McQuaide is redefining what steel can mean in watchmaking, swapping its utilitarian reputation for something far more intriguing. At the heart of the brand’s recent debut is Damascus Steel – an ancient, artisanal material renowned for its rippling, woodgrain-like patterns that make every piece truly one of a kind.
Once favored by ancient Eastern swordsmiths for its beauty and resilience, the metal brings a sense of history and individuality to each McQuaide dial – no two will ever be identical.
Founded last year by Rob McQuaide, the brand quickly captured attention with a successful Kickstarter campaign in October, paving the way for its official e-commerce launch at the end of last month.
McQuaide’s opening statement comes in the form of the Q1, a bold timepiece offered in three evocative colourways: Crimson, Abyss, and Obsidian. Here, WatchPro speaks to the brand’s eponymous founder to find out more.
What’s your background and how did you get into watches?
I have quite a varied background, the family business was in engineering, I studied Music Technology at college and university, and I now work in Pharmaceutical Business Consulting alongside running McQuaide Watches.
My love for watches began when I received a watch build kit for my 30th birthday. The intricate assembly process fascinated me so much that I went on to build a replica of one of my favorite watches from sourced parts. But I wanted more, something with my own stamp on it, using a material I was becoming obsessed with but found either financially out of reach or only available in limited runs. That’s how the McQuaide Q1 was born.
What was the inspiration behind McQuaide’s inception?
The original Q1 prototype which I still wear daily was designed purely as a one-off bespoke watch for myself, built to a high specification. But the feedback from the watch community was so positive, I felt compelled to see if I could make it accessible for others. That challenge became the foundation for McQuaide Watches.
Why is Damascus Steel so important to the McQuaide brand?
My frustration at not being able to find a financially accessible Damascus Steel watch, or one that wasn’t a rare limited run, drove me to create McQuaide as the go-to brand for Damascus Steel timepieces. I didn’t want Damascus to be just a novelty, I wanted it to be the heart of the brand’s identity. To truly understand the craft, I attended a Damascus Steel making course at Boneyard Blacksmiths earlier this year. If you see me at an event, you can even hold the billet I forged myself!
Tell us the story behind the Q1 collection and how it came to be?
The Q1 collection began with my prototype case and the black ‘Obsidian’ dial. I also had two other dials made, the deep blue ‘Abyss’, inspired by the ocean where the Q1 truly shines, and the vibrant red ‘Crimson’, symbolising the adventurous spirit of activities I love, such as white-water kayaking and coasteering. In fact, some of the earliest promo videos on our Instagram feature those very adventures.
Uniqueness is one of your key brand values. How is each Q1 unique?
Not only does each watch have a serial number (like most) but the pattern on each watch varies. Some have a notch on the side, some have two, and others have almost symmetrical waves. It’s what really got me into this material. The beauty of seeing the watches in person at a fair is that you can choose the pattern you want, as well as the serial number. However people have reached out to be before asking which patterns are available, and I’ve always been happy to share photos of the existing stock for people to choose.
Build quality is obviously important to you. How does your relationship with Horologium work and how does this help quality control?
My partnership with Horologium came about by chance. When swapping dials on the prototype, I realised the Q1 was more complex than the replica I’d built previously. My own reassembly left the dial slightly askew, so I looked up local watch repair businesses and found Horologium just 10 minutes away.
After a tour of their facilities and an in-depth conversation about my brand, I was impressed by their expertise and setup. They now assemble every McQuaide watch and handle aftersales, and their precision and care give me full confidence in the quality of every timepiece we produce.
Is the e-commerce route the way you want to go or do you see value in bricks and mortar retail too?
I love nothing more than speaking to people at the physical watch fairs, not only about the McQuaide Q1 specs but the process of how Damascus Steel is made, so it would be a dream to have a brick-and-mortar store and have these conversations every day. Unfortunately, at the early stage of this business it is not yet a reality, but it is certainly an aspiration!
What’s next for McQuaide?
This November, we’ll be launching another crowdfunding campaign for an exciting new release featuring a smaller case size, bolder colorways, and a very attractive super early bird price. If that sounds like your kind of watch, sign up for our email updates so you don’t miss the announcement!