10,000 Watches Later: The Story of the Heritage
In short: the Hartley Heritage is a slim, minimalist 40mm watch that has been worn on more than 10,000 wrists in over 50 countries since 2014. It was refined over the years, most notably with an upgrade to a sapphire crystal, but the idea behind it never changed: a clean, thin, versatile watch built to be worn every day for years. The current production run is the final batch, and once it sells out the Heritage will be retired for good.
Some designs are made for a season. The Heritage was made for the long run. More than a decade after we started, it is still the watch at the heart of the Hartley range. This is the story of how it got here, and why we think it has lasted.
The idea: one watch for everything
The Heritage started with a simple brief. Make a watch that suits anyone, goes with anything and does not date. That ruled out oversized cases, busy dials and trend led details. What was left was a clean dial, slim hands, a 40mm case and a profile thin enough to disappear under a shirt cuff.
It is a design built on restraint, and restraint is harder than it looks. With so little on the dial, every proportion has to be right. We wrote about that in what is a minimalist watch.
The details that define the Heritage
40mm across
Large enough to read easily and look modern, small enough to suit slimmer wrists. It is the reason the Heritage has always been a genuinely unisex watch. Read more in why 40mm works on every wrist.
7mm thin
The thin case is what makes the Heritage feel so easy to wear. It sits flat against the wrist and slides under a cuff. We explain why that matters in why a 7mm case changes everything.
Japanese quartz
A Japanese Miyota quartz movement keeps the Heritage accurate and slim, with very little maintenance. For people who want one watch they can simply put on and go, quartz makes sense. See automatic or quartz for how it compares to our automatic Legacy.
Interchangeable straps
Every Heritage has 20mm lugs and quick release pins, so it works with every strap we make. That flexibility has been part of the design from the start, and it means one Heritage can be worn many different ways.
What changed
A design that lasts is not a design that stands still. Over the years we refined the Heritage while keeping its character intact. The most important change is the crystal. Earlier versions used a hardened mineral crystal. Today every Heritage has a sapphire crystal, which is far more resistant to everyday scratches, so the clean dial stays clean for longer.
The colour range grew too. The Heritage comes in black, gold, silver and rose gold, with the rose gold available with either a white or a black dial. And the strap range expanded to include Italian leather in a range of colours, mesh bracelets, silicone and more. For help choosing, read black dial or white dial and one watch, five looks.
What never changed
- The silhouette. A clean dial and a slim 40mm case.
- The versatility. One watch for the office, the weekend and the wedding.
- The promise. Every Hartley watch is backed by a 5 year warranty and 30 day returns, and weekday orders ship within 12 hours.
10,000 wrists, 50 countries
Passing 10,000 Heritage watches is a milestone we are genuinely proud of. Those watches have travelled to more than 50 countries. A simple, versatile watch works as an everyday companion and as a gift for a birthday, a graduation, an anniversary or a wedding. Our guide to watches as milestone gifts explores why a watch makes such a meaningful present.
What the number says most clearly is that a well made, simple watch never really goes out of style. A watch that fits into your life, rather than asking you to change around it, is a watch you keep wearing.
Why the Heritage lasts
We think there are three reasons.
- It does not chase trends. Clean design ages slowly.
- It adapts. A new strap gives it a new life, season after season.
- It is built to be worn. Stainless steel, sapphire and 50m water resistance mean it handles real life.
For our wider view on what makes a watch worth holding on to, read what makes a watch worth keeping.
The final batch
Every chapter has an ending. The current production run of the Heritage is its last. We will not make it again, so once these watches sell out the Heritage will be retired for good and join the Hartley Archive, alongside every other watch we have retired and never remade. If the Heritage has been on your list, this is the time to make it yours, and to own a piece of Hartley history.
Shop the final Heritage batch.
Frequently asked questions
How many Hartley Heritage watches have been sold?
More than 10,000 Heritage watches have been sold, to customers in over 50 countries.
When did Hartley start making watches?
Hartley has been making watches since 2014.
Will the Heritage be made again?
No. The current production run is the final batch. Once it sells out, the Heritage will be retired and join the Hartley Archive.
What are the Heritage specifications?
40mm stainless steel case, 7mm thick, sapphire crystal, Japanese Miyota quartz movement, 50m water resistance and 20mm quick release lugs.
Does the Heritage have a sapphire crystal?
Yes. Every current Heritage has a sapphire crystal, an upgrade from the hardened mineral crystal used on earlier versions.
What colours does the Heritage come in?
Black, gold, silver and rose gold. The rose gold is available with a white dial or a black dial.
Is the Heritage a men's or women's watch?
Both. It was designed as a unisex watch and suits a wide range of wrists.
