The Seven Special Edition Watches Of Time+Tide’s FounderFest

New watch season is right around the corner, and our friends at Time & Tide are among the first to move, thanks to not one but seven new watches arriving in September. The watches coincide with the launch of the brand’s own watch fair, FounderFest, a show built around independent watchmaking and live music in equal measure. Rather than one exclusive location, FounderFest spans Time & Tide’s three Watch Discovery Studios: New York (460 Broome St), Melbourne (178 Collins St), and London (Portland House, 4 Great Portland Street), running 19–20 September, with New York serving as the event’s HQ, hosting founders, live interviews, and musical performances.

I recently had the chance to see—and photograph—every new piece coming next month. The watches go up for sale globally on 22 September via thefounderfest.com, which will also host the festival online for anyone not on the ground in one of the three cities. Let’s jump right in!

AWAKE — Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf ‘Ultraviolet’

Awake may only be seven years old, but in that short time, word has spread quickly on the Sơn Mài and its lacquer dials. For those unfamiliar, these dials are built from layers of natural lacquer applied by hand to the dial surface, then carefully sanded back, worked, and reapplied, a process repeated until the desired depth, texture, and visual effect are met. For the ‘Ultraviolet’ edition, they’ve added pure silver-leaf gilding and natural purple and black pigments, resulting in pieces of silver showing through depending on the light. All of this sits within a 38mm stainless steel case measuring 11.5mm thick, 44.75mm lug to lug, and is powered by the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic calibre. Here is where you’ll also find a quote from Time & Tide founder, Andrew McUtchen which reads: “Do not dream your way through life. Stay awake enough to build it”. The ‘Ultraviolet’ comes in at $3,650 USD.

Hands-On Thoughts

Awake has some real momentum lately. The brand’s understanding of how to produce truly fascinating dials in well-proportioned cases is a simple but winning formula, and this Ultraviolet addition is equal parts striking and wearable. An uncommon appearance meets a genuinely compelling craft—what’s not to like?

Baltic — Heures du Monde ‘Horizon Line’

Forever a fan favourite brand with a watch I’m sure will be one of the most popular on this list, Baltic brings a hot new version of the recently announced Heures du Monde Worldtimer called ‘Horizon Line’. First introduced at the end of March 2026 with three stone-dial variations, this FounderFest edition comes with an aggressive forged-carbon dial (it really pops in harsh natural light) and gives this 37mm pocket rocket worldtime some serious power. Despite that, the aggression is beautifully balanced by the use of orange on the inner 24-hour rotating indicator, as well as sky blue for each of the cities where the Discovery Studios are based (New York, Melbourne, and London). The movement behind this piece is the Soprod C125, making this a caller GMT movement, but referencing the external rotating worldtime bezel, a worldtime as well. The aforementioned 37mm width is matched by a lug-to-lug of 45mm and a thickness of 11mm, which, with 100m of water resistance thrown in for good measure, makes this one of Baltic’s most versatile tool watches to date. $1,795 USD is what it’ll set you back.

Hands-On Thoughts

This Baltic feels so right on the wrist. I confess that the worldtimer is my favorite complication because you get incredible technical functionality and genuine use cases without compromising the overall aesthetics of a piece—and this edition pushes that to the max. On the one hand, with its forged carbon dial and grey elastic nylon strap, the piece has that oh-so-desirable, purposeful look. On the other, it’s still Baltic—considered, youthful, and somehow subtle.

Beaucroft — ‘The Punk’

Confession time: recently, I’ve become increasingly drawn to watches with pink details. Sometimes it’s pink typography. Other times it’s been pink elements like hands or a strap, but in the case of the Beaucroft ‘The Punk’, it’s the entire dial. Here, the dial is a sapphire one tinted pink, instantly giving the watch a level of depth no other watch among the seven can match. The model itself is based on the brand’s Arc model – a 38mm daily wear-friendly piece with a 43.5mm lug-to-lug and a thickness of 10.3mm, but here the steel case receives a PVD black coating. It’s a fittingly all-or-nothing execution for a watch named after mid-70s British punk, and it’ll retail for $800 USD.

Hands-On Thoughts

This thing is punchy, punky, and honestly a ton of fun. Beaucroft has a strong reputation for producing classically formed watches with touches of charming British charm here and there. Think a rich fume hue, a stepped dial, even the curvature of its markers and hands. Nevertheless, ‘The Punk’ pushes the idea of an ‘understated Brit’ right out of its comfort zone. What’s particularly compelling, aside from the jet black dial furniture, is the matching crystal on the caseback revealing the Miyota 90S5 automatic calibre, a fine workhorse at a price point that’s hard to argue with.

