In Conversation with James Lamb

James Lamb is the independent watchmaker behind UK-based James Lamb Watches. This month has seen the launch of his first series of watches – the Origin Series – comprising 4 watches cased in silver, inspired by the four elements of Air, Earth, Fire and Water. For this interview, I sit down with James to learn more about his journey into watchmaking, the inspirations behind the Origin Series, and his plans for the future.

In Conversation with James Lamb

WA:       To start with, could you tell me about your career to date, and about your journey up to launching your own brand?

JL:       I suppose going right back from being very young I remember always disassembling toys and things to understand how they worked. I do firmly remember being no older than nine, and disassembling a watch on my bed using a pack of those tiny screwdrivers out of a Christmas cracker! And I got it back together again, too!

In my twenties I was working as a locksmith and became interested in buying a good quality watch, so I did a bit of research and wanted to know why some watches cost more than others. I learnt how watches were made these days and all the amazing and Impressive hi-tech methods used.  it was a little bit later on that I wondered how watches used to be made a hundred or several hundred years ago and what crafts and skills were used to make them. It was about this time I knew I wanted to learn more and start on the path toward being a watchmaker.

The route I took to becoming a watchmaker was slightly different I think than others in that I joined a technology company where there was a small precision workshop that made small tools and jigs and prototypes. It was there that I learned how to make things precisely – often using horological techniques. The chap running that workshop was a clockmaker but had found use for his skills in modern industry.

I stayed with that company for 15 years until 2020. In the time I was there, I trained with the BHI to become an accredited horologist and I also started my own watch repair business to gain more experience and quickly found there was an abundance of work available which quickly filled all my weekends and evenings while I worked full time in industry.

This wasn’t sustainable and I was seeing more restrictions with parts for watchmakers, so decided to stick with the day job and cease the repair work for a while maybe until things improved for obtaining spare parts. I did always want to make a watch from scratch but to do so the tools, equipment and space required was something that would need to be bought and sorted out first of course.

As luck would have it, toward the end of 2020 an opportunity allowed me to invest my time and money in my own workshop to follow my long term aspirations to produce my first wristwatch.

WA:       When you first started exploring the world of horology, who or what were your main inspirations?

JL:       I think initially at the time I first started learning I had picked up a copy of George Daniels’ Watchmaking book (affiliate link), and reading through I could see that producing watch parts by hand, and relatively unsophisticated equipment, was physically possible at least.

From there, and in conjunction with my studies I learnt the names of other horological giants from history like Mudge and Earnshaw that produced incredible wonders, with what we could argue was even more basic workshop equipment. I loved the levels of ingenuity and skill and what was possible with that combination. So less inspired by any particular individual as such – but more inspired by seeing the possibilities if one gained the necessary skills.

WA:       During your time at the BHI, you were awarded a few student prizes – can you tell me about these and what you learned through doing them?

JL:       The BHI gives prizes to students that have produced good enough pieces of work during the exams; these are typically small sums of money or vouchers given to the winning recipient, whether it’s servicing something faultlessly or overall obtaining top marks in examinations.

One of the exams is a practical piece to be made and for that year my piece was regarded as good enough to win GK Hadfield prize and the Arthur Tremayne prize. I think it was actually a piece for a clock as I recall! I learned that although we all aspire and chase ‘perfection’ of dimensional accuracy, fit and finish etc.. it is something that is impossible to achieve. Each time you make something you improve and become a better craftsperson and your own perception of perfection adjusts and shifts tantalisingly out of reach accordingly.

WA:       You’ve recently launched your first collection of watches, the Origin Series, themed around the elements – earth, fire, air and water. Where did the idea for this theme come from and can you tell me a little about the collection?

JL:       Initially I was going to produce simply one design, but quite quickly I realised when I was writing down all the ideas I wanted to incorporate for my watches there was a real opportunity to offer much more. So the decision was to create a theme that formed a complete set which admittedly involves an awful lot more work – but has given me a firm foundation to build upon.

I wanted this first series to be a demonstration of craft as much as horology. Partially to drive my own skills further but also to liaise with other craftsmen and women here in the British Isles and beyond. The idea for the classical elements came about as I wanted to choose something that was going to represent, to some extent, the type of thing people can expect from myself as the creator of these watches and the Origin Series itself.

A variety of themes will be produced throughout the 50 pieces I make for Origin and will primarily use the natural world as inspiration.

WA:       Can you tell me a little about the process that goes into making the watches? With the engraved and enamel dials, what enamelling techniques are used?

JL:       My primary focus initially was the case making part of this project. It’s rare to find a company that makes their own cases, especially using the methods I do. As the designer and maker I’m able to offer each customer the choice of case size within certain allowances.

I take long flat lengths of silver bullion and through a series of steps, forming, bending, annealing etc create the main case shape body. It is then machined and shaped and profiled and then lugs are made and soldered on. Then it goes on to be hardened and polished then finer details are added like the absolute precision seating recess for the sapphire glass and the caseback.

As for the dials, I use sterling silver sheet and turn it to size and add the necessary features before I send it to be laser engraved and then passed to the enameller. They apply hand texturing details which really add to giving the enamelling a real depth and richness and dynamic element with light play.

Water and Air dials use the champlevé enamel technique and Fire and Earth are more of a basse taille type I’d say. The dial is then returned to me for finishing where I add the handmade ceramic sub-dial and very carefully solder on the handmade silver dial feet.

The casebacks are solid heavy gauge Argentium silver, laser engraved with different designs that represent the dial design in some way and then hallmarked at London Assay office. Each one is individually numbered from 01/50.

WA:       Historically, silver is not normally a material that is often used in watchmaking. Why did you choose to use this material, and what would you say to anyone concerned about the watches tarnishing?

JL:       The silver I have chosen is quite special. It is trademarked as Argentium silver and is quite different to sterling silver in a few ways. Argentium was developed by the British silversmith Peter Johns who created, with the addition of germanium, a silver that was more pure, harder, brighter and tarnish resistant than sterling silver. It’s totally hypoallergenic too.

I did discover it behaves differently when you solder it. I would say it’s more difficult than sterling silver I think, so relearning and understanding the difference was quite a process too.

WA:       What has been the most challenging aspect of setting up your own brand?

JL:       I think doing anything like this was always going to be difficult. That’s OK though, it’s understood this work isn’t easy and there will be difficult times and problems to work through. But doing everything in the middle of a global pandemic brought its own challenges! There was a great many additional delays I hadn’t anticipated, so being able to be at the point now where I can release the watches as things are more or less starting to return back to some sense of normality is a huge relief.

WA:       Once you have completed the elements watches, do you have any idea of what you would like to do next?

JL:       I do! There is a pretty clear plan for 2022 where in addition to fulfilling Elements orders I’ll be releasing a very small number of special pieces, including some unique watches – in addition to another theme set later on in the year.

Once those have been made and I’m possibly halfway through the limited series I will commence work on the second series, which will be a different case, movement and dial and functions. The expected release for the second, more limited series, would be either the very end of 2022 or early 2023 which I’m really looking forward to.

WA:       That all sounds very exciting! Thank you for your time and I wish you every success!

JL:       Thank you!

 

To learn more about James Lamb, please visit JamesLambWatches.com or follow James Lamb Watches on Instagram.

You can also visit our partners at The Limited Edition who are official James Lamb Watches retailers.

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