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William Wood Valiant Collection The Blue Watch 41mm Mens Watch
Ref. WWVB01
William Wood began as a tribute to British firefighters, and everything in the Valiant Collection is built around that premise rather than incidentally referencing it. The crown inset is the detail that makes this concrete: a small piece of brass machined from a genuine hundred-year-old firefighter's helmet, which means every watch in the line carries a fragment of actual service history on the wrist. The seconds hand, shaped after a fire bell chime, extends that idea across the dial without becoming cosplay about it. The matte blue sandwich dial is more interesting in use than photographs suggest. Cut-out indices reveal the green Super-LumiNova sub-layer beneath, so the transition from daylight to low light happens as a slow reveal rather than a sudden switch — the numerals and markers seem to deepen before they begin to glow. The double-domed sapphire carries a blue tint that shifts the overall reading of the dial depending on the angle, and the anti-reflective coating on both surfaces keeps it legible in direct sun. At 41mm with a 49mm lug-to-lug, it sits firmly on the wrist without sprawl. The exhibition caseback is worth a mention because the laser-engraved ring surrounding it frames the movement as part of the tribute rather than mere mechanical display — a considered finish on a watch that has clearly been designed from meaning outward.
- Reference
- WWVB01
- Brand
- William Wood
- Case size
- 41mm
- Case thickness
- 15mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Aluminium
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- NH35
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Blue
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 49mm
- Power reserve
- 41 hours
- Warranty
- 3 years
Learn more about William Wood
Jonny Garrett founded William Wood Watches in 2017 and named it after his grandfather, a firefighter who served twenty-five years with the Newcastle and Gateshead Fire Brigade at Pilgrim Street on Blue Watch. In June 1966 he and three colleagues were awarded a Certificate of Merit for rescuing five children from a house fire.
The materials carry the story rather than merely referencing it. The crown, and on the chronographs the pushers, are cast from a melted-down British brass firefighter's helmet of the 1920s. Straps are made from decommissioned fire hose used in real fires, in the colours of the services they came from — London Fire Brigade through to Sacramento.
The detailing runs deeper than most themed brands attempt. The Valiant diver takes its seconds track from the chequered markings on the side of a fire engine and its seconds hand from a vintage fire bell. The Triumph chronograph uses fire-engine dashboard dials and gauge hands, behind a caseback reading In Case Of Fire Break Glass. The Fire Exit model animates a running man across the day wheel.
Movements are Swiss, mostly Sellita SW220 and SW510. A donation from every sale goes to firefighting charities, among them The Fire Fighters Charity, the London Fire Brigade and the FDNY Foundation.
- 1966
- William Wood is decorated for rescuing five children from a fire.
- 2017
- Jonny Garrett founds the brand in his grandfather's name.
- 2019
- The Valiant diver establishes the collection.
- 2021
- The Triumph chronograph adds a Sellita SW510.
- 2024
- Stocked by Goldsmiths and Watches of Switzerland.
Also in 3 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (4,007), Automatic Watches (1,417) and Blue Dial Watches (780).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 15mm thick, so it will not disappear under a cuff
William Wood Valiant Collection The Blue alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | WWVB01 | T1418073705100 | H82395331 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £820 | £720 | £790 |
| Case size | 41mm | 41mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Rubber strap | Silicone strap | Rubber strap |
| Power reserve | 41 hours | 80 hours | 80 hours |
| This watch |
| Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 41 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
What size strap does it take?
20mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 49mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16.5cm (6½ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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