Cabot Watch Company

Cabot Watch Company
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryWatchmaking
Founded1972
FounderRay Mellor
Websitehttps://www.cwcwatch.com/

Cabot Watch Company (CWC) is a producer of Swiss Made timepieces for the British military as well as consumers worldwide.

History

CWC was founded by Ray Mellor, who served in the Merchant Navy during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. Following the war, he worked in the watch industry as director of UK subsidiaries of Certina, Zenith and Hamilton. During his tenure with Hamilton, he served as the managing director of the watchmaker's UK business, responsible for Hamilton's contracts with the British Armed Forces.

However they chose to close the UK operation and Mellor founded CWC in 1972 to continue supplying the British Ministry of Defence.

He named the business after the 15th century explorer as he worked in Bristol before the war and his son went to Bristol university where he decided to call the company Cabot Watch Company after John Cabot an intrepid explorer which he felt was fitting as he was starting a new exploration into uncharted waters.

In 1996, CWC was sold to Silvermans Ltd., a London-based retailer of military equipment and surplus goods.

Models

Initial models included the General Service Watch, and pilot's chronograph. In 1980, a dive watch was built to Ministry of Defence specifications which featured a rotating bezel with a fully-graduated insert, and automatic ETA movement.

Patrons

The company is a supplier to the British military currently supplying Black Divers watches to Royal Marines, Royal Navy, Royal Navy Submarines and other special units.

CWC chronographs were previously issued to BBC correspondents. One such model is still frequently worn by Jeremy Bowen, the International Editor of BBC News.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Historical Perspectives: CWC: The Watch That Replaced The MilSub". Hodinkee. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  2. ↑ "4 British Watch Brands With Deep Military History". Esquire. 24 August 2025. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  3. 1 2 "History of Hamilton | Hamilton Watch". www.hamiltonwatch.com. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  4. ↑ Silverman, Jon (16 August 2019). "Raymond Mellor obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  5. ↑ Addict, CWC. "Sinuous Course Navigation & The Zig-Zag Clock". CWC Addict. Archived from the original on 3 December 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  6. ↑ Hartov ·, Oren (8 October 2019). "These Vintage Military Watches Were Issued to British Forces". Gear Patrol. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  7. ↑ Dickie, Sebastian (17 August 2025). "The Monnin Case: An Overlooked Dive Watch Icon". Oracle Time. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  8. ↑ Nudds, Rob (12 June 2020). "What Watches Does The British Army Wear?". Fratello Watches - The Magazine Dedicated To Luxury Watches. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  9. ↑ "Sailor on HMS Kent jailed and dismissed for stealing elite watches used by SBS". The News. 17 January 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  10. ↑ Black, Henry (3 January 2024). "The CWC Watches Issued To BBC War Correspondents". Fratello Watches - The Magazine Dedicated To Luxury Watches. Retrieved 26 July 2026.