THE JOURNAL

Splitting his time between Los Angeles and London, Mr George Glasgow Jr is not only the creative impetus behind Mayfair’s renowned shoemaker George Cleverley, but fosters an especially intimate relationship with Hollywood. When we get to speak on our allotted afternoon, he apologises for being late to the phone – the opportunity to get a pair of monk straps onto the feet of Mr Chris Pine in his latest film was closing fast.
The American adoration is understandable. With a workshop on London’s Royal Arcade, rather than cobbler-central Northampton, George Cleverley’s handmade shoes represent the best of British craftsmanship at ground zero for men’s style. It’s therefore no surprise to hear Glasgow Jr has long had the “bug” for watches since joining the family firm at 18, given the typical wristwear of his clientele. It’s also no surprise he has a certain thing for Patek Philippe, one of Switzerland’s true grande maisons. And like a pair of bespoke Cleverleys, it seems his Patek collection is for life.
“I’ve never sold a watch,” he says of his ever-growing collection. “I buy to wear and enjoy, rather than keep in a safe.” Style-wise, it makes sense. Glasgow Jr is famously effusive in his admiration of Mr George Glasgow Snr, who, as a long-term star pupil of Mr George Cleverley himself, was bequeathed the business in 1978.
“Dad is definitely my style icon. He taught me to buy classic, to buy timeless and always aesthetically beautiful. So with a watch, I have to see myself wearing it 15 years down the line, not with a view to selling on. It’s like I always say: ‘invest in your bed and your shoes; you spend more time in them than anything else’. Watches are the same.”
01.
Jaeger-LeCoultre X Kingsman Master Ultra Thin Knife in 18-Karat Rose Gold

“I’ve decided to select my three-watch wardrobe in accordance with my holy trinity of essential watch types every man should have: dress, versatile and sports,” Mr Glasgow says. “In terms of the first, I must admit to a slight personal interest, as George Cleverley was the Kingsman films’ shoe of choice. But connections aside, this watch is perfect for me. I love alligator straps (leather is the family stock-in-trade after all) and I dress primarily in blues and greys – a colour combination that blends beautifully with the rose-gold metal here.”
02.
Cartier Santos de Cartier Automatic 39.8mm Steel and Alligator Leather Watch

“My idea of a versatile wristwatch is one I can take on a business trip, or travelling trunk show, which works equally well with a suit in the daytime for appointments, then transitions effortlessly to jeans and a sports jacket come the evening. This watch, thanks to its stealthy carbon coating, even stretches to straddling a suit and a leather jacket, with all the horological flair you’d expect from Cartier.”
03.
IWC Aquatimer Expedition Jacques-Yves Cousteau Edition Chronograph in Stainless Steel

“I may be a Patek Philippe diehard, but I do have a number of sportier brands in my collection, and IWC is a fixture – George Cleverley, MR PORTER and The Rake even collaborated on a limited-edition pilot watch two years back. I love this particular diving model for its pure ‘sporting’ spirit, in every sense. The literal sport of scuba, of course, given its capabilities, but also the mega-casual lifestyle that diving watches serve – the summery rubber strap, light blue and orange colour pops, the feeling of fun.”