As you may know from previous articles we’ve written on Bremont and its founders, Giles and Nick English, you no doubt be aware of their love of aviation, and the reasons for starting up Bremont over 20 years ago. If not, then you can get brought up to speed in our interview with Giles here. So it’s no surprise that when they were designing their H1 series of watches with the Bremont assembled movement (the first for the brand) that one of these pieces had to be a pilots inspired watch.

The Fury was that piece in both a blue and black colourway, designed to be a contemporary take on the classic aviation watch. I first saw this piece in person when I caught up with Giles back in April, and liked what I saw. So needless to say it was one of their pieces that I immediately wanted to put on my wrist to see how it wore and looked as I went about my day to day. When asked which colour I wanted, I was torn, as the black looked nice and classic, but the blue was just something a little different, plus I like blue watches, so this is the variant I put through its paces.

The Design

The Fury as mentioned is a contemporary take on the classic pilot’s watch. This comes through in spades when you first look at it, and Bremont have then given it their unique style with the Trip-Tick® case, now iconic in most of their models and collections. Everything from the hands, to the large onion screw down crown to the leather strap is all aviation in style, so when you’re wearing this, there’s no mistake where the inspiration came from. But, as aviation as it is, Bremont have fused the classic with the modern on this piece.

The dial is perhaps the star when it comes to the Fury. Bremont have given it a wonderfully textured look, that in the light really comes alive and makes the whole watch pop. The blue isn’t an in your face blue either, so it really plays down the watch, which I feel is a benefit as it’s not designed to be overly showy. In low light, it’s subtle and subdued, perfect for evenings out or for more formal occasions as there is little light to catch the texture on the dial. In these situations, it makes it almost look either black or very dark blue and smooth.

Bremont have given the face a little more character with the addition of the power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock. At first, you may think it’s a small seconds sub-dial, but then you realise it’s the power reserve indicator, letting you know just how much of the 65 hours of fuel you have left. It is a nice touch, and moving the watch around, or winding the crown and seeing it power up was a bit of a novelty.

The hour markers and numerals are printed onto the dial, and are highly legible due to the bright white contrasting on the dark blue dial. However, most of these are not lumed, so this was one area I felt that Bremont could have improved upon. Instead, the triangle at 12 o’clock, and markers at 3, 6 and 9 are lumed in blue Super-LumiNova®, and the Fury has small lumed indicators on the very outer track of the dial in between. The hands are well lumed however, so checking the time at night isn’t too bad as you instinctively know how far past the hour it is at every 15 minute interval.

The case is Bremont’s Trip-Tick® design, meaning the case is built in three parts, with the middle part being a PVD treated case barrel, giving the watch less of a dress or formal look. This is something you don’t normally see everyday on dress or sports watches, and something unique to Bremont. It does give the watch more character when you contrast the black with the rest of the case’s high polish, which is also a part of it’s appeal.

Whilst this is one way is a benefit, I also felt it left me wondering is this more of a dress watch or a sports watch? Could I wear this to dinner or with a suit, or would this be better suited to everyday casual attire? Maybe this is just a personal idiosyncrasy of mine, but I did struggle to work this out. Giles says this is designed to go from the beach to the boardroom, to be dressed up or down, and maybe I tend to agree here. It’s not quite sports or dress, it’s somewhere in between and almost a chameleon watch of sorts.

Continuing on this train of thought, the leather strap does accentuate the pilot’s styling on the Fury. The blue leather with white stitching does match the dial perfectly, and allows this piece to be worn in multiple occasions without the need to change it. However, there were two small things that did bug me slightly. The blue strap seems to have less texturing than the black variant, and whilst it’s a nicely designed and made strap, part of me wanted some more character. The other thing I felt was having a rubber strap as standard to go with this piece would alleviate my prior concerns on where the Fury sat in terms of dress or sports. The leather isn’t really designed for water, even though you get 100m water resistance and a screw down crown on the watch, so a blue rubber strap would go along way to really make this a highly versatile piece.

How It Wears

For me, the Fury is almost a perfectly proportion watch. At 40mm in diameter, just under 13mm thick at 12.9mm and with a lug to lug of 49mm, it sits pretty well on my wrist, which is around 17cm in circumference in winter. The taper of the lugs helps with this as they angle down allowing the strap to sit flush with the wrist and not flare out any. This also helps to position the watch on the wrist too, and if worn snug but not tight, means you don’t get a lot of movement on the wrist like you can with some watches on leather.

The leather strap is fairly comfortable, and was pretty flexible and not too stiff at all in the bottom half. I’ve said on numerous occasions that new leather straps shouldn’t be too stiff, even when brand new. This all comes down to the type of leather used, and how the strap is made and if it’s a single layer, dual layer, how much bolstering there is in the upper strap etc. I feel that Bremont have struck the right balance with this, having a decent amount of bolstering at the top where the strap joins the lugs, but then tappers and thins out, allowing the leather to give around the wrist, making it comfortable from first wear.

After wearing the Fury for a couple of weeks, the issue I raised earlier – is it better dressed up or down still wasn’t resolved, so I did wear this with more casual clothes on the daily basis, but also dressed up in a suit to see how it would look on the wrist, fit under a shirt and jacket cuff etc. The watch does sit nicely under a standard dress shirt and jacket, so no issues there on sizing, but I did feel the blue lent itself to less formal occasions. The black would most likely pair better with a suit or for more formal occasions, but would also dress down just as easily too I feel. Perhaps something to consider here when considering a purchase.

Dressed down, you do get a sense you’re being a little more classy with the Fury on. It’s a different style to a steel sports watch, and a piece you would wear to make it look like you’ve gone to some effort. Admittedly, wearing the Fury with a t-shirt and jeans, or a Polo shirt and a nice pair of shorts does dress your outfit up a little, and when I think about scenarios in which would be perfect to wear it, an afternoon in the sun having drinks with friends at trendy outdoor bar, or a nice lunch with your partner or friends comes to mind.

The Movement

Bremont have equipped the Fury with their ENG300 series movement, now all assembled in house at The Wing. Bremont have been making the ENG300 since 2021 after bringing a majority of the manufacturing process in house and the firm’s in-house technical team has re-engineered 80% of the base calibre, including making a number of design improvements, in order to build a proprietary movement to the brand’s unique specification.

Inside the Fury is the ENG365 calibre. You can see this through the sapphire case back, and Bremont have done a great job with the finishing and look when you consider the price point. They’ve added in a skeletonised tungsten rotor that is rhodium plated, so it shows off the movement with the gold plated bridge clearly. Bremont have also used a combination of fine brushing, striping and graining on the movement, so there’s plenty to admire when it’s off the wrist.

