watches to slide down from the vault.
To explore all collections, history, charitable projects, and collaborations of William Wood Watches, visit www.williamwoodwatches.com.