BUECHE GIROD, DESIGNED BY ROY KING: A TIGER'S EYE AND 18K GOLD BRACELET WATCH, CIRCA 1971

Of manual wind movement, the oval-shaped tiger's eye dial with gilt hands, polished gold case with snap on...

BUECHE GIROD, DESIGNED BY ROY KING: A TIGER'S EYE AND 18K GOLD BRACELET WATCH, CIRCA 1971

Of manual wind movement, the oval-shaped tiger's eye dial with gilt hands, polished gold case with snap on the back, to a textured gold bezel and fitted open circular link bracelet, logo on crown, mounted in 18K gold, with maker's mark 'RCK' for Roy King, English hallmarks for London 1971, with maker's pouch and outer box, case 35mm, length 18.3cm, total gross weight approx. 88g

Roy Cecil King (1913–2000) was a pioneering British jeweller and watch designer known for his technical precision and modern aesthetic. He began his career in 1927 as an apprentice at M. J. Greengross in Hatton Garden, later studying diamond mounting at the Sir John Cass Technical Institute. During the Second World War, he served as a planning engineer at de Havilland Aircraft, where he mastered machine-tool techniques that would shape his later designs.

After the war, King established his own workshop in Watford, Hertfordshire, producing everything from tie pins to tiaras. By the early 1960s, when restrictions on the import of Swiss movements were lifted, he turned his focus increasingly to watchmaking, designing his own cases and bracelets while securing an exclusive partnership with the Swiss movement manufacturer Bueche-Girod.

In 1965, King built a purpose-made factory near Watford employing sixty-five people and producing around twenty-five thousand gold and silver pieces annually. His innovative “bark-finish” texture on rings, bracelets, and watches became a hallmark of his style and gained widespread attention in 1966 when Pattie Boyd wore one of his bark-finish wedding rings to marry George Harrison.

King’s ambition extended to the international stage: in 1973 he acquired the Swiss watch company La Montre Royale de Genève, creating some of the most luxurious watches of the decade, especially admired in the Middle East. Among these was an exceptional example featuring a large black opal dial and heavy bark-finish bracelet crafted by JPE, a renowned maker of fine bracelets for houses such as Patek Philippe. Each piece exemplified King’s blend of artistry and engineering precision.

Recognised for his achievements, King received a National Export Council Award in 1971, became a Freeman of the City of London, and in 1984 was honoured with a solo exhibition at Goldsmiths’ Hall. His work was later included in Treasures of the Twentieth Century at the same venue in 1999.

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