Mr. Duckworth joined the family business full time in 1976 at age 21. He later worked with Heuer, then TAG Heuer, in various capacities for a couple of decades. After LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton acquired TAG Heuer in 1999, he oversaw the parent company’s British watch and jewelry operations until 2001. After a couple of decades working as a consultant to brands including Ulysse Nardin and Hermès, he introduced Duckworth Prestex in 2021.
“I eventually thought, ‘I’ve really got to launch my own brand,’” he said. “I’ve always wanted to do that. It was going to be Duckworth. I was talking to my mum through it — this was about four years ago — and it was her who said, ‘Well, why aren’t you calling it Prestex?’ As soon as she said that, I thought, ‘Yeah, of course.’”
Duckworth Prestex watches are sold primarily on its own website or through the websites of retailers like Watches of Switzerland and Mappin & Webb. Timepieces purchased direct from Duckworth Prestex’s website include a handwritten thank you note from Mr. Duckworth.
“I like that personal service,” Kevin Eke, a retired sales director in Ripon, England, said by phone. He said he bought his first Duckworth Prestex, a royal blue Belmont dive watch with a matching rubber strap, about a year ago and then bought three more.
“I just want value for money and good customer service,” he added. “I think he ticks all the boxes on that side. “
Duckworth Prestex has four full-time employees, including Mr. Duckworth and his wife, Wendy. All work remotely. Mr. Duckworth said the watch company had sold about 2,500 watches since its debut, though he would not share revenue details. This year, he plans to introduce more styles, including a 40-millimeter automatic GMT for around £750 this fall.
