Double the benefit: Frodsham's miracle of English watchmaking, 13 years in the making

When the English firm Charles Frodsham & Co started work on its first ever wristwatch 13 years ago, the idea of “British watchmaking” was the very definition of an oxymoron   Back in 2005, Bremont was in its infancy; on the Isle of Man, Roger W Smith was just emerging from the shadow of the master, Dr George Daniels; and present players such as Norfolk-based Garrick and husband-and-wife team Struthers were not even a dream.

Even less helpfully, many of the best-known names in British watchmaking history had long ago been snapped up by Swiss companies – the idea of a contemporary wristwatch produced under a notable English name was already old hat. Happily enough, Philip Whyte and Richard Stenning, the two owners of Charles Frodsham & Co – a company that has been in continual operation since its founding in 1834 (descendant Simon Frodsham is also a director) – remain entirely content . More