The ENG365 calibre is an automatic movement with a 65 hour power reserve – meaning you’ve got almost 3 days worth in the tank, more than enough if this is your daily wearer or you’re wearing it several times a week. The ENG365 powers up quickly too. I found that when you wind the crown or move the watch around to increase the power reserve, it does so fairly quickly. The 65 hours is pretty on the mark as well. I wore this around and had the watch at full power and let it run down strategically to check on the accuracy of this and it had just over 65 hours by my measure.

As with all Bremont watches, the movement is manufactured to be chronometer standard, but Bremont takes their H1 series further with their own in-house H1 Timing Standard. According to Bremont, this is is directly comparable to the ISO3159: 2009 Chronometer test but is then tested with the movement fully assembled and rotor attached to ensure it’s accuracy and performance in real life conditions. Testing the accuracy whilst having the watch, it ran to approximately +3 seconds per day over a week with normal daily wear, falling within the Chronometer rating easily.

Final Thoughts

The Bremont Fury was a good watch to wear and test on the daily basis. This being the first piece I’ve had from the brand to really get hands on with, and wear like I do every other watch, I have to say, it stood up to my lifestyle perfectly. It’s a nice wearing watch, that can be worn in a variety of circumstances and whilst I had it, enjoyed wearing it.

The dial was probably my favourite aspect of the watch, and being a watch photographer, I loved taking pics of the watch and capturing the texture on the dial. It is one of the more photogenic pieces I’ve had the pleasure of wearing this year, and I had fun taking pics for both the review and just for the fun of it.

The only downside of testing it out in Winter is that I wasn’t outdoors as much as I am in the warmer months, so I can’t comment on how this would go at the beach and pool. However talking to Bremont, you can get a rubber strap that you can fit so it’s more readily a sports watch for outdoor use, so if you’re considering this watch, then consider adding a rubber strap as well that you can change out for the warmer months.

Overall, the Bremont Fury is a great option for those wanting an aviation or pilot’s inspired watch, especially if you’re after a piece with the feel of a pilot’s watch without being too hardcore pilot’s. It a good everyday watch that you can dress up or down, or maybe it dresses you up or down depending on what you’re wearing. At AUD $9,750 it represents decent value for money based on my experience with it, compared to other pilot’s watches on the market, like IWC or Breitling or Zenith to name a few which are all now over $10,000 for many of their pieces in the aviation style. For those that are looking for something a little different, and a well made and engineered British watch, then the Fury may just be right for you!

Reference: Bremont Fury Blue

Specification

• Case: 40mm, 12.9mm thick and 49mm lug to lug
• Case Material: Polished Stainless Steel Bremont Trip-Tick® case construction with scratch resistant PVD treated case barrel.
• Dial: Grained metal dial with white printed Arabic numerals. Markers at 3, 9 & 12 Hour position printed with Super-LumiNova® (Blue emission).
• Crystal: Domed anti-reflective, scratch resistant sapphire crystal.
• Water Resistance: 100m (10ATM)
• Movement: Bremont 11 1/2’’’ ENG365, pivoting on 22 Jewels with a Silicon escape wheel, free sprung hair spring with inertia weight timed balance and KIF shock protection and beating at 25,200bph (3.5Hz). H1 Timing Standard Certified
• Power Reserve: 65 hours
• Strap: Blue leather strap with polished stainless steel pin buckle.

Availability: Available through Bremont’s Collins Street Boutique in Melbourne, Hardy Brothers in Sydney and Brisbane and online at Bremont.com

Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $9,750

Father’s Day comes around fast each year and kind of sneaks up on you. And if you’re a Dad who’s into watches, or your Dad is, and you’re not sure what to get him, or what to put on your wish list, then we’ve some great suggestions from our friends at Bremont to help you out. Here are our top 5 Bremont watches at a range of price points for your consideration.

Broadsword Bronze

The Broadsword Bronze is a great entry level watch and for the Dad who wants something a little different in his collection. Part of the Armed Forces collection, Bremont is the only luxury brand to be able to use the insignias and symbols of the British Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence. The Broadsword bears the HMAF (His Majesty’s Armed Forces) insignia on the dial indicating this, which is a cool element no other current production watch will have.

At 40mm, it will look good on most wrists, and the green dial makes the whole piece stand out. The bronze is a great golden colour and will patina nicely over time, so making each piece unique in it’s own right. With a 38 hour power reserve, classic military looks and 100m water resistance, it’s the perfect watch to wear daily.

Bremont Broadsword Bronze – Australian RRP: $5,000

Martin Baker II

The Martin Baker II is named after the ejection seat manufacturer who supplies about 70% of the world’s ejection seats for their military aircraft. Bremont and Martin Baker have had a very close working relationship since 2007, and the MB collection is the only watch collection in the world that is Ejection Seat tested, designed for pilots and worn by many fighter units across the world.

The MBII in orange is a vibrant and fun version of the watch, and with a soft rubber strap and flat case back, the 43mm watch wears well. The white and orange stands out, so it’s not for the Dad who wants to fly under the radar at all, and being chronometer certified, shock resistant and water resistant to 100m, it’s a robust watch that can handle all that life throws at it.

Bremont Martin Baker II in Orange – Australian RRP: $6,800

RELATED: Bremont’s New Melbourne Boutique Signals A New Era For The Brand

Supermarine Chronograph

The Supermarine is Bremont’s divers watch, worn by some very well know adventurers like Kristin Harila who’s recently set the world record for summiting the worlds 14 highest peaks over 8000m in a little over 3 months! This Supermarine is the Chronograph version and is a robust watch designed for purpose, with the added functionality of the GMT, making it a highly versatile sports watch.

At 43mm and 16mm thick, it’s a larger wearing watch, but this isn’t meant to be a dress watch. The rubber strap is comfortable and suited to whatever you throw at it, and the watch is pure fun on your wrist – perfect for the Dad who loves to travel and adventure overseas!

Bremont Supermarine Chronograph – Australian RRP: $9,300 on blue rubber strap

Fury

Speaking to Giles English, co-founder of Bremont, earlier this year, we spoke about the newly released Fury – part of Bremont’s new H1 series with their Bremont assembled movement and his take on the Fury is “an aviation styled watch that can be worn from beach to the boardroom”. And he’s not wrong!

The Fury in both black and blue variants are designed to be both dressed up and down. At a perfectly wearable 40mm, screw down crown, 100m water resistance and 65hr power reserve, with an indicator that sits nicely at 6 o’clock on the dial, the Fury is both sports and dress watch all in one. And the textured dial is something that needs to be seen up close and personal.

Bremont Fury – Australian RRP: $9,750 in blue or black

Audley

The Audley is a nice understated dress watch and named after Bremont’s first flagship Boutique in Mayfair. Like the Fury, this piece has Bremont’s H1 generation movement in it with a 65hr power reserve visible on the dial. The silver dial combined with the brown leather strap gives the Audley that classic dress watch look that can be paired with any formal attire.

