Camden Watch Company’s husband-and-wife cofounders—Jerome Robert, head of strategy, and designer Anneke Short—are looking at the pocket watch as a big fashion accessory this summer.
Their brand’s first pocket watch, now available for preorder, has been a long time coming, says Short. Customers have asked for a pocket watch for years, but the timing never felt right, she notes.
Now, with vintage styles coming back in vogue, the pocket watch feels like a natural extension for the brand, based in the historic London borough of Camden. “It’s an ageless design we can reinterpret through future editions and new details,” Short tells JCK.
“Style always moves in cycles, and something that once felt outdated can return as something distinctive and beautifully expressive, especially with the summer wedding season approaching,” she says.
Design-wise, the Camden pocket watch is a beauty: Its stainless steel case features engraving based on Victorian scrollwork, with vines, leaf motifs, and geometric flourishes. The center of the engraving is inspired by the elegant ironwork of Bridge No. 10 over Camden’s Regent’s Canal.
The watch’s 47 mm case opens to reveal a detailed dial that carries all the hallmarks of the Camden Watch Company, such as clean lines and industrial touches. Priced at an affordable $235, the pocket watch is in the midrange for the brand, which Short and Robert founded in 2014. It can be purchased with a chain at additional cost.
Clients who’d asked for a pocket watch told the couple that they wanted one that would be different from the wristwatch they usually wear every day.
“They tend to be people who really value craftsmanship, storytelling, and individuality—from collectors and style enthusiasts to people dressing for special occasions such as weddings,” Short says.
“The Victorian scrollwork, industrial detailing, and the heritage of London timekeeping make it feel authentic to the brand. It doesn’t feel like a novelty piece, it genuinely feels like something we were always meant to make,” she adds.
“Because so much of our design language is rooted in Victorian London, railway timekeeping, and old engineering details, I’ve always loved the romance of a pocket watch,” says Short. “They feel tactile, ceremonial, and connected to a slower, more intentional way of telling time.”
Both women and men can dress up an outfit with a pocket watch, according to Short. For the guys, it can help them pull off that old-timey “dapper chap” look. For women, a pocket watch might be a conversation starter, especially if they choose to wear it around the neck, à la Cate Blanchett at the 2018 Cannes film festival.
Top: The Camden Watch Company’s first-ever pocket watch (photos courtesy of the brand)
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