English independent watchmakers Fears and Christopher Ward have teamed up to create a new take on the jump hour complication with the Alliance 01. A collaborative effort that plays to the strengths of each brand, the Alliance 01 was made expressly for the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers, a trade body for horologists in the United Kingdom. It combines the minimalist, vintage-inspired aesthetic espoused by Fears with the affordable complications of Christopher Ward.

Initial thoughts

I was intrigued when I learned Christopher Ward was teaming up with Fears. At first glance, the Alliance 01 looks like another version of the Brunswick, one of Fears’ signature models since the brand’s revival six years ago. But it is best described as Fears watch containing a Christopher Ward movement. It smartly combines each brand’s strengths – Fears’ vintage-inspired styling and Christopher Ward’s accessibly-priced, simple complications.

Despite the resemblance to Fears’ other models, the Alliance 01 is appreciably different from anything Fears has done to date. But it still has the retro elegance typical of Fears, which actually makes the watch look simpler, despite the added complication.

Though the design is elegant, the Alliance 01 is chunky, especially for a watch of this style. With dimensions comparable to a Rolex Daytona, the case height of just under 13 mm mean it will sit thickly on the wrist.

If there were a bone to pick with the watch, it would be the lack of Christopher Ward branding on the dial. I would have preferred both brand names to be found on the dial, like how it was done with the Fears Garrick, for a more tangible expression of the collaboration.

The Alliance 01 costs the equivalent of US$4,000. It’s attractively priced relative to Fears’ time-only model with the same case that costs only 10% less, and also compared to the broader market for a relatively novel Sellita-powered watch.

The first collaboration

The trade body representing the interests of British watch and clock makers, the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers seeks to promote the industry internationally while supporting its member brands through training and education. Founded by Mike France, the chief executive of Christopher Ward, and independent watchmaker Roger W. Smith in 2020, the Alliance now counts 77 trade members, including watchmakers based in Ireland.

According to Alliance chairman Mr Smith, the organisation also hopes to serve as a launch pad for collaborations between its members. The Alliance 01 is the first collaborative to get off the ground, and it is also a fundraising project for the trade body.

Minimalist and slightly retro, the dial is in dark burgundy with a silver border for the minute register. It incorporates the jumping hour complication in a largely traditional layout. The hour aperture is at 12 o’clock, with the minute hand in an oversized register just below. As the minute hand passes the top of the hour, the numeral in the aperture “jumps” to the next hour.

The Alliance 01 uses the cushion-shaped Brunswick case from Fears but enlarged to accommodate the complication. Instead of the usual 38 mm, it is 40.5 mm wide and 12.8 mm high.

The Alliance 01 is powered by the cal. JJ101, which is made up of a proprietary jumping hour module on top of a Sellita SW200. It’s the same movement that Christopher Ward previously utilised in its C1 Grand Malvern Jumping Hour from 2017. Because the Sellita SW200 is essentially a clone of the reliable but long-in-tooth ETA 2824, it has a short power reserve of only 38 hours.

Key facts and price

Fears Christopher Ward Alliance 01
Ref. BS240.500

Diameter: 40.5 mm
Height: 12.80 mm
Material: Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. JJ101
Features: Jumping-hour complication with running minutes
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 38 hours

Strap: Calf leather strap

Limited edition: 50 pieces
Availability: Only for members of the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers
Price: £3,291.67 excluding taxes

For more, visit Britishwatchmakers.com.

A pair of watchmakers with English roots, Fears and Garrick have banded together to create a wristwatch that bears the aesthetic of the former while relying on the mechanics of the latter, the Fears Garrick.

Founded in 1846 but having gone out of business during the Quartz Crisis, Fears is an English brand that was revived in 2016 by a descendant of its founder. Though it was not in continuous operation, Fears is now one of the oldest, family-owned English watch brands. Its modern-day offerings are all about clean, simple designs inspired by watches from its past catalogue, which are sometimes paired with period-correct, vintage movements.

Garrick, on the other hand, was founded in 2014. Sitting in a higher price point than the typical Fears, Garrick’s offerings are constructed with the help of Swiss specialists, including Andreas Strehler, and dressed up with traditional decoration such as engine turning.

David Brailsford of Garrick (left), and Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, the great-great-great-grandson of Fears’ founder

Initial thoughts

The Fears Garrick is essentially a Garrick S1, the brand’s most impressive offering to date, but redesigned to give it a simpler aesthetic. Though intriguing, the open dial of the S1 has been done away with and the result is minimalist but appealing.

I actually prefer the look of the Fears Garrick over the S1. But the Fears Garrick does bring to mind the IWC Portugieser, which is a good thing. For anyone who found the movement of S1 intriguing but prefers minimalism and legibility, this is a good alternative.

The original Garrick S1

In fact, the aim of the collaboration was to combine the watchmaking of Garrick and Fears’ trademark clean style. By that measure the joint effort is a success, since it’s been pared down just enough to be unusual for a Garrick but with enough of the Fears aesthetic that it resembles the latter’s other watches.

The twin sub-dials at the upper half of the dial are discreet but obvious, making them useful. And they are balanced by the big balance wheel at six o’clock. The result is best described as a classic dress watch with a twist (and some Portugieser vibes).

Notably, the Fears Garrick is more affordable than the open-dial S1. But the price is still about US$20,000, which might seem steep initially, especially compared with the typical Fears watch that is within the US$3,000-5,000 range.

But the Fears Garrick has a quality of make that lives up to the price. That’s most obvious in the finishing of the movement, which includes several crisp inward angles along the bevelling of the bridges, a feature uncommon in offerings at this price.

Reversed balance

Inside the Fears Garrick is the cal. UT-G04, an proprietary movement developed by Garrick with the help of independent watchmaker Andreas Strehler, who makes watches under his own name but is also a major supplier of parts and movements to other independents.

The UT-G04 is sized like a ETA Unitas 6498, the go-to base movement for many entry-level indie watchmakers, but more elaborately constructed. It has a small seconds and power reserve indicator on the dial along with an exposed balance wheel, instead of a typical construction where the balance is on the back.

Fears also contributed its own hands and typography to the dial design.

The open-worked hour and minute hands are much simpler compared with the S1, yet they possess tiny, pointed tips that make them interesting. While the hands are individually appealing, I find there are too many different types of hands on the dial.

The numerals, on the other hand, are in a font designed specifically for Fears by Lee Yuen-Rapati, a British designer and artist.

While the watch is pared back in its design, the movement is more elaborately treated. The balance bridge, for instance, is shaped and finished like a tourbillon bridge.

And the finishing on the back is even better. While the balance bridge has wide, flat bevelling along its edges, the two-thirds bridge on the back sport rounded, polished bevelling that is more difficult to execute and also incorporates several inward angles.

The unusually shaped winding click spring is mirror polished and bevelled

The finishing on dial side of the movement is similarly detailed

Key facts and price

Fears Garrick
Ref. BS84220

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 10 mm
Material: 904L steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: UT-G04
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and power reserve indicator
Frequency:Unavailable
Winding: Hand wind
Power reserve: 46 hours

Strap: Blue or taupe calfskin with Alcantara® lining

Limited edition: No, but with limited production of 10-15 pieces annually
Availability: Now from Fears; delivery starts December 2022
Price: £19,500 including UK VAT of 20%, or £16,250 excluding taxes

For more, visit fearswatches.com.