With a 40mm steel case that’s less than 13mm thick, it wears well and will slip under most shirt and jacket cuffs, perfect if you or your Dad is an office worker. The blue seconds and power reserve hands provide a pop of colour contrasting against the silver dial and with a screw down crown and 100m water resistance, it’s not like other dress watches that can only handle splashes of water. It’s a great option for those dads who want something a little more formal in their life!

Bremont Audley – Australian RRP: $9,750

So there you have it. 5 great watch choices from Bremont that will surely put a smile on your Dad’s face, or maybe yours if you get your wish. And if you want to check out more pieces from Bremont, head to their site, or drop into their recently opened Boutique in Melbourne (which we covered here) at 292 Collins Street or Hardy Brothers in Sydney and Brisbane.

Watch Advice works with selected brands in a paid partnership capacity, and as such, this article is a sponsored article by Bremont.

It’s one of the most common questions we hear in person, on forums, and in general conversation amongst watch collectors. “I’m Looking to spend up to a certain dollar amount on a watch – needs to be X, Y, Z, what should I get?” So for today, we’re focusing on what you should get if you were to spend up to $20,000 on a Chronograph – one of the more useful and common complications on a watch today.

And for $20,000, there are a lot of choices to sort through, from dress chronographs, to pilots chronographs, to diver chronographs. The list goes on. And we can say that if you’re just starting your search it can be daunting, but don’t worry, we’ve got five great choices here that will suit a range of budgets, and are some of the best chronographs you can buy (at retail) for under AUD $20,000.

Longines Avigation Bigeye Chronograph

Longines has a long history with Aviation navigation (Avigation), with their watches donning the wrists some of history’s most notable Aviators. A Chronograph was (and still is) key for aviators, and the Longines Bigeye Chronograph represents this history and functionality in a modern vintage inspired piece.

This watch is all about functionality. Large lumed numerals on the dial, the large minutes counter at 3 o’clock for ease of reading at a glance and 41mm in size, not too big or small allowing all the information to fit on the dial. It’s a good looking modern watch with that vintage style and the L688 Chronograph movement is a decent movement and good bang for buck.

Australian RRP: $4,700 on leather. Available at Longines.com

Raymond Weil Freelancer Pilot Flyback Chronograph

We recently did a hands on review on this specific watch and were impressed with its looks, the design elements and functionality. Check it out here. We’ve picked this as the Freelancer Pilot Flyback Chronograph is good value for money and is also limited to just 400 pieces, 10 in Australia.

The flyback functionality is great, the multifaceted dial looks amazing and at 42mm, is sized well and sits flush on the wrist. Plus, it’s not something that everyone will have, and the design is unique, so it’s not something you see often.

Australian RRP: $6,995. Available at Raymond-Weil.com

Bremont Supermarine Chronograph

Watch Advice had the pleasure of touring the new Bremont Boutique in Melbourne last week, and this model caught our eye. The Supermarine is a robust divers watch designed for purpose, and this piece has the added functionality of the GMT, making it a highly versatile sports watch.

At 43mm and 16mm thick, it’s a larger wearing watch, but this isn’t meant to be a dress watch. The rubber strap is comfortable a suited to whatever you throw at it, and the watch is pure fun on your wrist – perfect for that next travel adventure overseas.

Australian RRP: $9,300 on rubber. Available at Bremont.com

Omega Speedmaster ‘57

No Chronograph collection is complete without an Omega Speedmaster. But we’ve gone something a little different to the standard Moonwatch. The Omega Speedmaster ’57 pays tribute to the 1957 Speedmaster (predating the Moonwatch) and is a perfect 40.5mm in size. With an in-house co-axial hand-wound movement that has 60hrs power reserve, it’s also on the slimmer side too, making at a great sports watch that can be dressed up and down.

The Speedmaster is synonymous with timing, and the ’57 is a nod to this. Plus it has the added functionality of the date window at 6 o’clock, which the Moonwatch doesn’t have, adding a touch more functionality to the piece.

Australian RRP: $15,250 on steel. Available at Omegawatches.com

Breitling Premier B25 Datora 42

Breitling are making some seriously good watches these days under the leadership of Georges Kern and the Premier B25 Datora is one of the best looking dress chronographs in our opinion. The B25 refers to their in-house concept movement & its look is reminiscent of a Patek, with that beautiful Salmon dial working brilliantly with the tan alligator strap.

“Datora” was a term used by Breitling in the 1940s and refers to a complete calendar chronograph displaying day, date, month and the different moon phases, making this highly useful. At 42mm and 15mm thick, its on the larger side, but wears very well and will turn heads with both watch and non-watch people!

Australian RRP: $19,790. Available at Breitling.com

So there you have five great chronographs to choose from under $20,000 and at a range of budgets too. Now the world of chronographs is massive, and whilst we’ve five here, there are so many more we could have included. So if you have any suggestions or don’t agree with any of these choices, leave us a comment below!

Bremont, whilst iconic in the aviation industry, may not be a brand that is well recognised by collectors. However, this is about to change as the British brand founded by Giles and Nick English, now headed up by new CEO and watch industry veteran Davide Cerrato (the man responsible for Tudor’s rise and the Black Bay), is pushing hard in Australia. With their new Boutique front and centre on Collins Street in Melbourne, it’s a sign that Bremont means business!

Watch Advice had the privilege of previewing the Boutique earlier this week, prior to the opening to the public on Wednesday, and to say they’ve done a great job with the design, layout, and experience would be an understatement. Bremont’s has taken this chance to re-think their Boutique offering and says Melbourne is now the benchmark moving forward.

Located at 292 Collins Street, in the heart of the Luxury Shopping district, its prime position on the corner of the Block Arcade gives Bremont a new presence that entices people in and is the first of a new range of luxury watch shops in the area. Speaking to Rowena White, Bremont’s Country Manager – Australia and New Zealand, a few weeks ago, she promised a unique experience, and we were keen to get down to Melbourne to experience this first hand.

The Boutique is designed to be inviting and warm yet modern and contemporary, and you get a sense of this as you walk in the front door. On show are all the collections in the Bremont catalogue, from the Iconic Martin Baker range to their new H1 series with their Bremont-assembled ENG300 movements. It’s a watch lover’s dream, to be honest.

Their partnership with Martin Baker, the company that makes approximately 70% of the world’s ejection seats is also strongly felt as you’re greeted by the large red ejection seat from a 1970’s Avro Vulcan, the plane which inspired the release of the Bremont Vulcan, which we covered here.

