While the Signalman may be the chewy center of Schofield’s brand, as much as someone may come for the watch, I have a feeling they’ll stay for the accessories. Schofield extends their aesthetic into a range of watch-related accessories that are the product of collaborations with other noteworthy British brands like Cro’Jack and Cherchbi. If you’ve just purchased a Signalman you’ll likely get the itch for the occasional strap change and not only will Schofield have you covered with a range of unique strap options, Signalman owners are able to buy the Schofield Strap Kit. The Strap Kit is a cool roll-style pouch, created in collaboration with British clothing brand Cro’Jack, that functions as a home for your strap collection and the tools needed for a successful strap swap.
Keen readers, or those who follow me on twitter, will note that among my many vices lies a healthy strap addiction. I am the proud owner (and curator) of a strap collection that greatly outpaces not only the number of watches I have, but also the number of possible situations in which a slightly different strap could be “needed”. With this addiction in mind, it is of little surprise that I find Schofield’s strap collection to be a subject of some fascination. An ever evolving offering of unique materials, Schofield has straps in Moon Mills Tweed, dry waxed cotton, Indian rubber (amazingly soft and quite thin), sharkskin, canvas (the nicest I’ve ever seen), vintage suede and water resistant English Ventile cotton.
Unlike any other brand I’ve come across, looking at their strap list I feel safe, knowing I’m not the only one with a passion for a special strap (or two…dozen). The tweed straps, available in both green and grey, for £140.00 each, are not to be missed as they offer a charming and professorial wrist presence for your Signalman. The black Indian Rubber is one of the nicest straps I have ever come across and I would gladly pay the £140.00 asking price if I had a Signalman (or any other watch with 24mm lugs). On either the polished or the DLC Signalman, the Indian Rubber looks amazing and is softer than velvet while still being water resistant. Schofield straps range between £105 and £140, which is an absolute steal for a strap of this quality. Those of you who have ordered an OEM strap for a luxury watch know that they are almost always over $500 and can easily push $1000 or more with a clasp. If Schofield ever expands their strap line to 22 and 20 millimeter options, it’ll be a painful day for my wallet. Be sure to check out the included video for a closer look at a selection of the straps, a complete list of which can be seen here.
The Schofield Strap Kit consists of a large panel of Moon Mills Tweed, adorned with lovely patchwork, that unfolds to present a home for up to eight straps, tools, lug protectors and lug bar storage. Packaged in an amazing box, no detail has been overlooked or treated like it didn’t deserve attention and care. The Strap Kit has the rustic nautical feel that can be seen expressed in everything that Schofield develops. Made completely in the U.K, the Strap Kit makes swapping straps on a Signalman something of an occasion. Much like a collector may select their watch from a decorative display case, they could then select the day’s strap from this kit. The Signalman will likely make you a strap guy (or gal) and the Strap Kit is a great accessory to feed the need.
The final accessory I am going to share is one that I have to admit I’ve looked at a great many times on Schofield’s site. The Schofield x Cherchbi Watch Wallet. A long leather travel wallet designed to hold two to three watches along with cash, passports and boarding passes. As is key with all of Ellis’ designs, the Watch Wallet is rich with detail. The Watch Wallet was made in collaboration with Cherchbi, a leather goods and accessories brand based in England and known for their leather and tweed bags that use locally sourced materials and reflect the heritage of British manufacturing.
The exterior is built from dark brown vegetable-tanned English saddle leather that has been sourced from the Clayton Tannery in Derbyshire, England. The Watch Wallet opens from the top with a red-trimmed plastic (non scratch) zipper with a leather pull. The side of the wallet carries a Schofield design and the motto “Fair Winds and a Following Sea”. The interior offers four pockets that are all lined in special materials and colors. The two outer (side) pockets are lined in grey Herdwick No.10 wool tweed, while the third pocket is done in Moon Mills Red No.15 tweed (super soft). The final pocket is lined with vintage 1950’s sailcloth with original markings and stitching. The Watch Wallet comes packaged in a lovely box that sports original artwork by Giles Ellis. Schofield or not, if you’re a watch lover, the Watch Wallet is awesome (check out the above video for a closer look). Constructed in England and in a very limited number, the Schofield x Cherchbi Watch Wallet carries a price tag of £468 with VAT (~$710). Is it pricey? Yes. Do really cool things often cost a fair bit of money? Also, yes. As a guy who often takes a few watches with him on trips, this is essentially first-class travel for your watches, cash, passports and other small valuable items.
So that is a look at the Schofield ecosystem. The Signalman is one hell of a watch and if you like the design language created by the Signalman, you’ll undoubtedly like the range of accessories that Schofield has on offer (only a selection of which is shown here). I really like the Signalman and think that either version, with a couple of spare straps, would make for an excellent day-to-day watch. If I had to pick between the Strap Kit and the Watch Wallet, my money would go for the Watch Wallet, as you could stow a few straps in there too. Keep your eyes on Schofield as they are a brand on the rise, offering a distinct appeal to watch buyers that may have grown tired of garden-variety lux options from heavy hitters like Rolex, Panerai and IWC.
Finally, the Signalman is a couple of years old but that doesn’t mean that Schofield has been sitting around with their feet up. Towards the end of 2013 they will be launching their next model, the Blacklamp Carbon (teased above), a limited edition watch that appears to be similar in shape to the Signalman but is constructed from lay-up carbon fibre. Estimated pricing will be around £8200 (~$12,385 without VAT) and Schofield has launched a blog to chronicle its development. schofieldwatchcompany.com
Necessary Data
>Brand: Schofield Watches
>Model: Signalman DLC GMT PR
>Price: £4050.00
>Size: 44 x 15 mm (52 mm lug to lug)
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Someone looking for an interesting and rare watch from an uncommon brand
>Best characteristic of watch: The detailed design and excellent DLC treatment
>Worst characteristic of watch: Fussy GMT complication requires pusher tool for setting