WE, HERE, NOW: Inside the Split Watches Launch with Don Letts

Last week, Split Watches made its debut at The Vinyl Factory. The event’s highlight was a live Q&A hosted by co-founder Dara Amjadi,between our co-founder Ed Margulies and the legendary Don Letts, a cultural connector, boundary-breaker, and longtime advocate for doing things differently. Together, they explored how creativity, identity, and mental health are all deeply intertwined and why Split is redefining what a watch can be — not just stylish, but meaningful.

“Split isn’t selling nostalgia, it’s channeling culture with intent,” Don said. “It’s rare to see style and soul in the same space. This project has both.”

We also welcomed press, creatives, and collaborators to view our first collection and engage in the kind of conversation Split was created to spark. Among the guests was Jordan Stephens, whose outspoken advocacy around mental health made his presence especially meaningful. Like Split, Jordan stands for honesty over polish, and his energy helped set the tone for what the brand is all about: vulnerability as strength.

Also in attendance was Laura Edralin, the artist behind the custom calligraphy offered on our watch straps. On the day, she demonstrated her process, showing how each hand-written message transforms a timepiece into something uniquely personal. It was a reminder that while our watches carry a collective message, they’re also made to tell personal stories.

Why Split?

Founded by Ed Margulies, a third-generation watchmaker who stepped away from the luxury watch establishment, Split was born from personal experience and a clear mission: to make checking in with yourself as instinctive as checking the time.

“I came to understand the unique power a watch has to spark conversation,” said Ed. “Something that could live on a wrist, but speak to the heart.”

We were honoured to have Claire Evans from Anna Freud join us, who arrived with open arms and a big smile. Anna Freud is a leading mental health charity supporting children, young people, and families through research, therapy, and education. Their work is compassionate, practical, and rooted in real impact, just like the conversations we’re hoping to spark through Split. With every watch sold, we donate one hour of therapy to someone in need through our partnership with Anna Freud. Having Claire with us helped bring the focus back to what really matters: making mental health part of everyday conversation.

What Makes Split Different?

Everything, we hope. It would have been far easier to follow the well-trodden path: Swiss movement, stainless steel or precious metal casing, lean on heritage and call it a day. But we felt the need to change the script. Split wasn’t born from nostalgia. It came from urgency. We set out to create a brand that doesn’t just sit on your wrist but speaks to your state of mind. From using a Japanese N86A movement to choosing 19:23 as our default display time — a subtle, downward-facing frown — every detail is designed to challenge convention and spark real conversation, especially around mental health.

We don’t just want to make watches. We want to make checking in with yourself as normal as checking the time. That’s why each timepiece helps fund an hour of therapy through our partnership with Anna Freud. It’s why our design language embraces fracture and imperfection, not polish and perfection. It’s why we collaborate with cultural figures like Don Letts, not for hype but because they embody the creative collisions and honesty Split stands for. We’re not trying to be the next heritage brand. We’re creating a new kind of relevance that is emotional, cultural, and personal.

What's Next?

Read more about us: GQ recently featured Split in both their Best New Watches and Coolest Things of the Week lists, spotlighting the bold design and the mission behind the brand.

Shop the collection and learn more at splitwatches.com in limited quantities, with new colours dropping soon. But more than a product, this is an invitation.

Split is for anyone ready to wear something that means something. For anyone ready to ask, not just what time is it, but how are you, really?

- SPLIT WATCHES
WE, HERE, NOW.