Interspersed with all the watches are decorative items, knickknacks and memorabilia that bring to life Bremont’s brand philosophy and ties with the British Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces. This, coupled with the warm, intimate feel of the boutique, makes you feel like you’ve walked into the Explorers Club or someone’s home office or study that’s spent years traversing the globe and picked up books and items from their exploration days. It really is cool and not like any other watch boutique I’ve been in recently.

What makes the Boutique unique is not only the items in store but the design. It’s not a massive multi-level store like some; it’s intimate and designed to give customers a one-to-one service. Something that is lacking these days in the retail sector. You can browse the Pilot’s Chronographs, the Supermarine and Martin Baker collections in the front leisurely, and then walk up to the middle section where you can have a personal consult with one of the staff whilst being surrounded by some rare limited edition pieces, like the watch designed in tribute to Physicist Stephen Hawking.

Depending on your time, you’re warmly invited to celebrate your purchase over a drink at the Boutique bar – designed with aviation thematics coming through. They have a range of whiskey and Gusbourne Sparkling Wine to choose from, so whatever your tastes, you can enjoy and talk all things watches with the staff.

The new Boutique launch follows an exciting period of growth for the brand in Australia, having received an impressive AUD$84m investment earlier this year as renowned American investor Bill Ackman and his affiliate purchased a substantial minority interest in the company alongside Hellcat LP, Bremont’s long-standing lead investor, which increased its investment in the company as part of the transaction.

When asked about this move for the brand in Australia, CEO Davide Cerrato comments: “Australia is renowned for its adventurous spirit and passion for an outdoor lifestyle, both of which are synonymous with the Bremont brand”. A sentiment that is echoed by Bremont’s co-founder, Giles English.

“The Australian market has been vital to the success and growth of Bremont to date and our new boutique on Collins Street marks an exciting milestone and the beginning of a new chapter of growth for the brand.”

The staff are passionate about the Bremont brand as well. Having spent the better part of the day with Boutique Manager Peter Silk, a British ex-pat, this knowledge and enthusiasm come through in spades. He’s a guy that is so passionate you can walk in there not knowing anything about Bremont but walk out an hour later loving the brand. It’s infectious, to say the least, and refreshing.

If you’re one of the 2.7 Million people in Melbourne considering a luxury watch, or you’re a watch lover visiting the city, we would recommend stopping by the Bremont Boutique, having a look at some of the pieces and talking to the staff who will be more than happy to show you around the Boutique, tell you the story behind the brand and perhaps enjoy a drink whilst there.

Bremont is located at 292 Collins Street in the Melbourne CBD, on the corner of the Block Arcade. Click here for the Google Maps location.

Now, on the 70th anniversary of Duncan Hamilton’s iconic 1953 Le Mans race win, Bremont is introducing a new version of their C-type model. This 1953 Le Mans race was iconic due to the fact the Jaguar C-Types finished first, second, and fourth, marking a historic win. The latest C-type timepiece to celebrate this special occasion is created with reference to the lightweight tubular chassis and aluminum body of the iconic racecar that produced this historic win. The C-Type racecar had a fluid design shape giving it exceptional aerodynamics. Taking the notable design features and the car’s classic shape, the all-new C-type timepiece was created.

Bremont CEO Davide Cerrato comments: “There is an intrinsic link between motorsport and high-end watchmaking. Automotive inspired timepieces date back to the early rally timers used in the 30s with wristwatches coming in in the 60s at a time when drivers really depended on them, using chronograph functionality to record lap times and pit stops. It’s been over 70 years since the release of the C-type and Bremont is thrilled to continue celebrating Jaguar’s incredible motoring heritage with the release of this new piece.”

The previous C-type that was created by Bremont was a white dial with white chronograph counters and a black tachymeter bezel. For the 2023 rendition of the C-type, Bremont has used a black dial with contrast white sub-dials, and for the very first time, the brand has used a steel bezel insert for the tachymeter scale. This steel bezel matches well with the 3-piece steel case.

This 43mm monochrome C-type chronograph timepiece is a modern take on a motoring classic and is a fine addition to Bremont’s Motorsport collection. Stripping the colour palette back to the original silver-coloured chassis presents the Smiths-inspired sub-dials and vintage details in an altogether refreshing and modern way. The stainless steel Trip-Tick® case has been constructed with a scratch-resistant PVD-treated middle case.

The brushed finish of the bezel is done in reference to the famous disc brake of the C-type, which was the first ever racecar to use this type disc brake design. The screw-down crown comes engraved with the original Jaguar heritage Dunlop tire tread, which Bremont states took quite an amount of time to get the crown design to match up with the tire tread.

Bremont’s CEO Davide Cerrato loves this new design, and in regards to this new C-type, comments “There is an intrinsic link between motorsport and high-end watchmaking. Automotive-inspired timepieces date back to the early rally timers used in the 30s with wristwatches coming in in the 60s at a time when drivers really depended on them, using chronograph functionality to record lap times and pit stops. It’s been over 70 years since the release of the C-type and Bremont is thrilled to continue celebrating Jaguar’s incredible motoring heritage with the release of this new piece.”

We personally do feel that this new dial design is a step up from the previous rendition of the Jaguar C-type timepiece. The reverse panda look gives the watch a more stand-out appearance, while the steel bezel with brushed finish is a nice touch that also adds a nice shiny effect on the dial. The reverse panda dial layout mirrors the gauges from the C-type with white gloss numerals, a white small seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock, and a white chronograph 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock. A large date window is shown at the 6 o’clock hour mark, while the 5 and 7 o’clock Arabic numerals are removed, which incidentally also puts more focus back on the date window.

This new Bremont C-type comes with a (drivers) black leather strap with holes, which can be changed to the strap of your choice. Bremont has used the modified Calibre 13 1/4’’’ BE-50AV movement in this timepiece, which features a glucydur balance wheel and anachron balance spring. The movement operates at a great frequency of 4Hz (28,800 VpH) which offers a high level of accuracy, while also providing a decent power reserve of 56 hours. The case back of the timepiece comes with a decorative coin that depicts the Jaguar “Growler” hood badge.

The latest of a three-watch release, this new C-type showcases Bremont’s history and expertise while also celebrating the 70th anniversary of the 1953 Le Man’s race, with a racing-inspired timepiece with just the right amount of details to make it a modern timepiece with ties back to its history. Visit the Bremont website (click here) to see the interview of Bremont’s ‘Icons of Motorsport’ which has special guests including Williams Racing F1 drivers, Alex Albon, and Logan Sargeant and Isle of Man TT legend Peter Hickman. The event also elaborates more about this timepiece and the history of Jaguar watches, along with the brand’s other newest racing-inspired timepieces.

