An informal Q&A with Watch Designer Jason Edwards
What inspires you most when designing a new Harold Pinchbeck watch?
When designing a new Harold Pinchbeck watch, I'm most inspired by a deep respect for tradition combined with a desire to create something timeless yet personal. I draw heavily on the Pinchbeck family's long history — a name that's been linked to fine craftsmanship since the 18th century — and I try to channel that heritage into every piece.
At the same time, I’m inspired by the individual wearer. Many of our watches are made-to-order or can be customised, so I often think about how a watch can become part of someone’s life story — something worn every day, perhaps even passed down. I aim for clean, understated elegance: nothing flashy, just beautiful proportions, British character, and a sense of quiet confidence.
British landscapes, traditional materials, and even the engineering precision of old English timepieces also spark a lot of ideas. I want every watch to feel like it belongs to its owner from the very first moment they put it on.
What is your design philosophy, and how does it shape the watches you create?
My design philosophy is rooted in honesty, craftsmanship, and timelessness. I believe a watch should first and foremost be authentic — it shouldn’t pretend to be something it’s not. Every material we use, every line we draw, should have a reason for being there. Nothing is decorative for decoration’s sake.
This philosophy shapes the watches I create in a few key ways:
Simplicity with Depth: I aim for clean designs that, on closer inspection, reveal layers of subtle detail — the gentle curve of a case, the particular blue of a hand, the texture of a dial.
Personal Connection: Because many Harold Pinchbeck watches are bespoke, I design with flexibility in mind. The core watch must be strong enough to stand on its own, yet allow the owner’s story and preferences to shine through if they choose to customise it.
Respect for Tradition, Without Being Stuck in It: I draw on classical British watchmaking — strong, unfussy designs — but I’m not afraid to re-interpret those traditions with modern materials or slight updates in proportion. It’s about evolution, not revolution.
Ultimately, I want every Harold Pinchbeck watch to feel inevitable — like it couldn’t have been designed any other way. Natural, confident, and lasting.
How do you ensure each timepiece reflects the brand’s heritage while remaining relevant to modern customers?
It’s a careful balance — one that starts with really understanding the Harold Pinchbeck heritage, rather than just imitating the past. Our roots go back to 18th-century England, where craftsmanship, trust, and understated elegance were everything. I make sure every design nods to those values, even if the watch itself isn’t an outright historical copy.
To keep things relevant to modern customers, I focus on two main ideas: proportion and purpose.
Modern tastes lean toward slightly cleaner dials, slimmer profiles, and comfortable wearability. So even if a watch is inspired by a 200-year-old tradition, I’ll refine the dimensions and ergonomics to suit contemporary expectations.
I also think about how today’s customers live. A Harold Pinchbeck watch needs to feel equally at home whether it’s worn with a suit, jeans, or even casually at a weekend gathering. That means careful material choices — strong, enduring, but also versatile.
Small, quiet updates — like using high-grade anti-reflective sapphire, precision Swiss movements, or offering subtle personalisation options — allow us to stay true to our soul while offering something that fits a modern life.
In short: I try to design watches that feel old in spirit, but new in experience.
What do you believe sets Harold Pinchbeck watches apart in terms of design?
What really sets Harold Pinchbeck watches apart in design is their quiet individuality. We don’t chase trends or mass-market tastes — every watch we create has a sense of personal connection built into it.
In terms of design specifically, three things stand out:
Bespoke spirit: Even our "standard" models are made-to-order in small numbers. That means every design is approached with care and flexibility. We design not just for aesthetics, but for how a watch can be personalised, made to feel like it belongs only to its wearer.
Understated British character: Our designs are elegant without being showy. You won’t find oversized cases, overcomplicated dials, or flashy logos. Instead, it’s about subtle proportions, clean lines, and the kind of quiet beauty that grows on you over time.
Genuine craftsmanship: Because we work closely with traditional British craftspeople — from leather strap makers to dial specialists — the design process respects how the watch is made as much as what it looks like. You feel that authenticity the moment you pick up a Harold Pinchbeck watch.
In short, I believe a Harold Pinchbeck watch is designed to be lived with — not just worn for show, but appreciated quietly, year after year.
What influences your decisions when designing the dial, case, and other small details that make each watch unique?
When I’m designing the dial, case, and all the finer details, my decisions are influenced by a combination of heritage, proportion, material honesty, and how the watch will live on the wrist.
Dial: The dial is the face of the watch — it has to communicate clarity, character, and refinement. I think a lot about balance: how the hands relate to the indices, how much breathing room the numerals have, how the textures catch the light. I often draw from classical British watchmaking — crisp Roman numerals, subtle railway minute tracks — but I’ll simplify or soften them to feel less formal and more wearable today.
Case: For the case, comfort and proportion are king. I’m heavily influenced by traditional English pocket watches and early wristwatches, which had elegant, restrained forms. Cases should feel solid but not bulky, shaped to hug the wrist naturally. I favour materials like stainless steel and, for special commissions, gold — nothing that shouts, but everything that feels substantial.
Small Details: This is where the magic is. I think about tactile things — how a crown feels when you wind it, the satisfying click of the buckle, the grain of the leather strap. Sometimes it’s as subtle as the gentle dome of the crystal, or a hand-blued steel second hand that catches the sun at the right angle. Those details create a sense of personal intimacy between the watch and its owner.
Every decision is made with the thought: Will this still feel right — still feel true — in 20, 30, or 50 years?
