Accurist 7366 Mens Blue Retro Racer Chronograph Watch

Product Information

Being a fan of vintage watches (I own at least 3 pre-1980 Seikos), and motorsport, the 1960's square, Tag Heuer-esque auto racing vibe of the Accurist Retro Racer was appealing, and it is clearly done very well. A week later the watch arrived and didn't disappoint. The box is small, in a matte-shine dark purple, with flip-top and viewing window, and presents very well. Worth keeping. By the 1960s the company’s sub-brand, Old England, was seen as a desirable addition to the wardrobes of the country’s fashionable youth. Accurist expanded internationally, opened a showroom on the US and offices in the heart of Switzerland’s watch industry. Although now manufactured in Japan, the brand was still at the forefront of popular British culture. They were then able to avoid the worst of the competition from quartz watches by embracing the technology, switching production to Japan and subsequently to China.

Taking into consideration everything that I’ve discussed above. The British history, the brand’s involvement with the youth culture of the swinging sixties and the new ownership, these are my current favourite Accurist models. English watch manufacturer Accurist has made itself a household name thanks to its production of high-quality, attractive wrist wear. Accurist creates watches for men and women, providing options for a variety of style preferences. Almost exclusively analogue, many with chronograph function, the collection includes everything from vintage to ultra-modern designs, with beautiful faces featured on leather and metallic bracelets.The women's watches are nothing short of stunning. Having expanded the business to include the distribution of Versace watches, the three Loftus brothers ultimately sold Accurist to Time Products Ltd. This acquisition, in 2014, ended nearly 70 years of family ownership - although the business is still British owned, with headquarters in Leicestershire, England. The watches are of course, made in the far-east, but there's an elevated sense of trust that the watch will be above par when the company behind it has heritage. At a moderate 40mm I feel it wears large on my 7" inch (approx. 18cm) wrist, but I have a phobia of large watches, so I'm quite unforgiving of watches that wear bigger than perhaps they should.Despite the intention to produce affordable watches, the company was also keen to promote the quality of their products. They advertised their watches on TV using the slogan Accurist 21 Jewels - a reference to the 21 jewel lever movement used in their watches.

The new ownership of the company is important when looking at Accurist. Time Products Ltd is owned by Marcus Margulies who has been described as a Bond Street luxury watch legend. He was raised in a watchmaking family, worked at several Swiss watch factories and now has the best collection of Audemars Piguet wristwatches outside of the company museum. On first impressions the Retro Racer 7367 is both handsome and elegant, as well as eye-catching in it's retro departure from conventional round watch cases.He’s a dealer in rare and collectable watches and also owns Sekonda, Limit and Accurist. Like Sekonda - a company created by his father - Accurist is an entry-level watch brand. By the 1960s, Asher’s two brothers were also involved in the family business. Richard, a recent University graduate, created a new sub-brand - Old England. This collection was marketed to fashion-conscious youth. The designs were bold, colourful and ultimately as much a part of the swinging sixties as the mini-skirt. Indeed, Twiggy was one of those who wore the watch, along with The Beatles and Princess Anne. Having launched the Old England line worldwide in 1967, the company created a US showroom and then a Swiss office a year later. Accurist was truly an international brand, with a foot in the United States and a base in La Chaux de Fonds - the heart of Swiss watchmaking.

The introduction of quartz watches killed many watch companies during the 1970s. Accurist pre-empted the worst of this by switching production from Switzerland to Japan and embracing the new technological innovations. Continuing their marketing efforts, they had celebrities including John Cleese advertise their watches and their new digital models were worn by the pilots of the newly launched Concorde aircraft. Although no longer family-owned, the brand is still in British hands - now held by Marcus Margulies, owner of Sekonda and Limit. The Accurist company was founded by the Loftus family - originally Russian immigrants who came to Britain at the beginning of the 1900s. By the 1940s the family was settled here and one the children, Asher, was already involved in the watch trade. From humble beginnings, as a small family ran firm in post-war Britain, Accurist grew to be the watch worn on the wrists of The Beatles. The husband and wife founders had a clear vision - to produce affordable British watches built from Swiss components. The thing we like about this is that the case has those rounded angles on its old fashioned TV dial look. Accurist has been making round case chronographs for ages, but since they dropped the Sekonda Monaco homage, they haven’t really produced anything a bit different from most of the budget fashion quartz watches out there. (Yes, Sekonda, Limit and Accurist are owned by the same company)This is the first of a couple of Accurist divers that caught my attention. Often dive watches are at the core of a brands range, but Accurist made their name with classic British watches - a marketing tool that they still use - so dive models aren’t over-represented in their line. They specialise in very affordable quartz watches, with an emphasis on classic British styling. As a British watch fan, I’ve had a fair few Accurist models through my hands over the years. I’d like to take you through a little of the brand’s history and then present a list of what I believe are the seven best Accurist watches currently available.