Shore Projects: Falmouth Watch Review (A Week on my Wrist)

I'm a big fan of coastal living.

It could be an early morning dog walk, pushing headfirst into a bracing North Sea wind. Or it could be a quiet afternoon sitting at a beachside café with a book and a coffee.

Either way, there's something special about the thin stretch of land between my town and the sea. There's nothing but water from here to Norway.

So, I was browsing watches and stumbled across a small British brand that takes its inspiration from the seaside. As I dug deeper I discovered an article on their website about my home town of Tynemouth.

That had to be worth a closer look. A few emails later and I'm sitting here with Shore Project's Falmouth watch.

Shore Projects - Falmouth

The Falmouth is a simple watch. In inspiration, concept and execution. The history of the company is brief, the branding is straightforward and the resulting watches are uncomplicated.

That has both pros and cons.

This isn't a timepiece for real watch nerds or buyers wanting a high-performance diver's watch. Instead, it's an inexpensive fashion watch that references a real Cornish town. Like the other Shore Projects watches, the Falmouth is a fun watch to wear near the sea. And with 100M water resistance you can take in the water too.

Stylistically, it reminds me of Scandinavian minimalist designs. But with packaging and branding that proudly name-checks the British coast. It sits alongside models named after St Ives, Cowes, Whitstable and Morecambe.

I'd suggest that the watch offers value for money around the level that you'd expect. Neither too expensive nor a great bargain. For a little over £100 you get a smart stainless steel case, a reliable Japanese movement, a sapphire crystal and 100M of water resistance.

There's a strong emphasis on the packaging with this model. That and the ability to easily swap out the straps.

Let's take a closer look.

In Detail - The Falmouth Watch from Shore Projects

I suspect that part of the appeal of this watch (assuming it's marketed to a young fashion-conscious buyer) is the brand's packaging.

It's a satisfying experience unboxing this watch.

The package includes a branded tote bag that will likely appeal to buyers concerned with sustainability and throwaway plastics.

Within that is the box - prominently featuring both sea and sand. That neat little box opens to reveal the watch - and it doesn't have a strap. You fit the strap yourself.

The three straps give the option to personalise the watch a little, something that is important to younger customers. I like that and the way that the straps are presented. Each is in a slim box, and within that, each being held in a small bag that matches the tote.

Rounding out the bundle is a sticker, postcard and instructions. Overall, it's an attractive box, on point for the relaxed coastal lifestyle that they're selling.

The Falmouth is marketed as a unisex watch.

This means that the watch is mid-sized, with the case being a touch under 40mm. It also has a very slim profile of 7.9mm. The full stainless steel case is coated with black PVD, married to a screw-down stainless steel back. All the lines are clean and uncomplicated.

The case is unobtrusive and comfortable to wear. It's not a watch that catches on your shirt cuffs. That adds versatility to the model, working well with both formal and informal dress. The 20mm lugs are slim and hug the wrist and there's a subtle signed crown in the traditional position. It's all fairly standard, but also functional.

The same applies to the dial.

It's certainly on the minimalist end of watch design, featuring two hands and opting to forgo a second hand. The dial is clean and symmetrical. The indices are plain and functional - and there's no date window to upset the balance.

The dial text and logo are deliberately faint and blend into the dial, giving the watch an understated aesthetic. On other black dialled models they've chosen a contrasting white text rather than the light grey of the Falmouth. Both work well depending on your tastes.

It's all protected by a sapphire crystal.

Inside the Falmouth is a Japanese-made Miyota quartz movement. Again, this is a fairly typical movement for a fashion watch at this price point. Miyota has a good reputation for build quality and reliability.

Of the three strap options, I preferred the look of the leather, the feel of the canvas and was happy to have the additional option of the black mesh.

All three have a quick release feature.

It takes seconds to change straps and you can easily avoid scratching the back of the lugs during the process.

What is my overall impression of the Shore Projects Falmouth?

It's stylish and comfortable. The design is clean and spartan if a little plain. But browsing the website I'm reassured that there are more colourful models if that's what you prefer.

As I suggested earlier, the Falmouth is part of a wider watch collection and it's worth taking a quick look at the brand.

A Brief Overview of Shore Projects

It's often refreshing to see a new brand. Particularly, when that brand has a clear niche. Shore Projects ticks that box. They're very specific - their watches take inspiration from Britain's seaside towns.

They're a young company, only established in 2014. Surprisingly, they boast that the three founders didn't wear watches until they began to design their own.

Success came early and having harnessed the power of crowdfunding, they were able to get established quickly. They then leveraged this early growth and sold internationally.

They're pretty open about this period. Having bitten off more than they could chew, they switched focus from the early emphasis on global retailers to a model focussed more on sales direct to customers.

This gives the impression of a company that is comfortable with itself. And it seems in keeping with a brand that names its watches after coastal villages.

It's a watch company that is worth keeping an eye on. Again, especially if you're a younger customer. Take their recent collaboration with Sommer Ray as an example. It doesn't mean much to a middle-aged man like me.

But to my teenage sons?

Of course, she's on their radar. She's on all the right youtube channels and working with some of the platform's biggest names. Teenagers care about these figures.

And that's who these watches will most appeal to. The younger buyers that value simplicity, customisation and well-known brand ambassadors.

Conclusion

Outside of the branding there's little that is unique about the Shore Projects Falmouth. As a watch, it does the basics well and will appeal to niche buyers. It's functional, versatile and has a stylish simplicity that has served the Scandinavian watch industry well.

Where the Falmouth - and other Shore Projects watches - come into their own is in the branding. Their love of the British seaside and the associated packaging gives the watch its unique selling point. It's different to similarly styled watches because of the brand's backstory and the emphasis on British geography.

If you surf in Cornwall then this is a watch that you'd wear in the bar later in the day. And the strap can be changed to dress it up or down.

If you're holidaying in St Ives then the matching watch model would make a great keepsake or gift. Again, customised to your own tastes.

And if they ever release a Tynemouth model?

I'll be first in the queue.