While there are many watches inspired by military, naval, or overlanding missions, there are surprisingly few in tribute to firefighting, despite the profession’s propensity for gear and danger. Sure, Sinn makes timepieces in their EZM line for German firefighters to wear into burning buildings, but they’re more utilitarian than conceptual; tool watches rather than tributes. Enter William Wood, a British watchmaker founded by Jonny Garret and named after his late grandfather, who was a decorated firefighter. All of the brand’s pieces are made from upcycled firefighting materials, with portions of the proceeds from each collection benefitting firefighting charities globally. With their newest—and perhaps most eccentric—timepiece, the Vintage Triumph, William Wood continues that legacy.
The Vintage Triumph capitalizes on the brawn of the profession it’s inspired by, with a beefy 41mm case diameter. The case itself is gold-plated with both brushed and polished finishes and promises 100 meters of water resistance, should the wearer ever trade fire for its natural opponent. The diamond-cut dial wears a celebratory shade of aged champagne, which is paired with polished gold numerals and a gold bezel with black markers, creating a rather exclamatory visual profile, furthered by the date window at the 6 o’clock position, and the subdials (inspired by fire engine pump gauges) at 3 and 9. Underneath it all is a Sellita SW510 Chronograph movement, which promises a 48-hour power reserve.
One needs to take a closer look to find the most meaningful details on the Vintage Triumph. The chronograph hand, to start, takes after a vintage fire bell chime and axe, while the seconds track mimics the checkered livery of British fire engines. Like all William Wood watches, the Vintage Triumph features upcycled firefighting materials: here, the crown is composed of melted-down brass from a 100-year-old British firefighting helmet, while the provided black strap’s rubber originates from fire hose. On the exhibition caseback, the William Wood name and logo can be found, along with the words, “IN CASE OF FIRE BREAK GLASS”, adding a cheeky touch to the otherwise very strait-laced and elegant design. The final meaningful nod comes from the blue-tinted sapphire crystal, which calls back to the brand’s namesake, and his 25-year station on the Blue Watch in Newcastle and Gateshead.
It’s nice to get a break from the never-ending flood of military-inspired watches, and even nicer to help support a charitable cause at the same time. The William Wood Vintage Triumph looks to be a fittingly extravagant tribute to one of the world’s most dangerous and undervalued professions.
The William Wood Vintage Triumph is priced at approximately $3,991 after currency conversion. William Wood
