Co Antrim watchmaker grows from home start-up to £1.9m success with 20 new jobs planned
- Love Ballymena
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
A Carrickfergus-founded luxury watch company that began as a one-man operation working from home has grown into a business with more than £1.9 million in sales — and is now planning to create 20 new jobs as it expands internationally.
Nomadic Watches, founded in 2021 by entrepreneur Peter McAuley, has rapidly built a global customer base from Northern Ireland while drawing inspiration from Belfast’s shipbuilding heritage.
The company now employs 14 people from its Belfast store and manufacturing base, with three of the planned 20 new jobs already created as part of its latest growth phase.
The expansion is being supported by £140,000 from Invest Northern Ireland towards new roles and marketing development.
From home operation to international growth
What started as a home-based business in Carrickfergus just four years ago has developed into a growing Northern Ireland manufacturing success story, with retail partnerships already secured in Dublin, Dubai, Brooklyn and Indiana.
The company designs and manufactures luxury watches in Northern Ireland and has attracted attention through collections inspired by local heritage and high-profile collaborations closer to home, including signature watches for singer-songwriter Van Morrison and the Irish Football Association.
Founder and CEO Peter McAuley said the company’s growth had been driven by a combination of local manufacturing, international ambition and support to scale the business.
“Growing Nomadic Watches from a one-person operation at home to a viable business has been an incredible journey,” he said.
“Invest NI has supported me since 2023, when I joined its Ambition to Grow programme. That support helped me to strengthen our marketing, expand the team and build the capacity we needed to secure our significant sales to date.
“We’re proud to be designing and manufacturing our watches here in Northern Ireland, inspired by our local heritage.
“While the US is our main market and we plan to continue our growth there, we’ve also designed signature watches closer to home for Van Morrison and the Irish Football Association.
“We’re excited to build on our current momentum with further support from Invest NI.”
20 new jobs planned as exports grow
Invest NI said the company’s expansion highlights growing international demand for Northern Ireland-made products and brands.
Working alongside Invest NI’s trade and overseas teams in the United States and Asia, Nomadic Watches has been developing retail partnerships in strategic global locations to accelerate export growth.
The company’s international footprint now stretches from Europe to the Middle East and North America — a significant leap for a business founded in Carrickfergus only a few years ago.
Iain Joannides, Head of Eastern Regional Business at Invest NI, described the company as an example of “local ambition in action”.
“From starting out as a home-based business to growing a team in Belfast, Peter has created a distinctive brand with real international potential,” he said.
“It’s been fantastic to see Nomadic Watches start to scale with the help of our Ambition to Grow programme.
“We’re now helping the company to double its headcount, and I’m looking forward to seeing how our international teams will support Peter’s continued growth journey by building on its impressive sales in global markets.”
Northern Ireland manufacturing success story
The growth of Nomadic Watches comes amid continued efforts to strengthen Northern Ireland’s manufacturing and export sectors, particularly among smaller locally founded businesses seeking to scale internationally.
Invest NI said its support focuses on helping businesses become more innovative, internationally focused and competitive, with regional offices operating across Northern Ireland including Ballymena, Belfast, Coleraine, Craigavon, Londonderry, Newry, Enniskillen and Omagh.
For Carrickfergus and the wider Northern Ireland economy, the expansion represents another example of a locally founded business building skilled jobs and international reach while continuing to manufacture products at home.
The company’s latest growth plans are expected to further increase its workforce and strengthen its position in overseas markets as demand for its luxury watches continues to grow.