Ahead of showcasing the colorful collection at British Watchmakers Day this weekend, WatchPro’s Alex Douglas caught up with Jonathan Bordell to learn more about Helicon.
Delving into what was the driving force behind the brand’s launch, Mr Bordell shared how the husband and wife partnership is a recipe for success, and how retail and consumer relationships are intrinsic to brand growth.
WP: What was the inspiration behind Helicon Watches?
JB: Helicon was born from a desire to create the kind of watches we wanted to own—timepieces that blend thoughtful design, quality craftsmanship, and a price that remains accessible. Thanks to our long-standing industry connections, we were able to bring this vision to life.
But I have to stress—Helicon is a team effort. My wife, Danielle, is the designer, and while she shies away from the limelight, she is constantly sketching, making notes, and refining ideas. She’s worked in the watch industry since 2012, and I think it’s important to highlight that female co-founders and designers in this space are still relatively rare. That said, it’s fantastic to see more women gaining recognition in the industry.
WP: What is your working background, both in and outside of watches?
JB: Before watches, I worked in real estate, acquiring and repurposing old industrial buildings across London. The city looked very different back then, but I always had an eye for potential—whether in architecture, art, music, cars, or watches.
I’ve always gravitated toward unique timepieces, sourcing unusual watches for myself that often sparked curiosity from others. That curiosity eventually led me to deep research and study of horology.
Danielle, meanwhile, spent years in the film and print industry, creating poster and cover art for legendary movies. We officially entered the watch industry in 2012, somewhat by accident, and since then, we’ve been involved in marketing, distribution, and aftersales for European and international brands. We still consult—Danielle in design, myself in strategy and marketing—but Helicon is our true passion.
WP: What was your first watch? And what’s your dream watch?
JB: My first watch was a Seiko Sports 100 from 1980, which I still treasure today.
As for my dream watch, it would have to be the Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer. I’m fortunate to call Richard and Philip from Frodshams friends, and I’m in absolute awe of what they have achieved.
WP: How do other brands and designs inspire Helicon?
JB: I always keep an eye on what other brands are doing, but our real inspiration often comes from outside the watch world—engineering, nature, art, and even everyday observations. That said, it’s an exciting time in horology, with so much innovation happening.
WP: Color plays a big role in your collections. What’s the design process behind this?
JB: Color is a huge part of our design philosophy—especially for Danielle. She is constantly observing color and tone in our daily lives, keeping a scrapbook of palettes that inspire her. When we design a watch, she works closely with our dial expert, sometimes for weeks, perfecting the color, finish, and—most importantly—legibility.
WP: How important is British Watchmakers’ Day to Helicon and the wider industry?
JB: It’s incredibly important. First and foremost, we love meeting fellow watch enthusiasts, and events like this strengthen the watchmaking community. Collaboration always leads to better outcomes than working in isolation, so we’re thrilled to be part of such a dynamic and growing industry.
WP: Helicon is run as a husband-and-wife duo. How do your strengths complement each other within the brand?
JB: I tend to devise the projects, and Danielle takes the lead on design. Interestingly, we’ve found that our best working process is to develop ideas separately and then present them to each other. The final decision is always unanimous—either we both agree, or we go back to the drawing board.
WP: How important is the relationship with the consumer when growing a brand from scratch?
JB: Building direct relationships with our customers is one of the most rewarding parts of this journey. While Helicon may seem new to the public, we’ve been developing it behind the scenes since 2018, and many of our customers have been with us for over a decade.
We also host regular private events for our customers, and over time, many of them have become close friends. That sense of community is something we truly value.
WP: Do you plan to expand your retail presence?
JB: Absolutely. We already have a retail partner in central London who had a fantastic December. However, like with our customers, we want to build strong, meaningful retail partnerships. Any retailer that carries Helicon should feel confident that they’re offering something special—limited availability, exceptional quality, and outstanding aftersales support.
You can get hands on with Helicon at British Watchmakers Day on Saturday, March 8th and discover more HERE.