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William Wood Valiant Collection The Red Watch 41mm Mens Watch
Ref. WWVR01
William Wood makes watches exclusively as tributes to the British fire service, and the Valiant is the brand's centrepiece. The crown carries a piece of actual brass salvaged from a British firefighter's helmet that is at least a century old — not a motif or a print, but the material itself, set into the steel. The rubber strap takes its texture from fire hose, and the seconds hand is shaped after a fire bell chime. These are decisions about what the watch should be, not decoration applied afterwards. On the wrist it reads as a proper tool watch: the matte black sandwich dial with its cut-out indices gives the Super-LumiNova sub-layer real depth in low light, and the red aluminium bezel keeps the whole thing legible without looking garish. At 41mm with a 49mm lug-to-lug it sits assertively, and the double-domed crystal with its blue-tinted anti-reflective coating shifts the dial colour subtly depending on the angle. The exhibition caseback with its laser-engraved ring means the NH35 is on show — a movement that winds itself from wrist motion and hacks cleanly when you pull the crown to set the time.
- Reference
- WWVR01
- Brand
- William Wood
- Case size
- 41mm
- Case thickness
- 15mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- NH35
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Red
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 49mm
- Power reserve
- 41 hours
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), Stainless Steel Watches (2,833) and Automatic Watches (1,417).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
Best of 2 retailers
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 Red alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | WWVR01 | 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
Both Goldsmiths and Mappin & Webb list it at £820, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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