What’s one thing about your work that most people don’t understand or appreciate?
One thing most people don’t always realise is how much of the design happens in the small, almost invisible decisions. It’s not just about drawing a beautiful watch — it’s about making hundreds of tiny judgment calls that the wearer might never consciously notice, but would feel if they weren’t right.
For example, the exact thickness of a seconds hand, the slight curvature of a lug, or the specific shade of white on a dial — these can take days to refine. If the hand is too thick, it looks clumsy. Too thin, and it looks fragile. That balance between strength and elegance is incredibly delicate.
Also, because Harold Pinchbeck watches are made in small numbers, we don’t have massive factories smoothing over imperfections automatically. Every watch is touched by real hands, real tools — so part of my work is designing in a way thatrespects the skills of the craftspeople who bring it to life.
In short, a lot of my work isn’t loud or obvious. It’s about creating watches that justfeel right — effortlessly so — even though it took a huge amount of invisible effort to get there.
Do you sketch your designs by hand, or do you use digital tools? What’s your process like in the early stages?
In the early stages, I always start by sketching by hand. There’s something about the feel of pencil on paper — it’s more immediate, more intuitive. I’m not worried about perfection at that point; I’m trying to capture the spirit of the watch. Quick lines, rough ideas — sometimes just shapes, sometimes just a feeling I want the watch to have.
Once I have a few sketches that feel promising, I move to digital tools to refine the design. I’ll use CAD software to work out proportions very precisely — lug width, case thickness, crown size, all the fine technical details that are harder to judge by eye alone. But I always think the best designs still start human before they become digital.
My early-stage process usually looks like this:
Mood and inspiration gathering — looking at old watches, textures, architecture, sometimes even furniture design.
Loose hand sketches — focusing on the emotional feel rather than the technicalities.
Selection and refinement — picking one or two ideas to develop further, and beginning to consider mechanics (movement size, water resistance, etc.).
Digital modelling — creating detailed CAD drawings and 3D mockups to see how the design holds up in real-world dimensions.
Prototyping — if a design feels strong, we’ll often create a rough prototype (sometimes even in simple materials) just to handle it physically before final production.
It's a balance of emotion and precision, pencil and pixel. Both sides are essential.
What is the most important element of a watch design that you focus on?
The most important element I focus on is proportion.
No matter how beautiful the detailing or how fine the materials, if the proportions aren't right — if the hands are too short, the bezel too heavy, the case too thick — the whole watch feels off. Proportion governs everything: how the watch sits on the wrist, how it looks at a glance, how timeless it feels year after year.
For me, getting the proportions perfect is almost like tuning a musical instrument. Every part — the dial, the hands, the case, the lugs — needs to be in harmony. It’s not enough to get them individually right; they have to work together as a whole.
That’s why in early sketches and in CAD models, I’m always adjusting and re-adjusting — shifting a millimetre here, slimming a profile there — until it feels inevitable, like the design couldn’t possibly be anything else.
Without the right proportions, a watch can never truly be elegant — no matter how impressive its features.
What role do small design details (such as the texture of the dial or the finish on the case) play in your overall vision for a watch?
Small design details — like the dial texture or the case finish — are absolutely vital to the overall vision. They’re what turn a good watch into something exceptional and personal.
I always think of them as the watch’s whispered voice. From a distance, a Harold Pinchbeck watch might look quite understated. But up close, it starts to speak: the soft brushing on the case that catches the light just so; the delicate grain of a textured dial that adds depth without shouting; the crispness of engraved markers that stay sharp for decades.
These small details serve three important purposes in my vision:
They add layers of richness without cluttering the design. A watch should reveal more the longer you live with it.
They create intimacy between the watch and its wearer. You might be the only one who notices how finely the crown is knurled — and that’s the point.
They reinforce craftsmanship. Finishes and textures remind you that the watch was made with hands and eyes, not just machines. That authenticity matters.
I often say: a Harold Pinchbeck watch should feel calm at first glance, but full of character when you know where to look. Small details make that possible.
If you had to describe your design style in three words, what would they be?
Timeless, Subtle, Crafted.
Timeless: I design with the idea that a great watch doesn’t follow fleeting trends. It should feel as relevant in decades as it does today.
Subtle: My designs are about quiet elegance — nothing too flashy or overdone. It’s about the details that speak softly but powerfully.
Crafted: Every watch is a product of genuine craftsmanship. From the precision of the movement to the finish of the case, every element is carefully considered and skillfully executed.
These three words embody the spirit of every Harold Pinchbeck timepiece.
What do you hope people will say about Harold Pinchbeck in 5 or 10 years’ time?
In 5 or 10 years’ time, I hope people will say that Harold Pinchbeck represents a standard of timeless elegance, rooted in British craftsmanship, with a personal connection to every wearer.
I want us to be known for our unwavering commitment to quality and individuality — not just for producing beautiful watches, but for creating pieces that become part of a person’s life story. Whether it's handed down through generations or worn daily with pride, I want Harold Pinchbeck watches to be cherished for their character, subtlety, and craftsmanship.
I also hope that, over time, people will recognise us for staying true to our roots while embracing the future, blending traditional techniques with the innovation that keeps our watches relevant. I want people to look back and say, "That brand was ahead of its time — but always faithful to the essentials of good design."
Ultimately, I hope our watches are seen as heirlooms — pieces that last, both in terms of their quality and the emotional connection they carry.