About

Reviving the Brand of My First Dive Watch: A Journey Inspired by Childhood Dreams

Reviving the brand of my first Sheffield Allsport dive watch has been a personal journey, driven by nostalgia, passion, and a commitment to excellence. It reinforced my belief that quality, technology, and affordability should go hand in hand, and in this case making exceptional timepieces that are desirable and accessible to all.

My main mission was to create modern interpretations of the original Sheffield Allsport timepiece that captured the essence of its predecessor while incorporating updated and improved features and technology. My vision was clear: a watch that would be synonymous with quality, technology, and affordability - all day, every day.

Typically, a project like this might seem intimidating, but for me I approached the design and development the same way that I have approached the many product development projects I have directed or have been a part of in my 30 plus years of successful sporting goods product development and innovation.

I am being transparent in the steps that it took to successfully develop and produce these watch models. It is no secret that many large and micro-brand watches, as well as components are produced in China. Some brands are going beyond and assembling the watch components in the US or Europe. I applaud that. But, for the most part many of the components remain sourced from Asia. These new Sheffield models were built in China using Japanese Miyota movements. And, unlike some other micro-brands, the country of origin is stated on the back of the case. There is no reason to hide. Someday, I may find another country with enough infrastructure and expertise to build my watches, but today for overall source and expertise China is a leader in this category.

Since 1992 I have made over one hundred trips to multiple countries in Asia, Taiwan, China, S Korea, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Cambodia working with all levels of factories producing both hardgoods and softgoods. I have also worked with factories in the US and Mexico where I hope we can return more projects and products to. I am positive most of you have been exposed to, and probably have used, one of the brands or products I have developed. I am very comfortable sourcing and communicating concepts and process with factories and deciphering any kind of language barrier.

Nonetheless, finding a reliable and quality factory partner, as well as accessory suppliers ,was slow coming out of Covid. It took two product trials to determine the right manufacturing supplier. And, in truth, this is not unusual. I was not in a hurry. I just wanted to get it right.

Many micro-brands and top-tier watches use automatic movements. I have numerous perpetual and automatic movements in my personal “pre-Sheffield” watch collection. I also own several high-end watches with quartz movements costing well over $500.

When I began Sheffield in mid-2023, I chose a quartz movement for two reasons. First, my core focus was to create a top-tier, robust chassis using 316L stainless steel, a sapphire crystal, and a screw-down crown to meet my 200-meter water-resistance requirement. A unidirectional bezel was standard at this level, and Japanese and Swiss lume elevated the build even further. An FKM Tropic band was one of the most expensive components of the build.

Second, the accuracy and reliability of a Miyota quartz movement outweighed the idea of over-specification and the additional cost impact, which was not needed to validate the total package and value of these new Sheffield models.

Since then, I have expanded the Sheffield range considerably to include Seiko automatic and quartz movements, Miyota automatic and solar movements, as well as Swiss Sellita automatic movements.

Testing was important, and before any of watches left the factory I had an independent third party testing facility perform pressure tests to confirm 20 atm waterproofness as well as quality and accuracy tests.

The expanding Sheffield model range encompasses everything that made the original watch special. Robust construction, unique design, and long-term durability support you on any adventure, just as it did for me in my youth. Seiko, Miyota, and Swiss Sellita movements guarantee accurate timekeeping, whether you’re exploring the depths of the ocean or navigating the urban jungle. And above all, Sheffield’s timeless design evokes the charm and sophistication that captured my imagination all those years ago.