Reference: Jaguar C-type Collection

Specification

• Case: 43mm
• Case Material: Stainless steel Bremont Trip-Tick® case
• Dial: Black metal multi-level dial incorporating Bremont’s classic raised central section with a debossed Jaguar Heritage logo
• Crystal: Domed anti-reflective, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
• Water resistance: 200m (20 bar)
• Movement: Modified Calibre 13 1/4’’’ BE-50AV
• Power reserve: 56 hrs
• Strap: Black leather racing strap with stainless steel pin buckle

Availability: Made To Order via through Bremont.com

Australian Recommended Retail Pricing: $9,300

It’s not everyday you get to tune into a livestream event hosted by the voice of F1, David “Crofty” Croft alongside Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant, to launch a new watch model. Earlier this week, this is exactly what Bremont did to launch their new Racing Chronograph, the WR-45.

Livestream events are always a little awkward, mostly due to the lack of an audience and atmosphere, but Bremont made the most of this from the Williams Racing Heritage Centre, with some F1 history in the form of old Williams race cars in the background.

Whilst the watches were the main event, Alex and Logan were the stars, giving us a little insight into the world of elite racing. At one point, Crofty asking them to re-create and mime their qualifying laps of Bahrain (Logan) and Melbourne (Alex) with steering wheels and the drivers commentating their own drive, including gear changes and speeds whilst Giles times them on the new WR-45 was impressive. As an F1 fan, you do forget that these drivers essentially memorise the courses in their heads due to the amount of simulator time they do each week!

Bremont and Williams are both proud British brands, and if you read our article interview with Giles English, Founder of Bremont, then you’ll understand why they are a great fit. British engineering and precision are at the forefront of both brands, and both are striving to put England back on top of their respective industries – Bremont with watch making, and Williams in motor racing. So it’s no surprise that their latest release partners nicely with Williams, and takes inspiration from the team and car itself.

Limited to only 244 pieces, nodding to the number of times Williams has achieved podium positions over the years, the WR-45 takes inspiration from this season’s Williams Racing chassis, the FW-45, hence the name of the Chronograph. The 43mm chronograph brings in a new case design to the Williams Racing range whilst maintaining its tachymeter function and uses Bremont’s immediately recognisable 3-piece Trip-Tick® case construction which has been DLC treated.

The dial continues the black motif, all but the seconds hand sub-dial at 9 o’clock which is a splash of white with the electric blue of the Williams Racing team colours on the seconds hand. This blue is punctuated throughout the dial in a nod to the Williams team.

The almost monochromatic design is further enhanced by blue emission lume filled indexes, minute and hour hands along with a triangular 12 hour marker on the dial ring which is framed in red and reprises the vibrant red sweeping seconds hand, a fitting tribute to the racing red seconds hand often found on early 20th century rally timers.

The WR-45 Chronograph shows the automatic movement through the display case back. The rotor showcases yet another nod to the Williams Racing collaboration with he black DLC coated, skeletonised rotor, inspired by the racing car rims and displaying the Williams Racing logo. The movement is a modified Calibre 13 BE-53AV, which is based on the Calibre 13 BE-53AE movement inside the WR-22 Chronograph, however, this now includes an increased power reserve up to 56 hours, which should be plenty as an everyday wearing watch, or safe to put down for a day or so and pick back up and put it back on the wrist.

The new WR-45 is also 100m water resistant, so it’s fine for water sports and general use, however, the Alcantara strap may not love this! It’s also Chronometer certified, rated to ISO 3159 certification like all Bremont pieces, so it’s been tested in 5 positions and accurate to -4/+5 seconds per day. At 43mm in diameter, 50mm lug to lug and 16mm thick, it’s a chunky watch, but if it wears anything like the WR-22, then most average wrist sizes should be able to pull it off.

Final Thoughts

The new WR-45 is a good looking watch and nice ties into the Williams racing brand. With subtle design cues that point to the band and the cars themselves, if you’re a racing fan, then this may be one chronograph that you should consider. Having met Giles in person, I can say that Bremont is a brand that stands by their products and are producing some great watches. Whilst the movement in the WR-45 isn’t one of their new ENG300 series, it’s Chronometer certified, good looking and a will be perfectly fine for everyday wear. Oh and did we mention, each of the 244 watches come with an actual wheel nut from one of the Williams race cars, not a bad piece of memorabilia!

Reference: WR-45

Specification

• Case: 43mm, 16mm thick, 50mm lug to lug
• Case: DLC coated Stainless Steel with Bremont 3 piece Trip-Tick® case design
• Dial: Black metal dial with applied indexes, filled with Super-LumiNova® (Blue emission)
• Crystal: Domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
• Water resistance: 100m (10BAR)
• Movement: Modified Calibre 13 1/4’’’ BE-53AV, pivoting on 27 jewels, vibrating at 28,800 vph (4Hz)
• Power reserve: 56 hours
• Bracelet: Black Alcantara strap with DLC pin buckle

Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $9,500

Availability: Available at Bremont boutiques, online at Bremont.com or through authorised dealers.

If you haven’t read about Bremont’s new MB Viper release, check it out here first before continuing on, will help with some context on their two new releases. You can also check out the interview with Giles English here which helps explain the philosophy behind Bremont and Giles and Nick English’s vision for the brand. Don’t worry, we’ll wait…

Ok you’re back, good.

Not quite as fun and out there as the MB Viper, The Vulcan is Bremont’s latest edition to their Armed Forces line, and is based on the current Arrow model, which is why if you are familiar with Bremont this watch will look familiar. Named after the Avro Vulcan, a jet powered, tail-less, delta-wing, high altitude strategic bomber, operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1956 until 1984, it was heralded as a symbolic last defence against nuclear war, and is one of the most iconic aircraft in the RAF’s history.

“The Vulcan’s legacy as a symbol of British military power and technological innovation continues to be celebrated today, and it remains one of the most iconic aircraft of the Cold War era. As aviators ourselves, celebrating such remarkable aircraft and feats of engineering is truly inspirational and it’s fitting to incorporate these commemorative pieces within our Armed Forces Collection through Bremont’s partnership with the MoD.”

Giles English, co-founder, Bremont

The Vulcan oozes Bremont’s design codes, which is evident in the case design, crown, monopusher and dial design. The dial is typically military in style, with a matte black dial featuring a running seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock with a two-tone 3-D camouflage design. The elapsed minutes counter at 3 o’clock features a nuclear symbol indicating the arsenal carried onboard. A date function is situated at 6 o’clock helps with the symmetry of the dial.

The Vulcan’s case is made from Satin and polished two-piece MoD hardened stainless steel, and is 42mm in diameter. With a lug to lug of 51.5mm and thickness of just under 15mm, it’s a wearable watch, and fairly comfortable on the wrist, albeit for the short few minutes I had it on when I had the pleasure of trying it out back in early April.

The chronograph functionality is operated by a single pusher (monopusher) at 2 o’clock which starts, stops, and resets the stopwatch. If you’re more familiar with the much more common dual-pusher chronograph with both start/stop and reset pushers, a monopusher may seem weird to you at first, but you get used to it quickly. Push once to start, again to stop, and a third time to reset the chronograph movement.

