Farer Watches: The Complete Brand Guide for New Buyers

If you've not heard of Farer yet you will. They're one of those brands that when you see the watches in person you immediately think someone actually gave a shit when they designed this. And you'd be right.

I wanted to put together a proper guide because Farer is a brand we get asked about a lot and there's not much out there that just lays it all out simply. So here's everything you need to know before you buy one.

Who Are Farer?

Farer was started in 2015 by four mates with backgrounds in watch retail. They're British, the watches are designed here in the UK, and they're manufactured in Switzerland. So you get British design with Swiss movements. That combination works really well because the British side means the designs aren't boring, and the Swiss side means the engineering is solid.

What makes them different from a lot of other brands at this price is the colour. Farer aren't afraid of it. While most brands at the £1,000 mark are playing it safe with black, white, and maybe a navy blue if they're feeling adventurous, Farer are out here with burgundy guilloché dials, aventurine moonphases, and greens that actually look interesting rather than just following a trend. They treat the dial like it matters. Because it does.

They also name everything after explorers which I think is a nice touch. It gives the whole thing a bit of character without trying too hard.

The Price Range

Let's get this out the way first because it's probably what you want to know.

Farer ranges from £875 at the entry point up to just under £2,000 for the most complicated pieces. The majority of their catalogue sits between £925 and £1,375 which is genuinely competitive for what you're getting. We're talking Swiss movements, sapphire crystal, well-finished cases, and dials that most brands couldn't match at twice the price.

Here's roughly how it breaks down by collection. I'll go into more detail on each but this gives you the overview.

Entry level at £875-925 is the Aquamatic divers (Final Editions, being discontinued) and the Three Hand Series II. The core of the range at £1,045-1,150 is the Cushion Case collection, Three Hand Series III, Field watches, Tonneau collection, and the Lissom hand-wound pieces. Mid range at £1,185-1,375 covers the Aqua Compressor Titanium divers, GMT Bezel watches, and the Lander GMT. Upper range at £1,450-1,575 is the Integra collection and the World Timers. And the top end at £1,695-1,995 is the Moonphase watches, Chrono-Sport, and the Monopusher GMT.

What's Inside: The Movements

This is where I think Farer deserves real credit because they're transparent about what they use and they don't cheap out.

For the three-hand watches they use the La Joux-Perret G101. This is a Swiss automatic calibre with a 68-hour power reserve which is properly impressive. That's nearly three days off the wrist before it stops. 24 jewels, runs at 28,800 bph, and Farer uses the Soigné grade which is La Joux-Perret's highest finishing standard, adjusted in four positions to within about ±7 seconds per day. For context a lot of brands at this price are using standard grade Sellita SW200s which are adjusted in two positions and are less accurate. Farer going for the top grade here is a proper move.

For the GMT watches like the Lander and GMT Bezel they use the Sellita SW330-2 in Top Grade, adjusted in five positions. This is the industry standard Swiss GMT movement with a 56-hour power reserve. It's the same calibre you'll find in watches costing significantly more. The one thing to know is it's a "caller" GMT not a "flyer," meaning you adjust the 24-hour hand independently rather than the 12-hour hand. For most people that won't matter at all but if you're specifically after a true GMT where the local hour hand jumps, that's a different movement entirely and usually costs a lot more.

The World Timers use the Sellita SW331-2, a custom variant where the GMT hand has been replaced by a rotating 24-hour disc. That's a proper bespoke movement, not just a standard calibre dropped in.

The Aqua Compressor Titanium divers also use the La Joux-Perret G101 in Soigné grade, same as the three-hand watches. The Integra collection uses the Sellita SW300-1 in Top Grade, adjusted in five positions with a 56-hour power reserve. The chronographs are on higher-end Sellita movements, and the Monopusher GMT models use hand-wound Sellita calibres from the SW530 family. All Swiss, all proven, all serviceable by any competent watchmaker.

The point is there's nothing in the Farer range that's going to give you movement anxiety. These are established, reliable calibres used across the industry. Farer just spec them well.

The Collections: What to Actually Buy

Right, let me walk you through each collection so you know what's what.

Three Hand Series (£925-1,045)

This is where Farer started and it's still the heart of the brand. Simple three-hand watches, no date, just hours minutes and seconds. The Series II models like the Discovery start at £925 and use the La Joux-Perret G101. The newer Series III watches like the Resolute III and Alert are £1,045 and push the dial work even further.

