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Ancient form, modern spirit (link)
The pocket watch: a relic of another era… until now. When Christopher Ward approached Studio Underd0g – the acclaimed British independent known for its playful ingenuity – with the idea of collaborating, the response was immediate. The result? The remarkable Alliance 02 pocket watch.
Limited to just 100 pieces, it features seven layers of custom Super-LumiNova® beneath a floating sapphire dial, powered by the hand-wound CW-001 calibre with an impressive 120-hour power reserve.
Housed in a sculpted 44mm Light-Catcher™ case, the Alliance 02 comes with both a braided leather strap – a fresh, contemporary take on the traditional pocket-watch chain – and a bespoke bamboo desk stand that turns the piece into a striking desk clock.
A joyful follow-up to 2023’s Alliance 01 – which sold out in 2 minutes and 13 seconds and quadrupled Alliance membership – the Alliance 02 once again champions British watchmaking at its most creative.
The Alliance 02 will be available exclusively to members of the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers. To qualify, become a member at britishwatchmakers.com, then pre-register your interest on the Christopher Ward website. It’s a couple of steps, but with all profits donated to the Alliance of British Watch and Clockmakers, it couldn’t be more worthwhile.
Available to Alliance members only
The Alliance 02
44mm Lemonade Handwound Braid Leather Lanyard
Pre-registration is available now with sale opening at 3pm GMT on 11th December. Scroll down to register.
$4,150.00
A pocket watch you can wear with sneakers. The Alliance 02 brings together Christopher Ward’s technical might and Studio Underd0g’s celebrated design language to create the most luminous pocket watch ever made. Engineered to support The Alliance of British Watch and Clockmakers, it is limited to just 100 pieces.
Inside its sculpted, 44mm Light-catcher™ case beats the hand-wound CW-001 calibre: a chronometer-grade movement with a five-day power reserve. Above sits a multi-layered dial construction with a brass base and seven layers of custom Super-LumiNova®, crowned by a floating 1.4mm sapphire disc that transforms the watch in both daylight and darkness. A braided leather strap and a bespoke bamboo desk stand complete the set.
Assembled in Great Britain, with all profits donated to the Alliance of British Watch and Clockmakers - the trade body behind major sector-boosting initiatives such as British Watchmakers’ Day.
Available exclusively to members of the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers, who must pre-register at britishwatchmakers.com.
Pickpocketing the Past
The Alliance 02 is collaboration at its most joyful - the kind that feels inevitable the moment it’s suggested. The story began with the Alliance 01, a collaboration between Christopher Ward and Fears that sold out in just 2 minutes and 13 seconds and quadrupled Alliance membership in early 2023. That success revealed a strong appetite for limited-edition pieces celebrating British watchmaking, and planted the seed for a second collaboration.One year later, Richard Benc, founder of Studio Underd0g, was asked by Mike France to partner on the next Alliance watch. Soon after, he floated the idea of a pocket watch - and Mike agreed instantly. After all, what better way to shake up a centuries-old format than by pairing it with a movement built for the modern era… and perhaps even wearing it with sneakers? The result is a pocket watch for people who didn’t think they needed a pocket watch. (They do now.)
Throughout the collaborative design and development process, technical files were shared openly, design discussions were iterative, and marketing strategies were developed jointly. Even certain manufacturing tasks were divided between the two brands. Studio Underd0g, now one of the UK’s largest independent assemblers, oversaw the final assembly in partnership with Horologium in Maidenhead, UK - coincidentally just five minutes from Christopher Ward’s headquarters.
Where the Alliance 01 revived the jump hour, the Alliance 02 reinvents another horological classic, using contemporary materials, layers, and light.
And this time, the dial does more than steal the show - it lights it. A brass base dial is coated with seven layers of custom Super-LumiNova®, creating a bed of light that charges quickly and shines intensely. Above floats a 1.4mm sapphire disc printed with Roman numerals, dual branding, and a minute track - both appearing to hover in mid-air during the day, and illuminated from below at night. The whole construction forms a miniature architectural light sculpture: playful, technical, and beautifully Studio Underd0g.
But beneath all this spectacle lies a serious engine. The hand-wound CW-001 (formerly known as Prince/SH21) has been continuously developed since its debut in 2014. It’s accurate, impressively robust, and reassuringly reliable. Its twin-barrel construction delivers a generous five-day power reserve, and through the exhibition caseback you can admire the bridges, barrels, and thoughtful finishing.
To complete the experience, the Alliance 02 arrives with a braided leather strap - a contemporary twist on the traditional pocket-watch chain - and a bamboo desk stand crafted by the same people responsible for CW’s bamboo-based packaging. Whether worn, displayed, or admired, the watch moves seamlessly between accessory, desk clock, and delightful conversation starter.
And the purpose is as compelling as the watch itself.
Founded in 2020 by Mike France, Roger Smith and Alistair Audsley, The Alliance of British Watch and Clockmakers champions the entire British watch and clockmaking ecosystem - from education to apprenticeships to global promotion. Membership has grown from a few hundred to nearly 2,000, and collaborations like this directly fund the trade body’s work. The Alliance 02 is designed not just to be collected, but to help support the industry that created it. In short: not just a pocket watch. A pocket-sized banner for British horological ingenuity - with lume.
Calibre CW-001 (Formerly SH21)
Our first-ever in-house movement, and an immensely stable calibre with a remarkable 120-hour power reserve, achieved through twin mainspring barrels. Built from around 198 parts, it's as handsome as it is high performance. Over a decade old, the CW-001 (Formerly SH21) continues to be a reliable and much-loved calibre and proof that strength and beauty aren't mutually exclusive.
- C01-44HPR-AL02-BT
- Watch Model C01
- Size 44mm
- Dial Colour Lemonade
- Case Material Steel
- Case Colour Steel
- Bezel Colour Silver
- Height13.25 mm
- Case Weight 80g
- Weight inc. Strap 88g
- Water Resistance 5 ATM (50m)
- Movement Calibre CW-001
- Power Reserve 120 hours
- No of Jewels 33
- Complication Type Handwound
- Vibrations 28,800 p/hr (4Hz)
- Timing Tolerance-4/+6 sec p/day
- Strap SKU08-BRAID-01-SXT
- Strap Material Braid Leather
- Strap Colour Brown
- Swiss made
- Handwound mechanical in-house calibre CW-001 with Power Reserve Indication
- The movement is in-house COSC regulated but it is not COSC certified
- 120-hour power reserve
- Brushed and polished stainless steel case
- Screw-down exhibition caseback
- Unique engraved serial number
- Multi layer dial, base brass dial with 7 layers of lume & top sapphire crystal dial
- Limited Edition 100 pieces
- Special watch stand made from bamboo
- Leather strap braid
- Eco-friendly special presentation case and owner's handbook
For that price they should be using the ..
Thanks for posting these up, Mike.