Turning the watch over reveals a stainless steel enclosed case back, which hides the chronometer rated BE-51AE movement with a 56-hour power reserve. The case back is decorated with an engraving of the Avro B-1 Bomber and the heraldic badge of the Royal Air Force encircled with the inscription: ‘Approved by Her Majesty’s Armed Forces’ given that this timepiece was designed and approved by the Ministry Of Defence under Her Majesty’s Reign.

Final Thoughts

The Bremont Vulcan is one of the watches that you either fall in love with when you first hold it, or you don’t. For me, I loved this watch for several reasons. The case is sturdy and felt great on the wrist, the monopusher chronograph is just that little bit different and the design of the Vulcan to me just works.

The subtle design nods to it’s namesake are great and that lovely matte textured dial with the contrasting blue second hand and ‘1952’ on the dial give it more character. And with only 250 pieces available, you’re sure to have something a little unique on your wrist. Plus you get two straps to change the look and bonus Avro Vulcan cufflinks, which you have to be happy about that!

Specification

Reference: Vulcan – 250 Piece Limited Edition

• Case: 42mm, lug to lug 51.5mm
• Thickness: 14.9mm thick
• Case Material: Satin and polished two-piece MoD hardened stainless steel case
• Case back: Stainless Steel decorated with an Avro B-1 Bomber and the Royal Air Force Heraldic Badge.
• Dial: Black metal dial with white Super-LumiNova® (Blue emission) numerals. Skeleton hour and minute hands, painted with white Super-LumiNova® & RAF Blue Chronograph hand.

• Crystal: Domed anti-reflective, scratch resistant sapphire crystal.
• Water resistance:100m / 10bar
• Movement: Modified Calibre 13 1/4’’’ BE-51AE. 27 Jewels, 28,800 Vph (4Hz)
• Power reserve: 56 Hours
• Strap: ‘RAF Blue’ Sailcloth strap with additional Camo Sailcloth strap inspired by the Avro Vulcan. Stainless steel pin buckle.

Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $6,600

Availability: Available now through Hardy Brothers Boutiques, and online at Bremont.com

A month or so back, Giles English was in Australia doing the rounds and coincided with the Australian Grand Prix (Bremont are the watch sponsor for Williams Racing) and Watch Advice had the chance to catch up with him at an intimate gathering in Sydney (which you can read about here). At that event, Giles gave us a first look at two new watches that we’re being slated for launch in May – the MB Viper and the Vulcan.

Whilst we were sworn to secrecy and asked politely to not take photos or videos, I did commit these watches to memory eagerly waiting on their debut. Finally, after much anticipation, the MB Viper and Vulcan have landed, and the star is in my mind, the MB Viper. It’s not just another aviation styled watch, the MB Viper is special…

The MB Viper

Bremont has a close partnership with ejection seat manufacturer, Martin-Baker and together have worked on the MB series of watches that are fully tested in an ejection scenario, able to withstand the forces and impacts a live ejection from a fighter jet places on the watch and movement. And for those unlucky enough to go through a live ejection from their plane, find themselves lucky enough to be able to purchase one of Bremont’s MB1, the watch that is only available to pilots who have ejected and live to tell the tale! Talk about a catch 22!

The MB Viper is a watch that is born from the testing facility for the MB ENG300 movements, and I mean quite literally! The MB Viper is the saleable version of the test instrument for the ENG300 movement used to gain the Live Ejection Test certification, as well as MFOS Crashworthy Testing, Extreme Temperature Endurance, Vibration Testing, Altitude Testing and Aircraft Carrier Deck Testing.

To this end, Bremont initially developed a functional and minimal casing housing a shock isolating mount that could be fixed to the cockpit ‘dashboard’ of a Martin-Baker live ejection ‘simulator’. The test instrument was then developed further with the addition of forged carbon fibre lugs so that it could be affixed to an ejection manikin. Most importantly, the movement, protected by Bremont’s patented Anti-Shock movement mount, passed with flying colours and maintained impeccable time.

The 43.5mm matte DLC Grade 5 titanium case employs a protective carbon coating and features an anodised 6082 aluminium case middle. Whilst perhaps not the prettiest watch, but a fun watch, it does showcase a different design direction for Bremont. It is a true embodiment and representation of what the brand has achieved in its design, engineering, and manufacture.

This is the first MB model to house an ENG300 series movement which is visible through its flat exhibition case back. The self-winding ENG352 calibre boasts a 65-hour power reserve with silicon escape wheel, free sprung hairspring with inertia weight timed balance and KIF shock protection. The movement features rhodium plated bridges with a gold-plated automatic bridge and is encased by Bremont’s trusted rubberised AntiShock mount that was developed back in 2009 when the brand first started working with Martin-Baker.

Thoughts On The MB Viper

Having had the pleasure of see the MB Viper first hand, and a chance to play around with it for short while, I can say that this is a fun watch. Whilst the origins of this watch are quite serious, and for pilots who end up with a MBI even more so, this watch when in the wrist isn’t. It is Bremont taking a chance and designing and developing something that normally wouldn’t see the light of day, and I think this is a good thing. And being limited to only 300 pieces, you probably won’t see too many in the wild, or something like this again!

Specifications

MB Viper – 300 Piece Limited Edition

• Case: 43.5mm, lug to lug 51.9mm
• Thickness: 10.8mm thick
• Case Material: Matte black DLC treated Grade 5 Titanium. Bremont Trip-Tick® case construction with orange anodized aluminium top bezel
• Case back: Matte black DLC treated Grade 5 Titanium with integrated flat exhibition crystal
• Dial: White metal dial with seconds track. Hours marked with Super-LumiNova®. Chevron patterned Hour and Minute hands with pointer tips infilled with Super-LumiNova®
• Crystal: Flat anti-reflective, scratch resistant sapphire crystal.
• Water resistance:100m / 10bar
• Movement: Bremont ENG352 calibre self winding movement. 22 Jewels, Silicon escape wheel, free sprung hair spring with inertia weight timed balance & KIF Shock protection
• Power reserve: 65 Hours
• Strap: Black canvas strap with complimentary orange canvas strap. DLC treated Titanium pin buckle.

Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $8,800

Availability: Available now via Hardy Brothers Boutiques and online at Bremont.com

Bremont watches may not be the first watch brand that comes to mind when thinking of aviation watches, more probably you’ll say IWC, or Breitling. I know I did. However, you should, and I now will. Since getting the invite to attend an intimate event with one of the Co-Founders of Bremont Watches, I’ve done quite a bit of research on the brand, and now after meeting Giles himself, spending some time with him and listening to his, and his brother, Nick’s story (the other Co-Founder), I’ve now have a new appreciation and respect for the brand, what they do, and how and why they do it.

