EXCLUSIVE: A new era as UK Watch Awards launches
The inaugural UK Watch Awards will be taking place at the iconic Goldsmiths’ Hall in London on Tuesday 20th October.
The night will be a celebration of the outstanding work and accomplishments of the brightest and most innovative retailers, brands, and suppliers that operate in the UK watch industry’s ecosystem today.
“The UK Watch Awards is an event that an industry as magnificent as this one deserves,” said CEO Daniel Malins. “In its purest form, a gala event like this should reward those individuals and companies that are working their socks off at the coalface on a daily basis.
“There’s a reason why the UK has had the highest Swiss watch exports per capita in Europe since the turn of the century, and that’s because us Brits love our watches,” he continued.
“But the key to any industry is about what goes on in the trenches. Who are the companies brave enough to innovate their product, or to expand their store, or to take a punt on a new brand? These are the businesses that I’ve been lucky enough to get to know closely over the past 15 years, and the UK Watch Awards will be a celebration of these people in a way that’s never been seen before.”
The choice of Goldsmiths’ Hall as a venue has been very deliberate, according to Malins. “For those of us who work in the UK watch and jewellery industry, Goldsmiths’ Hall is legendary. It remains the home of the London Assay Office, continuing the 700-year-old tradition of hallmarking on the site. It feels so much more apt than a generic ballroom. This, combined with its jaw-dropping interior, were an irresistible combination.”
Hosting this year’s event will be TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher. Gallacher spent 20 years as one of the main faces of Sky Sports, and will bring a professionalism and charm to proceedings that will make the Awards flow as freely as the drinks.
There will also be a line-up of talks and seminars at the venue in the afternoon on the day of the UK Watch Awards, creating a real sense that 20 October will be a genuine coming together of the leading lights of the British watch trade.
The list of categories will be revealed in the coming weeks, along with the lineup of seminars and talks, and information on how to secure tickets.
