A timepiece for adventurous men: Haigh & Hastings watches

Haigh & Hastings was born from the dream of Matt Sears to create a uniquely Australian timepiece for the adventurous man, a watch that would fit our lifestyle of hard work and hard play. Inspired by the famous ‘Dangerous Men’ passage from T E Lawrence’s literary masterpiece Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and with a little help from Simon Haigh, commercial lawyer turned businessman, this dream became a reality in late 2013.

I met with James Ross, the third director of the Perth company, to hear a little of the Haigh & Hastings story. Attracted by the striking good looks of the M2 Diver awarded to the Man of the Match at Western Force home games, James’s interest peaked, and after the offering of a share he was in and hasn’t looked back.

The M2 Diver

The inaugural design of Haigh & Hastings is the M2 Diver, designed by founder Matt Sears. Born from his desire and vision for a dive watch, he built upon the classic set-up and made it unique with bezel colours and vanilla-scented strap options. And, of course, a little Australian laconic humour crept in, with the M2’s sapphire crystal-protected face stating that it’s happy at depths up to 300 metres ‘down under’.

The M2 is a serious watch that pushes the borders of a fashion choice, and hints at the luxury timepiece market that Haigh & Hastings may soon find itself in.

The M2 is a serious watch that pushes the borders of a fashion choice, and hints at the luxury timepiece market that Haigh & Hastings may soon find itself in. With the Japanese Seiko NH35A automatic mechanical movement, a bi-directional winding rotor, a manual winding feature, and a beat rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour, the M2 impresses for its price.

And when it comes to the band, Haigh & Hastings went abroad for extra quality to set themselves apart from their competition. The 15 combinations of colours and stitching options are Italian made and designed for the life of a diver. Non-allergenic as well being resistant to saltwater, UV, and odour, with a stainless-steel clasp, you’ll feel comfortable with an M2 on your wrist when you hit the surf, especially with a price tag that won’t have you doubting your sanity.