If you want a clean everyday watch with character, this is where to look. The dials are where Farer really shows what they can do. Textures, colour gradients, applied indices. It's the kind of detailing you'd expect on something much more expensive.

The Discovery is available from £925 and there are both 36mm and 39mm options across the Three Hand range which is good because not everyone wants the same size. The Resolute 36mm is the smaller option if you've got a slimmer wrist.

Cushion Case (£1,045-1,075)

The Stanhope, Mansfield, Benham, and the rest. These have a distinctive cushion-shaped case that gives them a vintage feel without looking like a costume piece. Same La Joux-Perret movement, same level of dial work, just a different case shape. If you like something with a bit more personality on the wrist than a standard round case, these are worth a look. The Lethbridge Gold at £1,075 adds a gold-toned case which genuinely looks great.

Lissom (£1,150)

These are hand-wound, powered by the La Joux-Perret D100 (based on the legendary Peseux 7001). No automatic rotor means the watch is just 7.95mm thick at 38mm across. That's properly slim. 50-hour power reserve, Soigné grade with blued screws and Côtes de Genève finishing. Five colour options named after botanists with ties to British scientific history. If you like the ritual of winding a watch in the morning and you want something slim with Farer's colour approach, the Lissom collection is it.

Field (£1,095)

The Lomond, Pembroke, and Exmoor. Military-inspired field watches on bracelets. These are the most tool-watch-like things in the Farer range. If you want something a bit more rugged and everyday-practical, the Field collection does that without losing the design quality that makes Farer what it is.

Tonneau (£1,095 — Final Editions)

The New York, Milan, and Paris. Barrel-shaped cases inspired by 1970s cushion-cased designs, with a clean two-hand layout (no seconds hand). Powered by the Sellita SW300-1 in Special Elaboré grade, modified to remove the seconds function, with a colour-matched vapour-coated rotor visible through the caseback. At 35mm with a 45mm lug-to-lug, these are compact and wear brilliantly. The dials are the star here, each with lacquered textured finishes and concentric ridge patterns. These are Final Editions so once they're gone, they're gone. If you want something genuinely different from Farer's round-cased lineup, grab one while you can.

Aqua Compressor Titanium (£1,185-1,275)

The Endeavour, Hecla, and Endeavour Ocean Blue. These are Farer's proper dive watches in 41mm grade 2 titanium cases which keeps them incredibly light at just 62g. Powered by the La Joux-Perret G101 (same movement as the three-hand watches) with 300m water resistance thanks to a genuine super compressor case design where water pressure actually increases the seal. Twin screw-down crowns, one for the time and one for the internal rotating bezel. If you want a Farer you can genuinely wear in the water without thinking about it, this is the one. Farer also donates a portion of each sale to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust which is a nice touch.

Integra (£1,450-1,550)

This is one of the newer collections and it's Farer doing an integrated bracelet sports watch. The Perlarum (mother-of-pearl), Viridis (malachite), Cuprum (salmon), and Tenebris (blue). At 38.5mm with a Top Grade Sellita SW300-1 movement (a step above the SW200, adjusted in five positions with a 56-hour power reserve), these are serious watches. The bracelet tapers from 24mm to 16mm with on-the-fly micro-adjustment and quick-release spring bars. Comes with a rubber strap too. If you want something dressier on a bracelet with more character than the usual suspects, worth a look.

GMT Bezel (£1,325)

Four models here: the Maze III and Crooms III at 40mm, and the Maze Blue and Charlton Green at 38mm. These pair the Top Grade Sellita SW330-2 GMT movement (adjusted in five positions for superior accuracy, same architecture as the Lander, with a proper independently adjustable GMT hand) with a bidirectional rotating 24-hour bezel protected by a sapphire insert. So you get both a GMT hand and a bezel which makes tracking timezones even easier. 200m water resistance, ski-slope lug design, and Farer's typical colour confidence cranked up to eleven. If you travel and want something rugged with character, these are brilliant.

Lander GMT (£1,375)

This is Farer's proper GMT with the Sellita SW330-2. The Lander IV comes in 36mm and 39.5mm which again shows Farer actually thinking about wrist sizes rather than just making everything 42mm. At £1,375 for a Swiss GMT with a 56-hour power reserve, the value here is strong. Really strong.

