HISTORY and modernity merge in every Henry London watch. Its ageless design speaks of the aesthetic of an era long gone, while technology and contemporary detailing communicate the functionality and appeal of each timepiece in modern times.
Although a relatively new company (it was established in 2015), Henry London already grants the wearer the legacy of a timepiece from August 1965.
When the brand’s designers were casually exploring the market stalls in Notting Hill in 2014—yes, that affluent district in Northwest London featured in the 1999 movie of the same—they stumbled upon a classic Swiss watch with a simple engraving that read “Henry” and below was the date from the past. Right there, in a spark of inspiration, Henry London came to be.
“When the designers found the watch, they said, ‘This is somebody’s watch, Henry—whoever Henry is.’ Whether he got it from a friend or family, they never knew. But what touched them was the realization that back then, things were personalized, and they believe this personalization should continue today,” Henry London’s Manuel Dacanay told BusinessMirror at the recent by-invitation preview of the brand’s collections now available in the Philippines.
The brand’s core philosophy revolves around the idea that “if something was good back then, then it’s still good today.”
“From there, they went to design modernized vintage-looking watches that kept the integrity of the original design. It’s crisp, it has a clean character,” Dacanay added.
He continued that when people think of simple design, they think of Scandinavian minimalism, although that’s not necessarily the case. For Henry London, what gives the watch character is the dome contour made of acrylic crystal, the same design used back in 1965.
As for the watch straps, the brand uses leather in heritage hues and Milanese mesh bracelets. The color palette consists mainly of old rose, resene bordeaux and the regal mix of teal and viridian. There are also subtle silhouettes of silver, black and copper.
“While keeping the design and build vintage, Henry London modernizes [the watch] by using colors that appeal to today’s market,” Dacanay explained.
The watches use the standard Japanese quartz movement for mechanism, although, Dacanay hinted that a new moonphase mechanism might be making an introduction to the country, as well.
As for the nomenclature of the collections, the Henry London watch assortments are aptly named after iconic locations in London, playing on the brand’s British origin.
“When you think of London, you think of it as one of the fashion capitals of the world. It’s a melting pot of different cultures that amplifies this sense of diversity, style and fashion,” Dacanay said.
Of course, this vintage mentality goes well beyond design. For one, the brand caters to the individualized tastes and needs of its buyers, a shift from conventional to customized, from mass-produced to limited-only. With a unique history backed by equally unique personalization options, Dacanay is optimistic about Henry London’s place in the country’s retail landscape.
“Currently, Henry London is already doing well in the West even though it’s still a new player in the market. And normally, when [a brand] does well in the West, it would also do well in Asia.”
Henry London already has stores in Hong Kong and Japan, and hopes for an auspicious run in the Philippines, as well.