Keeping time plays a crucial role in our lives; it’s hard to imagine a typical day without a clock and clear timing. For instance, in the 19th century, having a reliable watch could save you from a railway accident. One Canadian watchmaker understands this well. Read more at calgary1.one.
The Origin Story of Barrington Griffiths
Mark Griffiths initially started by repairing and restoring antique timepieces—a journey that spanned many years. Griffiths was also a qualified industrial designer, which sparked his interest in exploring the idea of creating his own designs. This led him to question why he should only repair old watches when he could make new ones. The Barrington Griffiths Watch Company was founded in 2010. It proudly stands as the only company in Canada that designs and manufactures watches.
In 2011, Mark Griffiths took the internal movement of a 1940s Bulova pocket watch and created a custom wristwatch case and dial for it. He remembers this project as being labour-intensive and costly. Despite the challenges, he realized that there was a clear demand for unique creations, presenting a significant opportunity to capitalize on this niche.
Mark Griffiths established collaborations with local craftspeople: a machinist from Alberta manufactured the watch cases, and later, a leather craftsman from Southern Alberta joined to create custom leather straps using Horween leather (sourced from Chicago). All other components are imported and assembled in Alberta.
What Makes a Quality Watch?
A quality watch should be simple, elegant, and crafted from the best materials to last a lifetime. That’s why the company focuses on the quality of design, materials, and manufacturing processes. Barrington Griffiths Watch Company manufactures the watch cases locally and assembles them using Swiss mechanical movements.
Mark’s watches are mechanical, meaning they are either manually wound or automatically wound while being worn. Assembling a single watch takes approximately four hours. Before a watch leaves the workshop, it is thoroughly inspected for defects. The model is tested for water resistance and measured for time accuracy.
It is worth mentioning the watchmaker’s daily routine. On a typical workday, Mark Griffiths sits hunched over his workbench in the basement workshop of his northwest Calgary home. He peers through magnifying loupes, meticulously examining the watch components. He has created an ideal workspace where he is comfortable restoring vintage watch movements and assembling Canadian-made watches.
The watchmaker designs and assembles watches in his own home workshop. Barrington Griffiths’ manufacturing adheres to “Made in Canada” labeling standards. These standards require that at least 51% of the manufacturing costs be covered by Canadian goods and labour.
The Product Line
All Barrington Griffiths watches are notable for being almost entirely made from local parts. The exception is the automatic movements, which come from Miyota in Japan.
In 2021, the company released the Sandon Original. This is a robust model designed to withstand life’s adventures, tracking time using a high-grade Miyota 9015 movement. Key specifications for this model include:
- 24-jewel automatic movement.
- 28,800 beats per hour.
- 42-hour power reserve.
- A curved case with a 39mm diameter, 10.5mm thickness, and 48mm lug-to-lug length.
- The front and back crystals are made from sapphire. Everything, except the sides of the case, is polished to a mirror shine.
In 2022, Barrington Griffiths Watch Company released an automatic mechanical watch line called Sandon. The models feature a stainless steel case and leather straps with subtle red stitching. Mark’s goal was to create a classic piece that would last a lifetime, perhaps even outlive its owner, and become a cherished family heirloom.
Mark Griffiths’ approach has not gone unnoticed; in 2024, he received a “Made in Alberta” award specifically for the Sandon model. As the developer noted, this watch was inspired by the history of the Canadian railway.
Rising Interest
Barrington Griffiths Watch Company is a small business, but partners and clients highly value the efforts to manufacture watches in Calgary. This is an example of refined Canadian craftsmanship, not just marking time, but honouring history. Learning more about the company, the founder, and the models reveals an unquenchable love for the craft.
In 2025, Mark Griffiths noticed a significant surge in consumer interest in local production. This was partly driven by ongoing tariff disputes in the U.S., which led to increased inquiries about his company’s watches. For the founder, manufacturing in Canada has always been a priority. This dedication to Canadian production is a source of pride not only for him but also for his manufacturing partners and clients.
Prices for Barrington Griffiths Watch Company timepieces range from $500 to $600 (as of 2025). This is a reasonable value compared to many designer models. Mark Griffiths continues to do what he has always done: promote Canadian craftsmanship and local manufacturing.
