Key takeaway: Rapport London is a family-owned English house founded in 1898 by Maurice A. Rapport. Having evolved from pocket watches to clocks and then to watch accessories, it now creates boxes, winders, and travel pouches in leather and wood. At OH Selection, you will find its EVO winder for a single watch and its Hyde Park leather pouch for travel.
There are brands you discover when buying a watch, and others you discover when looking for a way to store it. Rapport London belongs to the latter category. While less known to the general public in France, the house is a benchmark in the United Kingdom for everything surrounding the watch: the case in which it is kept, the winder that keeps it on time, and the pouch that protects it during travel.
Its history explains this positioning. Before designing cases, the Rapport family manufactured and sold timepieces for decades. They know watches from the inside out, and it is this watchmaker’s perspective that is reflected in their accessories. Here is what you need to know about the house, what defines its style, and how to choose one of its creations.
An English house born from watchmaking
It all began in London in 1898, when Maurice A. Rapport founded his company around the pocket watch, the horological staple of the era. The house later moved to Cardiff, Wales, and navigated the 20th century by following evolving trends.
When the pocket watch gave way to the wristwatch, the family turned to clocks: grandfather clocks, mantel clocks, and then carriage clocks—those small clocks with handles that accompanied travelers. These pieces, highly prized in British interiors, established the brand’s reputation far beyond the United Kingdom.
More than a century after its creation, Rapport remains a family business. The founder’s descendants still lead the company, which explains a certain consistency in style: understated, durable objects designed to be kept for a long time.
From clocks to winders: the shift to accessories
The second half of the 20th century changed the landscape. Demand for clocks declined, while the mechanical wristwatch became a collector’s item. Rapport then chose to apply its expertise to the watch rather than the clock.
The house developed watch boxes and then watch winders—motorized cases that rotate an automatic watch so it stays on time when not being worn. Rapport claims its winders were the first designed in the United Kingdom. This transition from clocks to accessories was no coincidence: one must understand how a movement works to know how to store, protect, and rotate it without causing damage.
The Rapport London style
Rapport creations are recognized by a blend of English tradition and clean lines. The house primarily works with two materials, wood and leather, with a marked taste for refined finishes: lacquered and varnished wood for boxes and winders, and supple leathers for cases and pouches.
The other common feature of its accessories is found inside. Compartments are lined with soft materials, such as suede or velvet, which prevent micro-scratches on a polished case or sapphire crystal. The cushions hold the watch without tightening the strap, and the pieces never touch each other. These are details that are rarely noticed at the time of purchase but matter after several years of use.
Remontoir EVO Single Watch Winder Racing Green
Compact et silencieux, le Rapport London EVO Racing Green allie technologie horlogère et élégance artisanale pour préserver votre montre automatique avec style. Son boîtier laqué vert profond, ses multiples réglages de rotation et son alimentation mixte en font un accessoire aussi fonctionnel qu’esthétique, idéal à la maison comme en voyage.
The main product families
The house’s catalog is organized around three use cases, corresponding to the three moments in a watch’s life when it is not on the wrist:
- Home storage: watch boxes in wood or leather, ranging from a few slots to several dozen, often with a glass lid to view the collection.
- Keeping an automatic on time: winders for one or more watches, where the number of turns per day and the direction of rotation can be adjusted according to the caliber.
- Travel: pouches, rolls, and cases that protect one or more watches in a bag or suitcase.
To keep an automatic watch on time at home, we offer a wide selection of automatic watch winders, for one or more watches, featuring the same rotation settings.
The EVO winder and Hyde Park pouch at OH Selection
For the home, the EVO Single Racing Green winder continues the house’s tradition of lacquered boxes: a wooden cube measuring 120 x 120 x 146 mm, covered in several layers of British racing green lacquer, with a leather carrier that holds a watch. It offers nine settings combining rotation direction and turns per day, runs on battery or mains power, and remains virtually silent—quiet enough for a bedside table.
For travel, we have selected a simple and practical everyday piece: the Hyde Park leather single watch pouch. Named after the great London park, it perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the house: an understated shape, supple natural-grain leather, and handcrafted construction.
It holds a single watch. Its wrap-around closure keeps the case in place, and the soft lining protects the watch from shocks and friction. With dimensions of approximately 65 x 10 x 140 mm, it slips into a jacket pocket, a backpack, or a suitcase drawer without taking up space.
It is the ideal accessory for taking a dress watch on a trip, for separately storing a piece that is rarely worn, or for presenting a watch as a gift. It is suitable for standard-sized cases; for a watch over 45 mm or a very thick one, it is best to check the dimensions before ordering. It is also a wonderful gift idea for a watch enthusiast who travels frequently.
Pouch, case, or winder: which storage to choose?
The right choice depends primarily on the number of watches and the intended use. For a single watch on the go, a pouch like the Hyde Park remains the most compact solution. When traveling with two to four watches, a travel watch case or a roll prevents them from knocking together and keeps each piece in its own compartment.
At home, a collection is best stored in a multi-slot box, protected from dust and light. Finally, if you own an automatic watch with a date display or a complication that you do not want to reset every time, a winder is the only solution that keeps it on time between wears.
Caring for a leather accessory
A quality leather accessory ages well, provided it receives minimal maintenance. A soft, dry cloth is sufficient for daily dusting. Once or twice a year, a thin layer of silicone-free leather balm will nourish it and keep it supple. Keep it away from direct sunlight and heat sources, which dry out and discolor leather, and never store a damp pouch: let it air dry before putting your watch back inside.
When well-maintained, a Rapport London pouch develops a patina over time and takes on its own character, much like the watches it protects. This has been the philosophy of the English house for over 125 years: creating objects to be kept and passed down.
FAQ
Yes. Rapport is a British family-owned house founded in London in 1898 by Maurice A. Rapport. Initially specializing in pocket watches and then clocks, it turned toward watch accessories: boxes, winders, and travel cases. It is still managed by the founder’s family.
The house creates accessories for storing, winding, and transporting watches: wooden or leather watch boxes, winders for one or more automatic watches, as well as travel pouches, rolls, and cases. Its creations are distinguished by soft interiors that protect cases from scratches.
OH Selection offers two Rapport London creations: the EVO Single winder, a lacquered cube that keeps an automatic watch on time, and the Hyde Park leather pouch, which protects a watch during travel thanks to its wrap-around closure and soft lining.
The pouch is suitable for standard-sized watches, with dimensions of approximately 65 x 10 x 140 mm. For a case larger than 45 mm or a very thick watch, check that the piece fits comfortably before ordering.
A soft, dry cloth is sufficient for daily care. Once or twice a year, apply a thin layer of silicone-free leather balm to keep it supple. Avoid direct sunlight, heat, and moisture, and let the pouch air dry if it gets wet.