Whilst Bremont is only 20 years old (or young in watch brand terms), it may have more heritage and provenance than many other brands that have aviation and military associations. Not only do they have an exclusive contract with the UK Ministry of Defense, their Martin-Baker collection is the only watch line in the world that is actually ejection seat certified. Done in collaboration with Martin-Baker – a British aviation company responsible for supplying 70% of the world’s Air Forces with fighter ejection seat technology, Bremont’s MBII collection has had to withstand the same rigorous testing programme as the ejection seats themselves including Live Ejection Testing, MFOS Crashworthy Testing, Extreme Temperature Endurance, Vibration Testing, Altitude Testing and Aircraft Carrier Deck Testing. Plus they are Chronometer Certified so are beyond tough and accurate.

And this is something that Giles English is very proud of, given both he and his brother, who are experienced aviators themselves, and have both experienced crashes in their planes. And and when you listen to the story of how their father died in an accident training for an aerobatics display, and where Nick himself suffered massive injuries, including 30 broken bones, you can understand where the inspiration and motivation behind Bremont comes from.

As Giles explains; “Our life changed, we hit the tipping point and it was never going to be the same again. Coming out of that we had this mad dream of following this passion of ours.”

And you can tell he has passion for it – a lot of passion. This passion stems from his childhood growing up with a father who was a brilliant engineer, who himself was passionate about watches and clocks, and as kids, he and brother Nick would tinker trying to fix these clocks.

Although by his own admission, “I could never fix them, but I was totally in awe by this whole nature of watchmaking and clock making.” A very honest comment said with a sense of humour, and perhaps some comical irony given where Giles and Nick are today.

This statement does give you pause for thought. At one point, England produced around 60% of the world’s watches and clocks, and some of the most famous innovations in watchmaking come from British watchmakers. Such components and movements such as the balance spring, lever escapement and even the Chronograph were all British innovations. Even up to 50 or so years ago, George Daniels famously developed the Co-axial escapement that Omega now uses today across their entire range. Now with Swiss Made being the standard that is widely recognised around the world, Giles and Nick thought it was time to re-invigorate the British watchmaking tradition. He goes on to explain:

“This amazing history of British watchmaking, Nick and I were so aware of it, no British watch companies apart from George Daniels making a handful in his lifetime… The whole idea was to re-build British watchmaking. “

“But also we felt we could build something for that price point that if a journalist would pick up our watch, we knew that they wouldn’t know us, the name Bremont, but they’d pick up this watch and go, “well actually the case hardening is 7 times the hardening of a normal steel case, its a lovely 3-piece, the finishing on the movement, the hardening on the crystal, the weight and feel, actually, its a bloody good watch for the price point!” If we just got that tick in the box, the rest would follow. And it did!”

Giles is a very humble, down to earth and personable man. You could tell instantly as he makes you feel like you’ve known him for a long time, and the way he interacts with everyone in the room, making them feel at ease. You don’t feel like you’re talking to the owner of a luxury watch brand, it’s refreshing.

Having a small scale, intimate event for watch enthusiasts and collectors at a restaurant like NEL also speaks to the Bremont brand and Giles. Executive Chef and owner of NEL, Nelly Robinson, is a fellow Brit himself and prides himself on the food he and his team creates. Always altering his menus, and giving them a unique theme that only lasts for a month, he has set himself apart as one of the best in town. So its no surprise that for an event for Bremont, Nelly created a British themed canape menu that was amazing, really helping to accentuate the British heritage of the brand.

At an event where you have a handful of collectors and enthusiasts, you feel like part of an extended horological family, where you can talk to anyone, and you know you have a common ground to start on. And I can’t help feel that this is what Giles and Hardy Brothers were going for when thinking about hosting the event. You have a family owned watch brand, teaming up with a family owned jeweller, hosting an event for their extended watch family.

Giles is very welcoming in that way. In his speech, and throughout numerous occasions when speaking to him, he invites you to come visit their headquarters in Henley-on-Thames, a town just outside of London in Oxfordshire. In a world where you sometimes have to be a somebody to even get invited to a factory visit, Giles is quite happy for you to come visit and see “The Wing”, Bremont’s state of the art 35,000 sq ft manufacturing facility where they are now making their ENG300 series movements fully in house.

In fact, three of their newer models: The Fury, Supernova (pictured below) and Audley are all fully made in house. This is another step towards both Giles’ and Nick’s goals of bringing British watchmaking back and also making sure that it is just as high a quality as Swiss Made watches.

In Giles’ words:

“No other watch company our size builds this stuff themselves, they all outsource it…To have Made In England, we had to do it and that’s the most unique identifier about Bremont to other brands our size”

Looking To The Future

Now that Bremont has opened up The Wing, Giles talks about Bremont not as a watch company, but as a “high tech engineering business that has to handcraft those components as well”. But in the watch business, you can’t just make great things, you have to be so much more than this these days.

Giles elaborates on this: “You have to be a marketing business if you’re a watch company, cause people want to learn about your watches etc, a retailer – we own 13 stores around the world. So it’s a really, really complex business.” And he’s right.

“No one would do this game unless you’re ridiculously passionate about what you’re doing, Nick and I have just put our life and soul into this, and I always quote my wife on this, she says, Giles, you make earning money look so damn difficult! And I think it’s true, there’s no quick gig here!” said with a chuckle.

When I caught up with Giles later in the night, I asked him about Bremont and the Australian market, and how does he think the Australian watch collector will receive Bremont, and what he thinks will set them apart?

“I think its our story and why we do what we do. The consumer resonates with a brand that has some history and a great story, and also produces great watches that do what they’re meant to, and for the purpose they’ve been designed for.”

This I couldn’t agree more with. And I think that this is where Bremont can set themselves apart. I mentioned to Giles people want authenticity these days, and with many brands, not just in the watch world, authenticity isn’t common in brands anymore. Thankfully he agreed!

But there are some limitations he concedes. “We’re niche, I say niche as a tier two player around the world we’re actually reasonably big, but we’ll only make around 10,000 watches a year, so they’re all made with lots of love and passion and what goes into it...

“We’re confined to the number of watches we can make and that’s probably one of our biggest problems is manufacturing, you can’t just turn on this pointer of getting new watchmakers on board…buying new machines in to make new components is a slow and a very very high investment process.”

