British indie Fears Watch Company opened its first permanent boutique this week in its home city of Bristol.
Located within the arcade of Bristol’s Clifton Village, the store is just a stone’s throw from
Fears’ historic Bristol premises on Richmond Terrace, where it was based in the 1940s and 50s.
The modern Fears, which was relaunched by its founder’s great great grandson Nicholas Bowman-Scargill in 2016, also has its head office and workshop in Bristol.
“I’ve always believed that as good as our photography and videos are, you can only really appreciate the quality of our watches in the metal. The nuances in the hand finished dials and cases are best seen when the watch is in the hand. This is why I’m delighted to cut the ribbon on our new Bristol boutique in the beautiful Clifton Arcade,” Mr Bowman-Scargill says.
“I encourage as many people as possible to come and visit and enjoy the Fears experience with no appointment necessary,” he adds.
Fears hopes the new boutique will delight any customer who visits, and also act as a template that shows the DNA of the brand that retail partners can follow.
Mr Bowman-Scargill insists that the brand is set up as a modern hybrid business that sells direct to consumer while supporting a network of premium retail partners around the world.
In Bristol, visitors to the showroom in the historic Clifton Arcade can enjoy a glass of West of England sparkling wine, local beers and Fears’ own blend of Bristol Breakfast tea while perusing the full Fears collection, including boutique-only models.
On display and available to buy are the core range of Redcliff and Brunswick watches, along with the ‘Haute Collection’ such as the Fears Garrick collaboration piece.
Fears is expanding a range boutique exclusives with mallard green dials.
Great to see, I wish you success & look forward to visiting.
Dials made in Germany, movements Swiss. What is actually British about Fears watches other than they are assembled here. They are nice watches but I always feel that people are being slightly hoodwinked by many “British” watch companies. The original made in Great Britain Smiths watches were made in Cheltenham. Movements and everything else. To me that is a truly British product. These ones are not.