Recently, I was invited by Nixon to pop into their new UK store in London’s Covent Garden. If you’re not familiar with Nixon, their background is immersed in boardsports and more specifically the California skate and surf scene. The store on Neal Street is very small but the interiors were so cleverly conceived and executed by the designers, Checkland Kindleysides, that they have created a store that has something interesting to see wherever you look. From the undulating wave of watch stands to the blue lighting you are reminded of the sea. A room of skateboard decks cleverly hides various watches allowing the team to make a different display every day.
The Nixon watch customisation bar brings the brand’s ethos to life “Team Designed, Custom Built”. Whilst at the store I was given the chance to customise my own watch. I chose The Time Teller, of the three watches available to customise it’s the one with the smallest case; the other two are The Sentry and The 48-20. It’s possible to start with any part of the watch, I chose the strap as I knew immediately which one I liked the most. You could start with the case, dial, strap or even the crown (the little knob on the side of the watch case). Through trial and error I went through a couple of cases, crowns and faces, and then decided upon what I feel is the ultimate combination, it’s very minimal and perfect for wearing everyday. The customisation doesn’t stop there, another little bonus is that you can personalise the back of the case with laser engraving.