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MICRO MONDAYS: Get red-faced and bronze-cased with the William Wood Valiant Bronze Ruby MICRO MONDAYS: Get red-faced and bronze-cased with the William Wood Valiant Bronze Ruby

MICRO MONDAYS: Get red-faced and bronze-cased with the William Wood Valiant Bronze Ruby

Time+Tide

Editor’s note: Having turned five last week, we wanted to point out the great timepieces and charitable efforts by our friends at William Woods watches. Being one of the first brands to volunteer a piece for our Watch and Art auction, we were lucky to experience both first-hand. To celebrate their birthday, William Wood released a limited edition of their Valiant collection in form of the Bronze Ruby, and while it sold out quickly, we thought revisiting it was worthwhile.

Perhaps it’s something we take for granted, but one of the things we can always count on is the valour and bravery of our local fire departments. And this was the impetus behind the foundation of British watch brand William Wood. Founded by Jonny Garrett, whose grandfather William Wood was a decorated British Fire Service member for more than 25 years, the brand has produced a compelling line of rugged yet refined tool watches since 2016. The entire range is intended to honour Jonny’s grandfather and firefighters worldwide, and the latest limited-edition William Wood Valiant model, the striking red-dialled Bronze Ruby, continues that rich tradition. 

When I first learned of William Wood’s brand story, I felt an instant connection. My father and grandfather were both volunteer firefighters, as well as my brother-in-law, who also served as his local department’s chief. Coincidentally, a segment of my grandfather’s business also involved the production of firefighting equipment, so the connection runs fairly deep.

The brand’s watches feature thoughtful details directly connected to firefighting, from the 1920s British fire helmet design in the William Wood logo, to the matched crown that’s crafted with brass taken from one of the very same antique fire helmets. In addition, there are unique straps made from upcycled fire hoses that saw action protecting communities in their native England. These touches are consistent throughout the entire product range, but the Bronze Ruby edition has some special details all of its own.

Part of the larger Valiant collection, the Bronze Ruby’s most striking features are instantly visible: the 41mm bronze case is only the second model in the lineup featuring this material (the first being the blue-dialled Bronze Sapphire), and it accentuates the deep, warm hue of the red dial. It’s sure to patina in a way that only grows more personal to the owner every time it’s worn. 

And that stunner of a dial? The deep, rich red needs to be seen up close to be appreciated, and it’s a colour not often found on tool watches, making it all the more unique. The dial also features two vertical indices at 12 o’clock, evoking the twin rank stripes of a fire crew manager’s collar, and the dial is surrounded by a checked pattern that recalls the markings on a British fire truck, a subtle yet clever nod to the brand’s history. Another detail is the aforementioned brass helmet logo on the top half of the dial, mated with three lines of text on the lower portion that strikes a nice balance. The dial itself is domed for added visual interest, has an understated date window at 3, and lights up like a fireman’s torch, courtesy of a generous application of Super-LumiNova, along with the broad, bronze-toned hands. As an added bonus, it’s also a sandwich dial, which means the lumed portion resides in a layer beneath cutouts in the rest of the dial, a la Panerai. The sweep second hand features a cool little Easter egg in its design, too: It’s meant to recall the look of a chime from an antique fire engine. Protecting the dial is a double-domed sapphire crystal, which lends a nice vintage vibe to the proceedings. The matching burgundy bezel works as you’d expect from the overall level of fit and finish, and has a lumed pip at 12.

With a lug width of 20mm, the Bronze Ruby should prove to be a strap monster, but you’d have a hard time finding more outside-the-box options than the straps from William Wood’s own line. You have your choice of straps made from upcycled fire hoses in red, yellow, green, or blue, and a new option made from repurposed “fire kit”, battle-tested fire-resistant fabric from actual firefighters’ uniforms. No matter what you choose, they all feature built-in quick-release spring bars for easy strap changes. 

william wood bronze ruby

What’s so great about the little touches on the entire William Wood line is that none of these small details ever call overt attention to themselves, or come off as gimmicky, they just work, and the fact that they have an actual relevant history is just so well considered. Even apart from its connection to firefighting, it’s an undeniably handsome watch.

Like the brave firefighters who protect us all, the Bronze Ruby should prove to be equally reliable, with the rock-solid Seiko NH35 movement as its beating heart. There’s not much more to say about the movement: it handwinds and hacks, and the fact that it’s become the standard for a majority of microbrands speaks volumes about its durability and hassle-free operation. It just works, so why would you mess with it? You can watch it in action through the screwdown bronze and sapphire display caseback, which also contributes to the Bronze Ruby’s 100 metres of water resistance. If I have any minor nits to pick, I might have wished for a more elaborately decorated rotor on the visible movement, but as it is, it does feature the brand’s signature fire helmet.

william wood bronze ruby

So if you’re searching for a unique tool watch with a red-hot appearance, the unconventional yet unmistakable Bronze Ruby might be calling you. In a nice touch, packaging includes not another overly large and unnecessary box, but a supremely more useful red three-watch roll.

William Wood Valiant Bronze Ruby  pricing and availability

The William Wood Valiant Bronze Ruby is available now for purchase here. The first 200 pieces have a limited edition engraving between 1 – 200 on the caseback. Price: $1,455 AUD / $1,073 USD

Made in partnership with William Wood. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.