Benjamin James Scarifour collection expands with stunning stone dials

If you're into watches, or even if you're just flirting with the idea of being “a watch guy”, you might want to mark the 1st of October in your calendar. That’s when Benjamin James Watches, the brand that’s quietly becoming a favourite among collectors, drops three stunning additions to its Limited Production Scarifour line.

After selling out its Ice Blue Mother of Pearl model earlier this year (a very pretty thing, capped at just 100 pieces a year), Benjamin James is keeping the pressure on with three new stone dials: Lapis Lazuli, Green Jade, and Burnt Orange Agate. Each is limited to 100 pieces per year. And with natural materials being used, no two dials are ever the same.

“It just made sense,” says founder Benjamin Adams, speaking to ShortList. “Stone dials were huge in the late '70s and early '80s, and since the Scarifour pulls a lot of its design language from that era, this felt like a natural evolution.”

And he’s not wrong. With its lean, vintage-inspired proportions, 31mm wide, 40mm lug-to-lug, and a frankly ridiculous 8.3mm thick, the Scarifour doesn’t chase the oversized watch trend. Instead, it does its own thing: small, slim, elegant, mechanical. Like a suit cut to perfection, it just fits and is certainly right up our street.

Under the hood is a Swiss-made Sellita SW210-1b, a manual-wind movement that helps keep the case impressively thin while adding a bit of vintage ritual. The outside is Sapphire glass, a 316L stainless steel case, and crisp finishing with polished chamfers that wouldn't look out of place on a watch twice the price, with these limited edition wonders coming in at a relatively reasonable £948.

Burnt Orange Agate is bold but refined

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While the Lapis and Jade options might seem like the obvious choices for a collector-friendly stone dial, it’s the Burnt Orange Agate that’s got Adams hooked.

“I've actually been wearing that one the most,” he says. “It’s the boldest of the three, but with the natural texture and the way it plays with the light, it still feels really refined. Loud but elegant.”

You get the feeling that’s kind of the brand’s whole ethos. Benjamin James isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel; it’s just designing watches that get it. Proper proportions, good materials, and just enough retro DNA to make you feel like you're wearing a design classic.

A brand for collectors… but not just for collectors.

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Adams knows he’s building a brand in a tricky space, one where hardcore watch nerds demand technical specs and history, while newcomers just want something beautiful that feels right on the wrist.

“We're trying to strike a balance,” he says. “We’re not pricing the watches low for the sake of it, but we do want them to be accessible. If someone’s new to the world of mechanical watches and finds themselves drawn to our designs, I want them to feel like they can be part of it.”

That inclusivity is baked into the Limited Production concept itself; instead of one-and-done limited editions, the brand is capping each colour at 100 pieces per year. It’s rare, it’s desirable, but it’s also ongoing. So if you missed out in 2025, you’ve got a shot in 2026.

The specs you need to know

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• Case: 31mm width, 40mm lug-to-lug, 8.3mm thick
• Material: 316L stainless steel
• Crystal: Sapphire (front), K1 mineral (caseback)
• Movement: Sellita SW210-1b hand-wound
• Water Resistance: 50m
• Lume: BGW9 Swiss Super-LumiNova (hands only)
• Price: £948
• Launch: 1st of October, 2025
• Availability: 100 pieces per colour per year from Benjamin James
• Colours: Lapis Lazuli, Green Jade, Burnt Orange Agate

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