Story Highlight
– Nico Leonard renames Pride & Pinion to Nico Leonard Watches.
– New company incorporated as Nico Leonard Watches Limited, 2025.
– Business originally launched as WatchNI.co.uk for eBay sales.
– Shifted online during COVID, benefiting from pre-owned watch demand.
– Plans to open additional stores in undisclosed locations.
Full Story
Entrepreneur and social media influencer Nico Leonard van der Horst is set to rebrand his pre-owned watch venture, Pride & Pinion, using his own name. The transition to Nico Leonard Watches Limited follows a recent Companies House documentation from December 2025.
In a conversation with WatchPro, Leonard expressed that his team encouraged him to capitalise on his personal brand, which gained prominence through his candid discussions about the luxury watch market on platforms like YouTube and Instagram.
Originally established in 2019, Pride & Pinion features a diverse selection of approximately 150 watches, with price points ranging from just under £1,000 to an impressive £297,020 for a Ulysse Nardin Super Freak. The company not only sells watches but also offers clients the option to sell their timepieces directly or to list them via consignment. Additionally, customers may engage in part-exchange deals for other watches available on their marketplace.
The rebranding represents the second name change for the business, which started as WatchNI.co.uk, highlighting its Northern Ireland origins. Initially, it served as an eBay seller while Leonard worked as a national account manager for Vodafone in Dublin, a demanding two-hour commute that he described as “killing him”.
In pursuit of a more fulfilling career, he left his position, secured a bank loan of £20,000, and founded Pride & Pinion. The venture initially gained traction through a weekly live-streaming show on Instagram. In 2019, Leonard expanded his operations by opening a store within the prestigious Merchant Hotel in Belfast.
However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of his shop, coinciding with a surge in demand for pre-owned watches. Reflecting on that challenging period, Leonard admitted, “That first lockdown was tough. That was one of the moments when I nearly gave up. I thought: I can’t do this anymore. I cannot do this. This is done. I failed. Fuck. Done.”
Following this pivotal moment in 2020, Leonard’s businesses, Pride & Pinion Limited and Pride & Pinion Media Limited, began to thrive in synergy. The latest financial statements from Pride & Pinion Limited indicate net assets valued at £116,379, a decrease from the height of over £250,000 in 2023. It’s important to note that the company is not obligated to disclose full turnover and operating profit details due to its size.
Leonard maintains that his focus has never been on financial gain. “I am not a media business. I’m not a PR firm. I am me,” he explained. This philosophy underpins the anticipated launch of Nico Leonard Watches, alongside plans for additional shop openings in yet-to-be-announced locations.