And this to me, is a challenge of any business with a high level of skill and expertise required to make the products these days, and one that many of the larger players face as well – given supply chain issues, demand and skill shortages across the board. However, I feel that tapping into new markets, or elevating your presence in markets, like Australia will help to slowly grow. And Bremont watches to me are a great fit for the Australian lifestyle: casual luxury that works in any scenario, or as Giles describes why they love the aviation style of watch they’ve incorporated into many of their designs;

“Aviation for us wasn’t that you had to be an aviator, it was a style of watch…it was a watch you could wear in the boardroom or up Mt Everest, that was always part of our DNA”

And coincidentally, Bremont has been up to the top of the world, so again, and brand and a watch that is authentic and performing the ways it’s meant to – putting its money where its mouth is. This I feel will work well with the Australian public. Take away all the hype around certain brands, and there are still a lot of collectors and enthusiasts out there that want something different, a watch that looks good, performs well, and is a little understated. You could tell this from the collector crowd at NEL, they’ve an appreciation for horology, and many had already jumped in and were sporting Bremont watches proudly.

The night ends and everyone say their goodbyes, and I take one last opportunity to give my thanks to Stuart Bishop and the Hardy Brothers team, Nelly Robinson for the fantastic food, and Giles, for being such a great host and fellow watch lover – and maybe promising to come visit him at The Wing one day soon. And I do hope that I can, as I feel that now 20 years old, I’m looking forward to seeing how Bremont grows over the next 10-20 years, and whilst I’ve only met Giles once, I can say that I don’t think it will be the last.

For more information about Bremont, their watches and The Wing, head to au.bremont.com and check out more of the night below.

There is a story that is Bremont. One of hardship and loss. One of innovation and perseverance. A young brand, perhaps, in an industry filled with centuries-old maisons, but perhaps by virtue of this very fact, Bremont is not burdened by legacy approaches and is boldly pushing forward to create timepieces of exceptional character and quality in house, at their own workshop in Henley-on-Thames.

Aviation is the defining theme for the company, and it shows in their watches, their partnerships, and in the love of flight of brothers-founders Nick and Giles English.

I’ve had the pleasure of recently acquiring the distinctive MBII watch, and today I am glad to be sharing some words about my experience, feelings, and thoughts on it with you.

Nick and Giles love for aviation has heavily influenced Bremont’s direction, from it’s branding to partnerships. And, although Bremont has since expanded beyond the category, Pilots watches are still very much the essence of the brand, remaining its core focus since launch.

Over a decade ago, Bremont was approached by aviation company Martin-Baker, who supply over 70% of the world’s air forces with ejection seats for their fighter jets, with collaboration in mind. In 2010 these discussions led to the development of the Martin-Baker (MB) range, which included the MBI, a model reserved solely for Martin-Baker ejectees. Now a decade into production, the  MB range is quintessentially Bremont, and their most popular collection.

Luckily for the rest of us who have not ejected out of a moving aircraft, the MB Series includes several other models, including the MBII, featured here today.  Let’s go hands-on with the Bremont MBII White – my personal watch, featuring a distinctive green central barrel.

THE DIAL & HANDS

The MBII’s crisp white dial is visible through a domed, anti-reflective, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. The dome of the crystal is rather subtle, and ties in beautifully with the curvature on the watch. The dial features a well-proportioned day and date function at 3 o’clock, and a 60-second inner-bezel. Accents of red, including some anti-shock iconography and a red-tipped seconds hand, adds the perfect amount of vibrancy to the white dial.

The large black handset contrasts with the white face and makes reading the time on the fly a breeze. Although featuring SuperLuminova on both the hands and dial, there’s a noticeable difference in strength between the two. The lume is much stronger on the hands, and unfortunately quite weak on the markers and numerals. 

The second hand features a yellow and black loop, in a direct reference to Martin Baker’s distinctive ejection seat pull handles. It adds a welcome pop of colour and casts a lovely shadow as the second’s sweep by.

The MBII is also available with a black dial.

THE CASE

The MBII is constructed of hardened stainless steel, which has been built to be worn – and worn hard. In fact, the Bremont MB range is tough enough to endure the same extreme testing as Martin-Baker ejection seats themselves. This includes vibration, temperature extremes, salt fog – and of course – ejection. Having previously interviewed several Martin-Baker ejectees, I’ve heard first hand how extremely taxing, brutal, and sometimes lethal the experience is (RIP Goose).

Bremont’s innovative shock protection includes its famous and unique Trip-Tick case technology. The Trip-Tick system is made up of three core parts – the case bezel, a separate case middle, and the case back. This highly unorthodox approach to case construction has helped Bremont establish individuality in design and brand identity.

The MBII comes in at 43mm in diameter and 22mm between the lugs, which is ordinarily something too large for my tastes. On the wrist, however, the MBII wears smaller than one might expect thanks to a streamlined caseback and deceivingly compact lugs. The lugs and case were originally inspired by the ‘leading edge’ of a wing section, again a nod to Bremont’s lineage in aviation.

Propelling the MBII is the BE-36AE automatic chronometer. Based on an ever-reliable ETA movement, and featuring a 38-hour power reserve, the MBII is chronometer rated to ISO 3159 standard and is water-resistant to a handy 100 metres. 

My favourite feature of the MBII is the knurled, green anodized aluminium central barrel. Bremont offers a variety of different barrel colour options in addition to green, including orange, blue, and anthracite. Red is also an option exclusive to the MBI, for those who choose to terminate their flight early by ejection. 

Adorning the right of the case are two grippy and decorated crowns set at 2 and 4. Featuring Bremont’s trademark propellor motif, the crown at 2 quickly sets the day, date, and time. The crown at 4 features a bullseye and operates the MBII’s internal bi-directional bezel with the brands incredibly smooth ‘roto-click’ technology, with a rewarding tactile click for every minute turned.

THE STRAP

The MBII is available on either a black leather strap or stainless steel bracelet, with all models accompanied with a bonus ‘Temple Island’ rubber strap. Knowing that this piece was destined for either a Rubber or NATO strap, I chose to pass on the bracelet. Bremont offers three different strap sizes, and it’s worth sizing yourself properly when making your purchase.

At 22mm between the lugs, the rubber strap is slightly chunkier than I’m used to, though after a week or so, it has broken in nicely and begun to mould to the shape of my wrist.

WHY I CHOSE IT?

Of all the watches Bremont makes, why did I choose this particular model as the one to get my feet wet with? A number of factors drew me to the MBII White.

Firstly, the dial – which is surprisingly a colour I had not yet owned. It’s a refreshing, clean, and fun alternative to the rest of my collection. The MBII is also impressively tough. Having never been one to spare my watches from their intended use, the all brushed design and lack of polished surfaces are absolutely perfect for me. 

Functionally the MBII has everything I need and more, and the overall design allows enough versatility and variety to keep me interested. Couple this with a green central barrel, which for obvious reasons felt like the perfect fit.

A lovely design, a lovely dial, and a great bit of story make a compelling choice for anyone looking for a proper GMT sports watch for use inside and outside the cockpit.

Click here to read more about the Bremont MBII Range.