World Timer (£1,525-1,575)

This is probably what Farer is most known for in the enthusiast community and for good reason. A world timer complication at this price is almost unheard of. The Foxe, Roché, and new Thorne models have guilloché dials with Lumicast indices and a full 24-timezone display. 39mm case, 45mm lug-to-lug, 11mm thick, 100m water resistant. They wear brilliantly.

The movement here is the Sellita SW331-2, a custom variant where the standard GMT hand has been replaced with a rotating 24-hour disc. That disc combined with the bidirectional internal bezel lets you read the time in any timezone at a glance. 56-hour power reserve, Elaboré grade adjusted in four positions. Farer launched their World Timer back in 2019 before the complication got trendy, so they've had years to refine the design while other brands are just catching up.

The new Thorne and Foxe Gold models with gold PVD cases are £1,575 and honestly they look like they cost three times that.

If you want the most impressive Farer for the money, it's this.

Moonphase (£1,695-1,825)

The Halley, Baily, Stratton, and Burbidge. These combine a date display with a large hand-painted moonphase complication in Farer's cushion case. The Baily has a natural aventurine stone dial which looks absolutely stunning (limited to 250 pieces). The newer Stratton has a natural Eisenkiesel stone dial with a gold PVD case, while the Burbidge Eastern Arabic edition (limited to 100 pieces) has an arctic blue sunburst dial with Eastern Arabic numerals. All hand-wound on the Sellita SW288-1 in Elaboré grade with an 18-jewel movement, 45-hour power reserve, and adjusted in three positions. At £1,695-1,825 these are Farer's dressiest watches and they're competing with stuff that costs significantly more.

Chrono-Sport (£1,775) and Monopusher GMT (£1,995)

The top of the range. The Carnegie and Bernina chronographs come in titanium cases which keeps the weight down, powered by the hand-wound Sellita SW510M b with a 63-hour power reserve and 23 jewels. The limited edition Moritz Green (100 pieces) rounds out the Chrono-Sport lineup. At £1,775 these are proper hand-wound chronographs with ceramic bezels in a titanium case, which is genuinely rare at this price. The Segrave Monopusher GMT at £1,995 is Farer's most complicated piece, combining a monopusher chronograph with a GMT function in the same watch, powered by a hand-wound Sellita SW530-family movement with a 62-hour power reserve. The Cobb is another Monopusher GMT model that appears periodically when available. These are for people who already know they love the brand and want the full experience.

How Does Farer Compare?

At the £925-1,375 range Farer is competing with brands like Christopher Ward, Baltic, Tissot, and Hamilton. Here's my honest take on where they sit.

Christopher Ward probably offers better pure value on the spec sheet, especially with the C63 Sealander range. But Farer's dials and design language are in a different league. If you care more about how a watch looks and feels, Farer wins.

Baltic is the closest competitor in terms of design philosophy. Both do colour well, both have that independent spirit. Baltic tends to be slightly cheaper but Farer's movement choices are generally a step up.

Tissot and Hamilton give you the backing of the Swatch Group and wider availability, but their designs are more conservative. If you want something that looks like everybody else's watch, go there. If you want something with genuine personality, Farer is the answer.

Where to Buy

Farer sells direct from their website at farer.com. Free worldwide shipping, free 30-day returns, and complimentary engraving. They also have a showroom you can visit if you want to see the watches in person which I'd always recommend if you can.

On the pre-owned market you'll find Farer on Chrono24, eBay, and various watch forums. Resale values have been solid because the brand has built a genuine following rather than relying on hype. If you're looking for a specific discontinued model or want to save a bit, pre-owned is a decent route.

Final Thoughts

I'll be real with you, Farer is one of those brands that I think anyone who cares about watches should know about. They're doing something genuinely different. Not different for the sake of it, but different because the people behind it actually care about making interesting watches that don't look like everything else on the market.

The dials are consistently some of the best in the independent space. The movement choices show they're not cutting corners. The pricing is fair for what you get. And they're doing all of this as an independent brand without the backing of some massive conglomerate. That takes character.

If you're looking at your first £1,000 watch or your tenth, Farer deserves to be on your list.