Fears Watches: a Family Brand Reborn

For the past year I've followed Nicholas Bowman Scargill (below right) as he recreated Fears, a Bristol watch brand founded in 1846 by his great great great grandfather. The business closed in the late 1950s, but was re-launched this month at SalonQP, the London-based international watch fair. Fears produces high quality wristwatches, designed in Britain and manufactured in Switzerland, just as they were in the 19th century.

Nicholas Bowman Scargill and historical Fears Watches. One of the new range pictured bottom centre

Fears' first watch, the Redcliff, is named after the street in Bristol where the business was established in 1846. It's designed for men and women and is powered by a Swiss Ronda quartz movement. It comes with a deep blue or a white dial and a selection of leather straps. Priced at £650, the quality of manufacture is very high, with a well-engineered case and sapphire crystal setting this watch apart from lower-priced quartz watches made to lower standards. Nicholas has taken elements from earlier Fears watches and reproduced them in his modern reincarnations (see, for example, the shape of the hands).

I've been wearing a borrowed watch for some time. It arrived beautifully packaged and each watch has a unique serial number. Needless to say, it's accurate, comfortable to wear and attracts admiring comments. Different colour straps are available, an effective way of changing the appearance of your watch if you buy several, and a simple system allows you to change them without tools or damage to the watch.

It's been a privilege seeing this new watch brand established. I know more watches are planned for the future and I will follow progress with interest. See Fears Watches for more information. See images of the watch on my Instagram stream.

I was lent a watch for review. This feature is not sponsored. All views are mine alone.