FAQs
Below you will find a list of frequently asked questions with answers. If there is anything else you would like to know, please feel free to get in touch.
Q: Where are your watches made?
A: Our watches are designed and manufactured in-house at our own watchworks near the market town of Marlborough, in the county of Wiltshire, in the South West of England. We manufacture as much as practically possible ourselves, which includes machining and finishing the watch case and dial, as well as the final assembly and testing. For parts that we don’t make ourselves, we always source from trusted UK based suppliers.
Q: Can I visit you?
A: While we have our own facility to design and manufacture our watches, we are not currently in a position to regularly host customer visits. If you would like to come and meet us, we occasionally attend various public events, trade shows, and exhibitions, which are usually announced in advance on our social media channels.
Q: Where can I buy one of your watches?
A: Currently, all sales are offered directly through our website. If we are attending a public event where the sale of watches will be offered, we will announce this on our social media channels.
Q: Why is your Model 135 watch called the Model 135, and what about the other models?
A: Good question, we often get asked this. In summary, it's all to do with angles. You can find a brief explanation for the naming of all DAWSEY models by clicking here.
Q: What is that tiny screw on the back of the watch for?
A: That is the pressure testing port for checking the water resistance of the watch. It also serves a second purpose by aiding disassembly of the watch.
Q: Do you make a Stainless Steel watch?
A: We have made Stainless Steel watches before, and also using other materials, during our development and testing phases. We like to do things differently, and we have settled on using 6082 T6, which is a lightweight structural alloy offering high strength and excellent corrosion resistance. We believe that the material chosen offers excellent properties of strength while remaining lightweight and comfortable to wear, and while also being hypoallergenic.
Q: Do you use sapphire crystals?
A: Sapphire crystals offer excellent clarity and scratch resistance, but they can be brittle and shatter easily. We build our watches to be worn and enjoyed, and have opted to fit optical quality acrylic crystals, which are incredibly strong, give a warm vintage feel, and most importantly, are shatter resistant.
Q: Do you use Swiss made movements?
A: Yes. We offer two movement choices in our watches. You can opt for either a premium Swiss made Sellita calibre SW200-1, or a Japanese SII/TMI calibre NH35A.
The Swiss made Sellita SW200-1 is a high-grade Swiss automatic movement known for its precision, smoothness, and long-term reliability. It features a 28,800 vph high beat rate for a refined sweep, a Swiss-engineered gear train, and modern materials designed for durability and accuracy. Sellita supply movements to many established Swiss brands, and the SW200-1 is widely regarded as a dependable, high-performance calibre suitable for serious everyday wear. Each movement is inspected, adjusted, and regulated by us in-house before casing.
The Japanese SII/TMI NH35A is a highly-regarded, solid, and dependable automatic movement from Japan’s Seiko Instruments Inc., chosen by us for its robustness, ease of servicing, and proven long-term reliability. It also undergoes our own testing and in-house regulation.
Both movement options are mechanically excellent. The choice simply depends on whether the customer prefers the refinement and upgraded performance of Swiss made, or the proven durability and practicality of Japanese engineering.
Q: How long does delivery take?
A: Each watch is made to order, with a typical lead time of 4-6 weeks. Once your watch is finished, it’s carefully packaged and delivered by bicycle to our local Royal Mail Post Office, where we opt for Royal Mail’s Tracked service, which is typically delivered within 48 hours. For international deliveries, we use Royal Mail’s International Tracked service, which typically takes 6-7 working days.
Q: Do your watches come with a guarantee/warranty?
A: We offer a guarantee for a period of 12 months from the date of purchase or service, which covers your watch, subject to normal use, for all faults due to defective materials, adjustments, or repairs.
Q: Are your watches waterproof?
A: Every watch is vacuum leak tested to -760mm of mercury, which is equivalent to 1 bar, or 10 meters (33 feet) of water pressure resistance. This level of test is suitable for exposure to handwashing and rain, but we do not guarantee or recommend full submersion i.e. swimming.
Q: When should I have my watch serviced?
A: Your watch contains a precision engineered automatic mechanical movement. We recommend a full service every 5-8 years, depending on usage. The design and construction of our watches typically requires specialist tools for disassembly and reassembly, so we recommend contacting us for servicing. Having your watch serviced is crucial to maintaining its accuracy, longevity, and water resistance.