Beaucroft Element Watch Collectors’ Club edition. Photo: The Watch Collectors’ Club.
Some watches mark a birthday. This one marks five years of getting collectors around the same table.
The Watch Collectors’ Club, founded by Hamish Robertson and Ed Howkins, has unveiled its first club watch. The October 2026 release brings together Beaucroft and Chris Alexander, better known as The Dial Artist, to celebrate the club’s fifth anniversary.
A personal note from Sam
I’m a member of The Watch Collectors’ Club myself, and the club was a huge help when I was starting Brunel Watch Company. Hamish and Ed have been very understanding and have supported us massively through a difficult startup period.
Sam Remblance, founder of Watchheads and cofounder of Brunel Watch Company.
Hamish, Ed and the people behind the watches
Hamish’s collecting interests run from vintage Swiss pieces to G Shocks, Swatches and British microbrands. Design and heritage matter to him, with enjoyment taking priority over a badge. Ed describes a varied collection too, guided by how interesting a watch looks and how comfortably it wears.
That makes a useful starting point for a club. There is room for different tastes, different budgets and the watch someone loves wearing, rather than just the one everyone recognises.
The club’s first official event took place in Farringdon on 21 October 2021, with around 30 people attending. In its fifth anniversary account, the team puts the number of events it has hosted or attended with members at nearly 200. The aim was to make watch events more welcoming and easier to access. Meetups, brand visits and trips now give collectors opportunities to handle watches and compare notes in person.
A watch shaped by the members
According to the club’s launch story, published on 23 October, Ed led the early member design discussions, while Hamish approached potential partners. Member feedback helped select the Beaucroft Element Obsidian as the starting point.
The finished edition has a black dial decorated by The Dial Artist using 24 carat gold paint, accompanied by a gold seconds hand and a gold marker at five. Each hand painted dial is individual. A dedicated caseback carries the collaborators’ logos and space for the owner’s initials.
The appeal here is the connection. Members helped shape a watch that records a shared chapter in the club’s history. For our money, that gives an anniversary edition a story worth telling.
See the watch and meet the club
The edition is reserved for club members. Contact The Watch Collectors’ Club directly for membership and ordering details.
The launch announcement also says prototypes will be at the Manchester Watch Show. The event takes place at Bridgewater Hall on Saturday 7 November 2026. Our Manchester show guide has the organiser link and practical details.
For the watches you take along, explore our Watchheads watch rolls and travel cases.
Sources and further reading
- Meet Hamish Robertson and Ed Howkins
- The club’s fifth anniversary story
- The first club watch: official announcement
- Beaucroft Watches
- Manchester Watch Show: official event page
Details checked on 1 November 2026.
