Other Watchy Bits: Chris Lewington and Canister Watches

Like all good stories, Chris Lewington’s begins with a mix of myth and mystery. Lewington is the founder of Canister Watches—a tool watch maker based in Brandon, Manitoba. Canister recently sold out of its first watch, The Fieldmaster, after a successful run on Kickstarter.

“My late grandfather had a Rolex,” says Lewington. “He was a pilot in WW2, and got shot down, and spent the rest of the war as a POW. When the Nazi guards abandoned them, he and the others started foraging for food. Somehow, he ended up with the watch. He kept it as a trophy. Although it has long stopped working, it is something of a family legend. I love the story, but I’m not sure it’s entirely true.”

Either way, Lewington was destined to be a watch guy. In fact, he had already had a small collection of four or five watches when he joined the military, himself. But his interest in time and watches would only grow while he was enlisted. “Military training develops an obsession with time, and so I set out to find an appropriate watch,” he says. “I ended up with the Marathon Navigator and a list a mile long of other watches I needed.” The italics is Lewington’s.

However, it wasn’t until COVID hit—and quarantine on out-of-province travel set in—that Lewington began to consider making watches himself. It happened one evening sitting around the kitchen table.

Lewington has always espoused an action-oriented philosophy. “I tend to think of Canister as a brand that is built around action, travel, outdoor adventures, military life, etc.,” he considers. “It’s not a brand that is about obscure design language. I think there’s a beauty in simplicity and utilitarianism. Rugged tools that are built for action have their own aesthetic.”

This description fits the Canister Fieldmaster to a tee. Part diver, part field watch, the Fieldmaster exudes a rugged capability that is attractive because of its no-frills functionality and well-considered design. It’s a watch Lewington would (and does) wear himself. It’s a watch that, in his estimation as a military man, makes sense.

To this day Lewington remains a full-time member of the Canadian Army, posted to 1 RCHA in Shilo, Manitboa—which adds a layer of challenges to his watchmaking endeavours; however, he also feels that it provides an equally strong foundation of support.

Enthusiasts with an interest in all things military are particularly fond of the details in the Fieldmaster. The case back, for example, has been embossed to appear like the base of an artillery casing and the brand logo is a tactical symbol from WWII, indicating an artillery observation post.

Lewington is proud of his successful Kickstarter campaign and considers delivering on his promises among his greatest accomplishments. “The sense of satisfaction in shipping out watches to a dozen countries was extremely rewarding,” he admits.

But he is pragmatic in his approach to watchmaking. “I think microbrands are arguably more technology companies than watch makers,” he posits. “Watchmaking is the fun and (relatively) easy part.” However, for Lewington, the struggle in his one-man show came in grappling with web design and photography. He also needed to learn SEO, marketing, sales, and logistics. “This has been the hardest part for me.”

In the end, Lewington’s persistence paid off. But it did so, because it was a labour of love. “Design for yourself and tell your story,” says Lewington. “It’s one of the perks of a microbrand. We don’t need to sell a million watches to cover our overhead. You can build a watch for yourself and ideally find your market. Tell your story and be honest. Cover your struggles and successes. Document your journey. Don’t worry too much about everything being perfect. Documenting your journey will set you apart.”

There is no doubt that the story of Canister watches is also the story of Chris Lewington. The Fieldmaster is a no-nonsense timepiece built for adventure—the sort of adventure that Lewington, himself, enjoys. “I’m an avid outdoorsman, hiking and camping year-round. Typically dragging the rest of my family out to into the cold in winter or the bugs in the summer.”

Canister Fieldmaster Watch — ^{Functional simplicity @calibre321}

Lewington is excited about the future of his young brand—and rightfully so. He has just embarked upon a complete website redesign, meant to support Canister’s future growth. He is also producing a small batch of custom watches and a second production run of the popular Fieldmaster. “We’ve partnered with some amazing Canadian veteran businesses to build new straps and will continue to source from more Canadian suppliers,” says Lewington. “Our second watch is slowly gaining momentum on a deliberately slow-paced development schedule.”

And what’s that they say about slow and steady? For information about Canister, please visit the brand website.