THE CHRISTMAS WATCH

Mappin and Webb, one of Britain’s top jewellers, has a history of producing fine watches. Every year until, I think the late 1980s, they used to produce a Christmas watch.

In 1984, I treated myself to one. As you can see, it is a classic design with its white face, black Roman numerals and gold and silver bezel and bracelet. For one of their watches, £85 was truly reasonable and equates to £500 today. Such was the design, the ladies’ model was pretty much identical.

Not only did I love it, but so many people, both then and since, have admired it and guessed a price many times what I paid.

Shortly after my purchase, my timepiece had its first baptism of fire, two years in Saudi’s dust-ridden atmosphere, which it survived unscathed. It took me and my family on the trip of a lifetime, touring Europe in a motor caravan in 1985. Never missing a beat, it has travelled far and wide, to Japan and the US, France, Greece and the Maldives, to name but a few.

As you can see in the photo, it is somewhat travel-worn. When my wife took it into their Regent Street shop for a service, she asked if it could be refurbished.

‘Alas not,’ said the assistant. ‘This is one of the best Christmas watches we ever produced. Your husband should either continue to wear it until it no longer functions, or keep it as a classic.’

In 2025, it continues to show its cast-iron reliability and keeps perfect time. I love it still and it evokes so many happy memories of those trips abroad.

Do you have a favourite watch or perhaps a piece of jewellery that stirs such memories? Write a story of, or around, one of those travels.

Happy reminiscing!