The Lambeth Reach Legacy Grows with the New Lambeth Dark Watch

A Watch for the River: Celebrating Doggett’s Coat and Badge with Pinchbeck

Britain is a nation woven from tradition—stitched together by stories, ceremonies, and customs that stand the test of time. Nowhere is this more evident than in the heart of London, where ancient lanes such as Crutched Friars and Hanging Sword Alley still trace their path through the modern City.

It’s here, on the River Thames, that one of the country’s oldest and most enduring sporting events continues to unfold each summer: the Wager for Doggett’s Coat and Badge. First held in 1715, it remains the world’s oldest continuously contested sporting event—an annual single-scull rowing race for newly qualified apprentices of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen.

For over a decade, Pinchbeck has been proud to honour this uniquely British tradition.

Since 2011, Harold Pinchbeck has partnered with the Fishmongers’ Company—custodians of the race—to offer a special prize to the winner: a bespoke edition of our Lambeth Reach watch, created exclusively to celebrate this historic event.

The design of the Lambeth Reach is rich with meaning. At 12 o’clock, the House of Hanover emblem stands proudly—symbolising the royal lineage of the period in which the race was founded. At 3 o’clock, the crest of the Fishmongers’ Company honours their guardianship of the event and their long-standing service to the City. And at 9 o’clock, the emblem of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen pays tribute to the men and women of the river—those who have rowed these waters for generations.

Together, these three symbols anchor the watch in its setting: London, the Thames, and the enduring legacy of those who serve upon it.

Although our workshop is in the shadow of Lincoln Cathedral, our ties to London’s riverside history run deep. Our forebear, Christopher Pinchbeck (1670–1732), was a renowned clockmaker who kept a shop in Fleet Street—within earshot of the Thames and perhaps even the first Doggett’s races. It is not beyond imagining that Thomas Doggett himself, an actor with a taste for ceremony and symbolism, may have owned a Pinchbeck clock.. Though we cannot confirm it, the thought lends a certain romance to the partnership we now share with this noble tradition.

Doggett’s Coat and Badge is more than a competition. It is a rite of passage. A proud, often generational achievement, steeped in history and still fiercely contested today. It concludes not just with a scarlet coat and a silver badge—but now with a watch that will be worn for years to come.

In celebration of this rich partnership and growing collector interest, we’re proud to introduce the Lambeth Dark—a bold evolution of the original Lambeth Reach. While the classic model reflects the heritage of the Doggett’s Coat and Badge race, the Lambeth Dark brings a contemporary edge to our time-honoured design.

This sleek version features a deep black dial, accented by contrasting tones of Tan and Pewter-Blue, subtly echoing the colours of the Thames and the uniforms of London’s river traditions. It is paired with a hand-made black leather Tanner Bates strap, detailed with tan stitching, and driven by the same trusted Swiss ETA automatic movement as its predecessor.

Whether worn on the wrist of a modern-day Waterman or a discerning collector, the Lambeth Dark unites heritage and modernity in one striking timepiece. Limited to just 270 pieces, it is both a tribute and a bold statement—crafted to mark tradition, but made to be worn every day.In a city that’s always moving forward, the race reminds us of the value in looking back—and the importance of carrying those stories forward, one wrist at a time.