I am, you are, we are Henry

It’s the mystery that endures, not the explanation.”

That’s what Cain tells Abel in “Parliament of Rooks” from the Sandman saga.

The crop farmer from the Bible rebooted into someone sophisticated and brainy, a fastidious dresser by Neil Gaiman is on to something. Mysteries can be quite delicious, indeed.

Take the case of this British watch brand called Henry London. Although it was established only last year, it already exudes the sheen of the vintage with its somewhat enigmatic origin.

In 2014, a couple of designers were going around Notting Hill in London, and in one of the market stalls they saw a watch from the late Sixties: the caseback had been engraved with the name “Henry.” Henry who? What’s his story? No one knew for sure.

Manuel Dacanay, the marketing director of Henry London in the Philippines, explains, “Seeing that watch made them realize that timeless classics should not be left in a shop unappreciated. People love all things vintage — Aviators, Chuck Taylors are being reinvented every year. These products from Ray-Ban and Converse get rebooted all the time to suit a changing world, all the while retaining elements of their original style.” Yeah, the DNA stays intact. And, oh, the designers who stumbled upon the “Henry” watch in London had an epiphany of sorts.

Dacanay says, “They decided to create a brand that would keep the 1965 look of the watch and at the same time bring it up-to-date in today’s modern world.”

Just like the timepieces from that era, Henry London watches are thin, have a tapered leather bracelet, elegant with their acrylic dome shape. The modern vintage look has become a hit among the fashion-conscious — from the color palette to the names of the collection: Highgate, Knightsbridge, Westminster, Piccadilly, Edgware, Chiswick. You guessed it, the names are taken from Tube stations in London. 

“I would describe the watches as… I wouldn’t say Scandinavian Minimalist… but they are clean, crisp, and have lots of character.”

For that particular watch from London Town, what gave it more emotional value is the engraving at the back.

“Henry London, which was launched in 2015, decided to bring this tradition back — because it means something to people,” says Dacanay. “Now, it’s one of the biggest-selling watch brands in Europe, and is available in 120 countries. It was a hit at Baselworld.”   

The Henry London watch has three things going for it: affordability, unique vintage design, as well as the special engraving service offered by each Henry London boutique.

In Spain, one watch was given as a confirmation token. A couple in London exchanged watches as anniversary gifts. And (this is Dacanay’s favorite) during a family reunion in Canada, instead of distributing tacky commemorative shirts or caps, a family had Henry London watches engraved with the name of the family and the year of the reunion.

“Suddenly, you have this affordable vintage watch that gains more meaning and becomes virtually priceless. You give more than just a watch. You create a simple statement, a heartfelt message, a special meaning you share with the recipient, the person you care about. And this personalization service is available in the Philippines free of charge.”

Dacanay hopes that as Henry London gets bigger, becomes more popular around the world, word would reach (one way or another) the original Henry or his descendants about a watch brand that he helped inspire — thus unraveling that mystery once and for all. But, nah, we’re going with Gaiman’s Cain on this on: the “Henry” in our heads is ultimately more fascinating than humdrum reality Henry.

One’s time on earth is short, but mystery is forever.   

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Henry London watches are available at Swissgear and Wrist Pod boutiques as well as Landmark and selected Robinsons Department Stores.