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A BEAUTIFUL STORY
Our Story
who was william wood?
William Wood was the name of our Founder's late grandfather. He served in the British Fire Service for over 25 years winning commendations for his acts of bravery. He was stationed at Pilgrim Street for the Newcastle & Gateshead Fire Brigade on the Blue Watch. He passed away in 2009 but his legacy lives on in our watches.
a real hero
My grandfather was without doubt a hero and incredible man. On 29th June 1966 he and 3 fellow firefighters saved 5 small children aged between 5 and 1 from a severe house fire. They were all awarded with a Certificate of Merit for their courage and bravery which was the first Certificate to ever be awarded in the history of the Newcastle & Gateshead Fire Brigade.
a role model
Our Founder Jonny looked up to his grandfather as a charismatic, loving and strong character. He knew that building his lifelong career around him would get him out of bed every morning ready to take on the world. Each watch we make has his grandfather's legacy beating through each component and is a tribute to all firefighters past or present who are our everyday heroes.
our iconic logo
Our iconic logo represents the side profile of a 1920's British firefighter's helmet. It signifies heroism and bravery and we are proud to have it located on our watch dials and crowns for the world to see and appreciate.
history in every watch
Whether it's melting down an original 1920's British brass firefighter's helmet and placing it in the back of our Chivalrous Collection or using blue upcycled fire hose from our Founder's grandfather's fire region of Tyne and Wear. Every single William Wood watch has real British firefighting history beating through every component.
message from our founder
Dear reader,
When I set out on this journey in 2016 I had one goal in mind. To build outstanding, unique watches, honouring my grandfather’s legacy, that represent firefighters and first responders around the world. I never knew how far this journey would take us.
Today, we are in the top 10 independent watchmakers in Great Britain, have donated over £120,000 to firefighting charities, and are stocked with some of the world's leading watch retailers such as Watches of Switzerland Group.
We have had the privilege of being featured in some of the world’s leading publications such as the New York Times, Forbes and Financial Times. We have also produced watches for fire departments around the globe, including the largest fire department in the world, the New York Fire Department. One of my proudest moments was seeing this very watch, with my grandfather’s name on the dial, displayed in the FDNY Store in the Rockefeller Centre, Manhattan.
Sadly my grandfather past away in 2009, and never got to see William Wood Watches. But I am sure he has been with us on this journey in spirit.
The best part of the journey for me is being able to see you, the enthusiast, the firefighter, the parent, the child, the grandparent, enjoy our watches, and share the story of our brand with your family and loved ones.
We have grand plans ahead to bring our watches to a city near you and I hope that you join us as we look to set the world alight.
Best,
Jonny Garrett
Founder & CEO
Jonny's GO TO WATCH
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