About us
We are the Second Hand Watch Collective, built on the experience and values developed through Ward Hoard.
Ward Hoard was created as a dedicated home for pre‑owned Christopher Ward watches. Its purpose was simple: to offer a trusted, enthusiast‑led market place for used CWs, with honest condition reporting, careful checks and clear communication. It has became known as a reliable and specialist source for CW pieces, particularly for collectors looking for discontinued models or less common references.
I’m Greg Hill, and I run Ward Hoard alongside my daughter, Esme. What began as a shared interest has grown into a project we are genuinely proud of. Esme looks after our social media and marketing, bringing creativity, fresh ideas and personality to everything we do. I oversee the business more generally and handle the practical side of keeping things running smoothly. Between us, we manage the day‑to‑day operations with a shared love for watches and the hobby that surrounds them.
Everything good tends to be her idea. Everything practical tends to be mine.
As our own collecting tastes broadened beyond Christopher Ward, the idea for Second Hand Watch Collective followed naturally. It exists to apply the same approach that underpins Ward Hoard — careful curation, transparency and hands‑on involvement — to a wider range of independent and microbrand watches that we genuinely admire.
It remains a family project at heart, shaped by enthusiasm rather than scale and guided by experience rather than trends. If you have a question, need advice or simply want to talk watches, we’re always happy to help.
+44 7352 453679
Why watches?
Ever since I was young, I’ve been fascinated by the measurement of time. Mechanical clocks emerged in Europe in the late 13th century, striking bells to mark the hours long before dials and hands were commonplace. By the 15th and 16th centuries, clock‑making had flourished: intricate mechanisms built around the elegant principle of energy travelling through gears and wheels, controlled by an escapement and regulator.
There are brilliant explanations online for how it all works, but nothing beats seeing it in action. For an early birthday, my daughter, Esme, received a model clock kit that demonstrates the power source, gearing, escapement and regulation beautifully. Watching her build it brought the magic of mechanical timekeeping to life all over again.
I own some antique clocks, including a brass‑dial walnut longcase clock from around 1710. Made entirely without modern tools or electricity, it still runs for eight days and keeps time to within around 30 seconds a week. The craftsmanship is astonishing — and humbling. I’ve no doubt it will outlive me.
Now shrink that entire system onto a wrist. From pocket watches in the 17th century to wristwatches after World War I, the idea of wearing this mechanical marvel on your arm is one of the things that keeps me utterly hooked.
Because a watch is a marvel:
a precision instrument turning energy into accurate time;
a mechanical heartbeat on your wrist; and
a reflection of your style, your taste, your character.
Contact us
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