The husband and wife team Craig and Rebecca Struthers who have recently moved moved to Spencer Street in The Jewellery Quarter have set up a new design studio and are making their own watches.
Their first watch has won one of the Lonmin Design Innovation Awards and at International Jewellery London.
Craig and Rebecca explain: “The pioneering pendant watch named ‘Stella’ has been designed to push the boundaries of self-winding watch design, and is powered by the movement of the case rather than the wrist.
The movement is mounted into a spinning ball which rotates on a platinum axis within a frame inspired by the ‘gimble’ used in early ship chronometers.
Rock crystal hemispheres are set into platinum bands front and back so that the watch movement can be seen ticking away the seconds whilst the single, solitaty hour hand slowly moves around the dial meaning the watch can be read accurately to within five minutes.”
They continue: “Platinum is a difficult metal to work, especially when using the extra-hard platinum ruthenium alloy required by watchmakers for its anti-magnetic properties.
It has proved so difficult for us to find manufacturers experienced in working to the exacting tolerances demanded by horology, so a great deal of fitting and finishing has been completed by us in house.
This has been an incredible, challenging experience and the prestige of winning the award has inspired us to see how far we can push the boundaries of British watchmaking with more watches in the future.”
After graduating Craig and Rebecca both worked in London for a few years before moving back to Brum to set up their own business. “We always thought the industry here is unrivalled by anywhere else in the UK, but projects like this really demonstrate the talents of the individuals we are lucky enough to have on our own doorstep.”
www.struthers-london.com