Dennison — ALD Dual Time ‘Carnaby Blue’

This ‘Carnaby Blue’ ALD Dual Time from Dennison and Time & Tide marks the second time the two have come together to create a special edition (read about the first one here), and now they’re not holding back. While the dual-time function is of practical interest, the dial undoubtedly gets all the attention. Formed from a mosaic mother of pearl, the dual aspect of the watch goes past the two quartz movements to power the individual timekeeping aspects, with a Union Jack inspired motif emanating from the center of the left dial, while a pink, white, and blue bullseye reminiscent of the Royal Air Force (RAF) roundel as well as being popularised by a certain 60s English rock band occupies the centre of the right dial. The ‘Carnaby Blue’ comes in at 35.6mm wide, with a lug-to-lug of 37mm and a thickness of just 6.1mm thanks to the use of a quartz movement, and the entire look is complete with a rather perfect denim-blue strap pairing. This one can be yours on the 22nd for $1,090 USD.

Hands-On Thoughts

This is easily the biggest indirect hat tip to Time & Tide’s London crowd and Discovery Studio. It’s also one of Dennison’s most expressive limited editions to date, combining a visually strong technique with an equally packed design for those who want something unique.

echo/neutra — Rivanera Piccolo ‘Rosa d’Epoca’

You don’t need me to tell you that the small dress watch is on everyone’s lips and wrists nowadays, but I don’t think many brands have quite interpreted the design brief the same way echo/neutra has – and that’s a good thing. For FounderFest, the Rivanera Piccolo ‘Rosa d’Epoca’ takes its grade 5 titanium case (it measures 26mm x 33mm x 6.9mm, by the way) and pairs it with a dark grey grained dial with lacquered frame. echo/neutra breaks up the monochrome look with rose accents throughout the hands, ‘Rivanera’ only dial signature, and ‘Swiss Made’ typography on either side of the six o’clock date aperture. Powered by the Sellita SW1000, the piece will retail for $1,995 USD.

Hands-On Thoughts

If you’re anything like me, then I have a feeling that the ‘Rosa d’Epoca’ is going to catch you off guard. Those rose accents? Well, have a look at the live images, and you’ll see they’re actually a touch more pink in their hue (you have my attention, Time & Tide), and this element really gives the watch serious juxtaposition. A tough, grade 5 titanium watch, yes, but with beautifully polished straight chamfers. A dark dial with black lacquer, also yes, but offset by pink elements throughout. It’s all very high/low, and in person it works beautifully. I’d love to see this on the supplied black rubber strap as well to really lean into the contrast.

Furlan Marri — ‘Songlines’

Furlan Marri might be one of the younger names on this list, but that doesn’t mean their FounderFest creation is mediocre; far from it. The ‘Songlines’ takes a little from what the brand produced with its ‘Red Hunter’ and merges it with what the two companies produced with their first edition together, the Outback Elegy Cornes de Vache, into a totally new addition. 39mm wide, with a 47mm lug-to-lug and a 12mm thickness, keeps the piece proportionally sweet, but the brown, tobacco-like dial really steals the show. Fitted to a solid three-link design bracelet, the substantial feel of this piece continues when the hunter caseback is lifted, revealing the La Joux-Perret G100 caliber with 68 hours of autonomy. The Songlines comes in at $2,750 USD.

Hands-On Thoughts

Ever since I went hands-on with a prototype of its very first watch back in 2021, I’ve always had a real connection with what Furlan Marri produces. I’ve seen the brand evolve from an idea into one of the most robust small independent watch brands we have today, and this ‘Songlines’ proves just how far they have come. Firstly: that dial. Not only is brown one of the most under utilized colours in watches, but the design itself is remarkable. The mix of raised baton like markers with rounded dots, the sectioning of the seconds track, and those commanding hands really aid in this piece feeling like one of the most versatile pieces here.

Serica — Ref. 7505 ‘Sunburst’

Serica completes the FounderFest lineup with the 7505 ‘Sunburst’. This new model is arguably the most ‘vintage’ feeling addition, thanks to a few key components. Firstly, proportions. At 35mm wide, with a lug-to-lug of 41.5mm and a thickness of 9.6mm, the wrist presence here is just the right balance, made possible by the coherence of every component. With its bezel width, bold handset, and, of course, its brown fume dial finish, the watch has the feel of a well-sized vintage watch with no direct inspiration. And then there is the Bonklip bracelet, an addition that, much like the entire design of the ‘Sunburst ‘, sets this Serica apart from all potential comparisons. Powered by the Soprod M100 automatic calibre – that’s also chronometer certified – the 7505 comes in at $1,625 USD.

Hands-On Thoughts

Serica has an almost quirky appeal. They’re not Bauhaus, but the way Bauhaus has beautifully simple routes to achieving function yet takes a path no one expects is exactly how I feel about Serica. Where the Furlan Marri from earlier has a striking brown hue, this Serica is much more muted, oftentimes appearing dark brown, almost black when I had it in hand. This might seem like quite a tame pick out of these seven, but there’s a lot to fall for here.

FounderFest runs 19–20 September 2026, with physical events across Time+Tide’s Watch Discovery Studios in London, New York, Melbourne, plus thefounderfest.com for anyone not on the ground in one of the three cities. The watches go on sale opening 22 September 2026, also via thefounderfest.com. After that, they move to permanent availability exclusively through Time+Tide’s three physical Studios.