Image credit: Chelsea-Bijouterie
When we think of historic British watches, those with military ties often stand out: Vertex, CWC, Timor, Precista, and Smiths. These brands boast rich heritage and compelling stories, but with the resurgence of British watchmaking, they’re far from unsung today. Pair this with collectors’ growing appreciation for uniquely designed watches rooted in dressy principles, and one name emerges: Roy King.
King’s name was discovered during one of many late-night auction searches for uncommon yet captivating watches. Though I didn’t secure one of his pieces, the journey uncovered a charming, underexplored chapter in watchmaking. Yet, search ‘Roy King’ on Chrono24, and you’ll see ‘Did you check your spelling? Edit your entry, or try another search term’. As homegrown talents go, Roy King’s incredible life story led him to become a highly celebrated designer whose influence on jewellery watch design was profound.
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It was just after World War II in Watford, Hertfordshire, and King returned from his role as planning engineer on the production line of the Hurricane aeroplane. The plan was simple: set up a workshop producing jewellery before applying his eye for design to watches. King was honest about where his talents lay. Honest about his limitations, King never claimed to be a watchmaker, instead describing his creations as “jewellery that tells the time”. Over the coming decades, King would produce watches that truly embodied this mindset, and while some designs drew inspiration from Cartier and Piaget, King’s work showcased proprietary, charming visions. Yet, labelling him merely as a jewellery designer applying his craft to watches fails to capture the depth of his aptitude, a talent he began honing at a bench from a very young age.
In 1927, at just 14 years old, Roy King became an apprentice at M.J. Greengross, a prominent Hatton Garden jeweller. From day one, he was thrown into demanding conditions, working beside an artisan who would infamously smash imperfect work with a mallet. Despite his age, King’s dedication showed as he attended evening classes to master diamond mounting. Soon, he was crafting one-off pieces for elite clientele, including members of the Royal Family, through a Bond Street jeweller.
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By the 1930s, King’s uncredited work for Rolex, Cartier, and Asprey reflected his rising expertise. As the decade was brought to a close, a new challenge faced this 26-year-old man, as King fulfilled his duty during World War II.
The 1950s was the beginning of his foray into watches, but it wasn’t until the 1960s that the watch side of the business flourished due to a number of factors. Firstly, the import restrictions on Swiss movements to the UK were lifted, which meant King was free to use desirable and reliable Swiss movements, swiftly signing an exclusive agency deal with Bueche-Girod. For fellow vintage watch fans, that name will mean something, as Bueche-Girod was a maker utilised by Cartier, Bulova, Universal Genève; even Robert De Niro wore a woven herringbone bracelet watch in white, yellow, and rose gold from Bueche-Girod in the Martin Scorsese film, Casino.
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Another critical factor in King’s swinging sixties success was precisely that: it was an era in which people were receptive to decorative and expressive principles for the first time since the geometric lines of 1920s Art Deco. From the era that brought us space age on the one hand and a rising appreciation for brutalism on the other, the sixties was defined for its liking of boldness and flair, something King was a master of.
By the mid-1960s, Roy King’s workshop was a thriving factory, producing 25,000 gold and silver pieces annually. He became a prominent figure in British jewelry and design-led watches, pioneering the “bark finish” texture, which was later adopted by major manufacturers. He even created a bark-finished wedding ring for George Harrison and Pattie Boyd. His clientele included other Beatles, Tom Jones, and Saudi princes.
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King’s creations fall into two categories: classic and recognizable designs, and more expressive, artistic pieces. The former category often draws inspiration from Cartier (Tank Louis, Ceinture) and Piaget, sometimes to the point of being derivative. While these pieces offer good value for those interested in mid-century style, King’s true talent shines through in his more original works.
These more expressive pieces often feature the bark finish, large oval links, and unique details like belt-like clasps, Cuban link bracelets, rope twist designs, lavish lugs, and leaf-inspired dials. King’s workshop experimented with techniques like pouring molten gold through tea strainers.
His jewelry-focused approach led to collaborations with brands like Omega, resulting in 18k gold pieces with stone dials, bark finishes, and distinctive bracelets (oval, ladder, cushion cases). These Omega creations often bear Roy King’s name.
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In the 1970s, King acquired La Montre Royale de Genève, allowing him to create luxurious pieces with stone dials, diamonds, precious metals, and unique cuffs. He continued working into his 80s from his Mayfair showroom.
With smaller, dressier, and more distinctive pieces becoming popular among collectors, Roy King’s work is a worthwhile area of exploration. Pieces can be found on eBay and at specialist auction houses, with prices ranging from £500-£1,000 for simpler pieces to tens of thousands for more avant-garde precious metal creations.
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