Hands On Horology London Lines Up Rare Editions and One-Off Watches

Hands On Horology is shaping up as one of London’s more interesting watch gatherings of the summer, not simply because of the number of brands attending, but because several pieces will be hard to encounter anywhere else.

On June 13, collectors will find event-only editions, charitable one-offs and new releases getting their first close-up moment in the UK.

For anyone who prefers watches at wrist level rather than through a launch image, this is the sort of room where details matter.

At a glance

London gets its own event-only editions

M.A.D Editions is bringing the M.A.D.2 LIVE to London, with UK visitors able to enter the lottery for the watch in person at Hands On Horology.

The silver and blue edition forms part of the brand’s travelling event concept, with each stop receiving a custom buckle marked with the initials of the host city.

Priced at CHF 2,900, or about £2,540, it’s likely to be one of the more closely watched draws of the day.

Sartory Billard’s SB10 Union Jack takes a different route into British symbolism, placing a guilloché rendering of the flag at the centre of its 10th anniversary jump-hour watch.

The display uses an oversized hour window at 6 o’clock, while a red marker on a sapphire disc tracks the minutes around the edge of the dial.

Only five examples will be made, priced at €4,800 excluding VAT, or roughly £4,150, with the Joux-Perret G101A calibre inside.

Awake also leans into the London setting with the Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf Union Jack, a 50-piece edition priced at £2,000.

Its dial combines 15 hours of Vietnamese lacquer work with a miniature UK motif hand-chiselled in silver leaf, marking a new figurative direction for the brand’s lacquer technique.

Power comes from the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement.

There’s also a lighter accessory note from WatchGecko and Hands On Horology, whose colourful event straps will be given to priority pass holders on arrival and used as the entry wristband.

Other visitors will still have a chance to win one through the Wrist Shot competition.

Two unique watches with a charitable purpose

The Dial Artist will present two one-of-one watches for silent auction, each pairing an artistic dial treatment with a different charitable cause.

The Selten M1 Moonphase carries a reinterpretation of Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam, with proceeds going to the mental health charity Mind.

Its 39mm case and restrained display give the dial room to breathe, while a modified Miyota 9015 movement sits beneath the artwork.

The second piece is an RZE Resolute with a white food motif over jet-black enamel, raising money for London food distribution charity The Felix Project.

RZE’s lightweight titanium case brings the practical, tool-watch side of the collaboration into contrast with the illustrative dial work.

Bidding for both watches will be open during the morning and afternoon sessions on June 13, and bids must be submitted at the event.

First UK looks from independent names

Beyond the limited pieces, the show will also offer early hands-on time with several recent and upcoming releases.

Louis Erard will show the Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin Time Eater III, a watch originally developed for a boutique opening and now receiving a wider outing.

The design continues the WristMonster language with a regulator display, using an eyeball for the hours and a mouth for the seconds.

It’s priced at CHF 4,450, or about £4,200, with two colours limited to 178 pieces each.

Formex will bring multiple new watches, led by the Aria, an unusual release for the brand because it debuts the FX01 ultra-slim micro-rotor movement.

The calibre offers a 72-hour power reserve, making the Aria one of the more technically notable debuts to handle at the show.

Heinrich will preview a Tiger Iron stone-dial version of the Helicoprion, expanding a stone-dial family that already includes Lapis Lazuli, Carnelian, Amethyst and Red Tiger Eye.

The brand will also show the Helicoprion Buzzsaw MKII and Radiance Guilloché Wave, giving visitors a look at its range from industrial to more dressed-up watchmaking.

Kollokium arrives with its neubrutalist design language, including the Projekt 02 Variant C with a topographical display and vivid turquoise colour scheme.

Its recent momentum among collectors makes it one of the more distinctive independents to seek out in the room.

Details & Specifications

The appeal of Hands On Horology is the mix of scarcity, access and conversation.

There will be watches to chase, watches to study and, just as importantly, the chance to meet the people making them in a setting built for collectors rather than spectacle.