This weekend, March 16th to be exact, marks our 9th anniversary - the day back in 2015 when I reached out to a stranger asking if he'd design a watch for me, with no payment, no promise, no idea, but with the hope of building something remarkable.

Gordon is an astonishing human being. Not only for his reply to that initial, unsolicited email - he was receptive, excited, passionate, and although he and his wife were expecting their first child in a matter of weeks, he made a commitment to me, and Marloe, with nothing more than a sprinkling of trust. And not just because of his exceptional talent as a designer, photographer and videographer - almost all the content on our website is shot through his eye, and we're all pretty familiar with his ability to conceptualise watches that have an unnerving resonance. No, it's not the creativity, nor the ability to believe in someone or something - it's the sheer integrity of the man. We can all measure ourselves against this paragon of principle.

He doesn't know I'm including these two paragraphs in this journal entry - he probably thinks I'm trying desperately to have you part with your cash - but I don't think there's ever been a better opportunity to sing his praises than now, and here. The reason being that as we tick past the 9-year mark, we're on the verge of launching our new watch - the Daytimer – and Gordon recently revealed to me, and the team, the inspiration behind this watch. We've told myriad stories through our collections, from trekking to the South Pole to walking on the moon, but this is his story, our story. A narrative of why we do what we do, who we do it for and where dreams can lead. The Daytimer launches around May/June; you won't want to miss it.

We Know the Value of Time

We've had the privilege of sharing our passion with a diverse and vibrant community of enthusiasts, bound together by a shared appreciation of the art of watchmaking. From intimate Club Marloe gatherings to national exhibitions, every interaction has reinforced our belief in the transcendent power of timepieces to inspire and unite. And with this opportunity to inspire, in an age where everything is instant and disposable, we want to create something enduring: a Marloe watch isn’t just about keeping time, it’s about spending time well. We know the value of time. We know how fast it can speed by, and how easy it can be to fritter away.

We're not ones to toast our achievements, but this week we took a moment to appreciate, with gratitude, the incredible journey we've been on since the inception of our small British watch company. Today, we stand tall, enriched by the love for the timepieces we’ve designed over the years and the stories they convey of inspiration, freedom and the pursuit of ‘Time Well Spent’.

As we celebrate our journey, we've taken some time to reflect on the moments that have shaped us, the challenges that have strengthened us and the triumphs that have fuelled our passion... and the only way to do this properly is to share them with you!

Now, although I say Gordon is an incredibly talented designer, our initial tentative steps into the watch world were pretty... one dimensional! There were six concepts for our launch watch, the Cherwell, and for those who remember that time, the final product ended up being fairly true to the first design, above. We have tons of creatives like these that we like to pore over every now and then, to remind ourselves of where we started and to truly appreciate the journey.

For me, one of the defining moments in the past few years came when we revealed the Astro collection. Although it went on to become our most successful launch, following the grand reveal we received a number of emails hoping for our demise - that this “disgusting” design would bring Marloe to its knees. Now, we’ve always tried to divide opinion with our designs, but to elicit such a reaction was fascinating - in a positive way. If you have those who hate your product, then you’ll also have those who love it - and we have those in bucketfuls. Ever since, the Astro has been affectionately known as the ‘Marmite watch’ - you either love it or hate it!

Moving on to my favourite topic: those challenges that have strengthened us. We do love a challenge here at Marloe, although some come at rather unwelcome times. For example, a few years ago when some new packaging arrived that we were very excited about…

And that isn’t even the best one - our Ring doorbell managed to capture one of the finest moments we’ve shared - one that will certainly go down in Marloe history... 

Thankfully, no watches were harmed in the making of this video... only some boxes!

And if we’re talking about moments that have shaped us, then this blurry photo taken in a hotel in Edinburgh probably captures the point of no return. In November 2016, Gordon and I met for the very first time, nearly a year and a half after launching Marloe. If we had tried to launch the company a decade earlier then it wouldn’t have been possible. The tech simply wasn’t there, but with tools such as Skype and WhatsApp, the hundreds of miles between us disappear. I’m not sure how many businesses start with the founders having not known one another or even met, but it worked for us.

And I’ll leave you with this little trinket… following the successful launch of the Cherwell on Kickstarter, we decided to launch the Derwent quickly on its heels. I took it upon myself, unrequested, to assist Gordon in the design, with absolutely no design talent whatsoever. Using the base of a mug to draw a circle for the dial, I think you’ll find some real nuggets in this beauty.

My wife also had a stab at drawing something she felt would resonate equally with both males and females - ring any bells?

To our loyal customers, supporters and partners, thank you for believing in our vision, and for allowing us the privilege of styling your wrists with our creations. Your unwavering support has been the driving force behind our success, and for that, we are extremely grateful. We love what we do and couldn’t do it without you. Whether it be a purchase, a like, follow or comment on socials or spreading the Marloe name out on your adventures, it all helps - thank you.

As we celebrate 9 years of Marloe Watch Company, we invite you to join us in celebrating the past, present, and future of our humble British watch company by sharing a photo of your Marloe watch and tagging us (@marloewatchco #marloewatchco #mwc9years) so we can see it!

To the future, and whatever it may hold.