‘Cor Blimey’ Friday is an occasional end of the week look at watches that are cool, unusual, and just strikingly ‘cor blimey’. Being St David’s Day, we have featured an almost cool and unusual Welsh Patriot watch. It’s not really all that Cor blimey, but it is at least Welsh, so, ‘Yaki da!’
I’m not Welsh, but I grew up close enough to Wales to have teachers with Welsh accents, and the phrase ’90 minutes Sunday night’ still rings in my ears. At boarding school this was code for detention. Instead of watching the Sunday night movie, you would be sat in a freezing cold classroom writing an essay about the inside of a ping pong ball or what to expect to witness while watching paint dry. Four sides of foolscap, no deviation from the subject.
Despite these hardships imposed upon me by Welshmen, I do not begrudge the Welsh their day in the sun. And if you visit Wales, you can’t help but be captivated by some of the stunning scenery and natural friendliness – school detentions aside – of its people. Unlike the McGonigle Brothers, who hail from Ireland and are doing exciting things with high-end Celtic inspired watches, to my knowledge Wales is yet to have a haute horologist creating contemporary cutting edge watches, so for the time being, we have to make do with the best we can find.
Welsh dragon
There are several ways to show off your Welsh credentials, and this Welsh Dragon Patriot Watch from Award, is but one of them. It’s a 37mm timepiece with the embossed finish of a coin. It features a Welsh Dragon and Cymru on the dial with Roman numerals on the bezel. The movement is of course quartz and is apparently constructed using Swiss parts, It comes complete with an international 3-year renewable guarantee. Although the owner of Click Tempus would turn his nose up at such cheap trinketry he does own a cottage in a remote Welsh village, so it would qualify him to wear one.
Welsh metal
You can find plenty of tacky belt buckles that proclaim ‘British by birth, Welsh by the grace of God’ but this Welsh dragon engraved belt buckle is rather more classy, and it doesn’t come from Wales, but from one of the many American merchandisers proud of their Welsh heritage. The honest truth is, the Americans do British inspired gifts and memorabilia better than the British. This buckle is made from brass and would look great on a celtic style leather belt.
Welsh rarebit
I thought this was called Welsh rabbit when I was growing up, and I couldn’t figure out what it had to do with rabbits, but nonetheless, it was still a huge treat. Welsh rarebit is Wales’ humble contribution to world cuisine. Essentially it’s cheese on toast, but it’s much more than that when made properly. Here is a recipe to make your own Welsh rarebit provided by Evans Brewery:
In a small saucepan melt the butter and make a roux with the flour. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring to prevent the roux from burning. Stir in the warm beer by degrees, until you have a thick but smooth sauce. Add the grated cheese and stir until melted. You should now have a thick paste. Mix in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce and season well with black pepper.
Lightly toast and butter the bread, then pile up the cheesy mixture on each slice. Cook under a hot grill for a few minutes, until browned and bubbling.
Welsh Med: Abersoch
There are parts of Britain you would swear were the Med, and on a sunny day, Abersoch, a resort in North Wales, is one of them. Abersoch has a glorious coastline, perfect for seaside walks and exploring. The waters around Abersoch are ideal for wake boarding, water skiing, sailing and diving. There are hovercraft trips and opportunities for pony trekking, archery and shooting, the Abersoch maize maze, and golfing.
Welsh rocker: Dave Edmunds
The Welsh roots rocker Dave Edmunds is a dazzling guitarist and the writer of several huge hits from the 80s including Queen of Hearts, I Knew the Bride (when she used to rock & roll) Girls Talk. He burst onto the scene in 1968 with a guitar charged hit called Sabre Dance, but he can also play several Chet Atkins style instrumental pieces. He’s respected as much a record producer as a performer and enjoyed a close working relationship with Nick Lowe in the 80s. If you’re a fan of foot tapping rockabilly, few deliver it better than Welshman Dave Edmunds. Here he is performing a rockabilly country tinged song, Baby Ride Easy with Carlene Carter:
