Watch Spotting At Henley Royal Regatta 2024

By Owen Lawton

Nearly halfway between London and Oxford, nestled on the bank of the River Thames lies Henley-On-Thames, a quintessentially British town. It’s a somewhat odd venue for some of the most intense rowing racing in the world. It draws juniors, amateurs and olympians alike, all daring to dream of winning a converted red box.

Celebrating its 185th anniversary, the weather certainly didn’t hold back. In a particularly damp and dreary affair, athletes that made it to the weekend had to contend with higher stream conditions that followed the week’s rainfall. After all, Henley Royal Regatta is raced on a live stretch of river unlike the Olympics which is raced on a lake.

The silver lining of the particularly wet week were the watches. Amongst the many athletes and their fitness tracking watches, the spectators brought both the heat and the stories. Shared below is the experience of a watch enthusiast who probably spent more time watching patrons’ wrists than racing on the river.

This chap was more than happy to share his 90s Tag Heuer.

Rower and YouTuber Cam Buchan fresh off wins at the Metropolitan Regatta and Marlow Regatta competing in the Diamond Challenge Sculls.

The daily programmes at Henley have a heritage feel.

Amongst the technicolor of blazers there were boats with a technicolor of blades from multi-club crews.

You never have to look far at Henley to see a pretty special blazer. This one from the British World Championship team.

Amongst younger particularly, university rowers, there were many 18th and 21st birthday watches.

This 1950s Rolex was spotted in the Steward’s Enclosure.

A 1940s Omega.

This gent shared his 1970s Heuer Rowing watch. With one revolution every 10 seconds and a base 4 dial, he visits the regatta every year and times the stroke rates of the crews. He shared that the commentators’ quoted rates are often a pip too low over the tannoy. Better still, he bought it new in 1974 when he got his first rowing coaching job at Lady Margaret in Cambridge.

Here was the caseback.

Things are a little more analog in Henley. This is the progress board for showing the positions of crews racing down the course to the grandstand at the finish line.

This is the results board at the finish line.

Certainly, there were less Moonswatches this year. One punter suggested it might be because last year’s are now all broken!

Oliver Zeidler put in a strong performance in the Diamond Challenge Sculls, winning the event just weeks before the Paris Olympics.

Modern Cartier was a popular choice.

As were Casio’s and G-Shocks.

Bremont has a strong presence at the regatta. Being based in Henley, they sponsor the event and produce limited editions for the regatta.

This gent shared how his wife sold all her jewelry to buy him this watch. He later shared she was given her engagement ring in return.

Surely it doesn’t get more British than a flagpole on your Landrover Defender while hosting your old boat club’s picnic?

There was lunchtime live music for guests at Leander Club, a performance rowing club based in Henley.

As a functioning club, there was a list of the day’s races by the boat bay. Note ‘BIG DAY’ at the bottom of the board.

Pimms is the drink of choice in the UK during summertime. Rumor has it, the Pimms isn’t just mixed with lemonade at club picnics.

At some point, the camera turned on the author. He was sporting his Seiko X Rowing Blazers watch.

One Oriel oarsman was keen to share the insert on his club blazer.

Well worn blazers are a trend at many rowing clubs.

The infamous coach Clive Cooper sporting a Casio with his lunch. He shared that the stopwatch doesn’t work on it anymore. Maybe he has used it too much in training.

Jack Carlson was spotted sporting his Tudor Black Bay 58 Rowing Blazers Friends and Family Limited Edition.

This Shiplake College oarsman was keen to share his Breitling.

These boys asked who’s 21st birthday Tag Heuer is the best. It was between the Carrera above and the Auqaracer below.

He gave it a clean first.

Then this picture was taken.

This lady wanted to share the story about her Hermes Cape Cod. Like many, she bought it to keep track of the time in a loved-one’s timezone.

The Nassau Rowing Club blazer is quite hard to miss. When spotted, an IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar was on wrist.

Saturday night of Henley week is one of the biggest nights in the rowing calendar. This usually quiet pub by the bridge was packed to the rafters and overflowing onto the moored boats.

All the while, there was a lovely sunset on the other side of the bridge of Leander Club looking magnificent with its cerise paintwork.

Following the chaos of Saturday night at Henley, Sunday morning brings a calmness before the storm of Final’s Day.

Pictured are the St Paul's School VIII in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup for junior boys eights.

Closely followed by Shiplake College.

Then finding one of the Tudor Inter Miami Chronographs was pretty special.

Henley Royal Regatta is really unlike any other rowing race or event in the world. The people, the sport, the blazers it is the pinnacle of school, amateur and professional rowing. Few sports can boast an event with all those categories and fewer with the same culture and community as rowing.