The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2023 - Issue 33

bitewatches Japanese Beater B5 spired by our coast and an unwavering obsession for detail. Every watch, strap, buckle and box has a story behind its details, realised by thinking. We take such pride in the things we make and how they are received, our approachability and customer service. Endeavour- ing for them all to be world-class.” An undefinable watch company meticulous in its design and manufacturing, it carries distinguished timepieces like the clean white dialled Telemark and the snazzy Daymark. The initial piece presented at Saatchi Gal- lery’s Salon GP watch fair in 2011 was the 300 limit- ed-edition Signalman inspired by 18th and 19th-century lighthouses around the UK coastline. It was designed with a 44 mm stainless steel case, a shape based on the powerful lights used in a lighthouse and a highly polished mirror finish. Two years later, they released the limited edition Black- lamp Resurgence with a 44 mm Morta matrix carbon case resembling rock layers from various lighthouse locations. It featured sapphire crystal, a stepped dial crafted from black lacquered brass, engraved concen- tric circles and a blue minute track with applied index- es and numerals. It also has a sub-second pointer at 6 o’clock with red tip detailing, elegant skeleton sword hands with lume tips and a tritium gaslight housed in the crown. Schofield’s Beater series include the single two-hand- ed B1 in bead-blasted stainless steel, bronze, or blued, heat-treated titanium with varied colour dials. It fea- tures NOS (New Old Stock) vintage ETA movements and a case secured by hand-finished distressed leather straps. The 44 mm B2 and 45 mm B3 in raw bronze feature a double ‘O’ ring engraved crown, a wide bezel in a flat scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, and a two- tone blue dial reflecting the night sky and the deep blue ocean depths. The distinction between these two models lies in the style of the numerals; the B2 is gilt-framed at 12, 3, 6, and 9, while the B3 is gold-tone framed at 0, 3, 6 and 9. Both have inverted dagger indexes between the hour markers, an inner minute track printed in a gilt or gold- tone finish and brushed bronze skeletonise hands with SuperLuminova C3 infill where the centre cap has a small line that indicates the ‘Sign-of-Life’ second hand. At 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock, you’ll find the Schofield logo and red ‘B’ Beater sign. Based on traditional Japanese craft, the 44 mm B4, in- spired by Ellis’ love of Japan, its people and their tradi- tion, is encased in Japanese bronze with a deep pat- ina with a more traditional European style. It features an indigo-dyed Boro dial with the case back depicting Daruma-San, a traditional native doll, and a Tokyo drain cover design of ginkgo and cherry blossom. The stain- less steel crown comprises a double ‘O’ ring, 3x skel- eton brushed gold hands and a Japanese mud cloth watch strap. Schofield describes its Japanese Beater B5 as “the light to the B4’s dark” powered by a self-winding mechanical STP 1-11 movement. It bears a muted, blossom-colour- ed dial in a specially textured stainless steel case with a Middle-tex finish between the brand’s vapour-blasted and the severe Brutalist look of several rare Beaters. The traditionally made sterling silver and glass enam- el case back depicts an old plum tree scenery inspired by a Fuchū manhole cover and completed with a plum canvas strap. The dial honours the familiar topography found on other Schofield models, hours at cardinal points, including a slash-0 at 12, darts between the numbers and a minute track bordering the stepped level and colour change. The Super-LumiNova C3, with its bright green emis- sion, illuminates a ring around the outer circumference, carried over from the Japanese Beater B4, and features brushed gold Sign-of-Life hands that match the gold ring in the middle of the crown. Enclosed in a special edition ash box with new engrav- ings and a rebate for the matching pin, the beautifully made, simple treasure trove has an ‘X marks the spot’ engraved into the lid. The central watch holding block can be removed, making the box useful. Instead of plastic or foam, the timepiece sits within a milled block of solid cedar, accompanied by innovative recycled card packaging that mirrors the brand’s sustainability and concern for the planet. Other distinctive models include the 44 mm Treasure Watch in polished steel or gold-plated brass case that marked Schofield’s 10th anniversary in 2021. It incorpo- rates the Signalman’s polished steel case and stepped black dial with brushed gold hands. Strange Lights in Not Quite Green or Red is the lightest limited-edition ti- tanium timepiece at 85 grams strapped, inspired by the port and starboard navigation on the sea or in the sky. Schofield watches are available online and at their Riv- erside shop in Sussex, next to the River Adur, a few miles from Brighton. The store is styled in a 1920s high street dressmakers boutique fashion with a modern slant of terrazzo tiles and dead pink walls. https://schofieldwatchcompany.com