The origin of a brand, more specifically the country the timepieces are manufactured and assembled in, is always a focal topic when discussing watches. Swiss watch brands are always highly sought after, Japanese brands became very popular around the 1970s, and of course several German watch brands are widely recognized as well.
When it comes to Britain, we know Rolex was a British company originally, but we might have trouble naming other well-established British watch brands that are producing excellent quality timepieces.
This brings us to today’s topic of discussion: Bremont, a British brand that established itself as a very reputable and respected brand.
The History of Bremont
Bremont was established in 2002 by brothers Nick and Giles English. Their father, Euan English was a former RAF pilot and engineer. The three of them shared a love of flying. On a fateful day in 1995, Nick was practicing with his father for an air display when their vintage WWII-era aircraft was involved in an accident, and Euan passed away. Nick had broken over 30 bones, and his recovery was uncertain. Thankfully he made it, and along with his brother, Giles, decided to transform the pain and trauma of the past. Combining their passion for aviation and mechanical engineering, Bremont was born. The business has made a considerable investment into in-house manufacturing—their timepieces are produced and assembled in Henley-on-Thames, England.
Origins of the Bremont Name
As a continuation of the dramatic aviation events that eventually resulted in Bremont, the brand name has its own crazy story. In the 1990s, Nick and Giles were flying their biplane from the 1930s (you know those classic fixed-wing planes with two main wings stacked one above the other) over France. Due to some engine problems and less than ideal weather conditions, they had to make an emergency landing on a farm owned by a local French farmer, who happened to be a former aviator himself. The generous man offered to help the brothers by hosting them at his farm. To show their gratitude, they named the watch brand after the farmer, Antoien Bremont.
The Evolution of Bremont Watches
When Bremont launched, the initial timepieces were understandably inspired by aviation and military, so the first models and collections were mainly pilot watches. One of their brand values is to create “mission-ready mechanical watches”, and I believe this truly captures the essence of the brand. I don’t see Bremont jumping on temporary design trends, they keep their focus on creating modern tool watches.
With this core focus never being deprioritized, Bremont was able to expand their watch lines, and have collections for most types of watches for different activities: field, pilot, dive watches, racing chronographs. On top of these, they have the Mayfair collection for their dress watches. We’ll get into more details about the watch collections below.
Bremont and the British Watchmaking Industry
I don’t see a relatively new brand making this big of an impact on a country’s watchmaking world very frequently.
First of all, all Bremont watches are manufactured and assembled in Britain. In 2021, they opened “The Wing”, a new state-of-the-art manufacturing and testing facility in Henley-on-Thames. This facility was built specifically for machining, manufacturing, and the assembly of Bremont watches.
Aside from the initial inspiration by aviation, the brand has an additional focus on racing, particularly British engineering. Their Motorsport collection is inspired by vintage motorsports, and several pieces are tributes towards specific Jaguar racing cars from the 1960s.
As for a more modern angle, you might have seen Bremont as one of the sponsors of the Formula 1 team Williams Racing in recent years.
Takeaway: Are Bremont Watches Good?
Bremont is a new luxury brand that is already very well established and respected. I was impressed with their early models, and since then the brand has done nothing but improve and further strengthen their place in the luxury watch market. The price range for the majority of their watches is between $3,000 and $7,000, so they’re definitely in the luxury category, but what I really appreciate about Bremont is the fact that they are not outsourcing their manufacturing for the materials and movements. This innovation, the choice to try something new and own, instead of opting for an easier “tried and true” is something that makes me excited about a new brand, and for this reason, I would highly recommend keeping an eye on Bremont. I foresee a bright future for the already accomplished brand.
Bremont delivers beautiful, evergreen designs paired with very impressive technical specifications. As I’ve mentioned before, they have a very strong sense of identity, and are constantly innovating and expanding their collections at a very steady pace. This is very much aligned with Bremont’s mission statement: “Go beyond. Take it further.”
Buyer’s Guide: Bremont Watch Collections
*By clicking on the product links in this article, we may receive a commission fee at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.
Bremont Altitude
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: BE-36AE
- Power Reserve: 38 hours
- Case Width: 43 mm
- Price: Around $4,000
The Altitude collection is the collection that truly represents Bremont. The Altitude has beautiful pilot watches inspired by classic design elements tailored for today’s use. The English brothers’ love for everything aviation related is showcased in these pilot watches that are engineered for both function and finesse.
The collection was off to a strong start with the creation of SOLO 43, inspired by the classic pilot watches from the 1940s. It beautifully resembles the aesthetic of vintage cockpit design with its highly legible instruments.
Bremont Armed Forces
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: BE-95-2AV
- Power Reserve: 38 hours
- Case Width: 40 mm
- Price: Under $4,000
The Armed Forces collection is a military-inspired collection with fresh watch designs mainly inspired by field watches. Bremont partnered with the British Ministry of Defence (MoD), and they’re the only luxury watch brand allowed to legitimately use the symbols of all three services: Royal Navy, British Army and the Royal Air Force. As a true testament to the quality and durability, Bremont manufactured watches for over 500 squadrons across the world.
When it comes to field watches, we usually think of the classic “Dirty Dozen” designs. While I like those vintage field watch designs, I’m often underwhelmed when watch brands create their own versions, it almost feels like a rinse and repeat of the same old design. It genuinely excites me that the Armed Forces collection is an inspired reimagination: one of my favorites is the Broadsword Bronze with the teal dial. This dial color provides a contemporary touch to the beautiful classic design.
Bremont Motorsport
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: BE-50AV
- Power Reserve: 42 hours
- Case Width: 43 mm
- Lug-to-lug: 49 mm
- Price: Around $6,500
If you like racing chronographs, Bremont’s Motorsport collection will be of special interest to you, as it is in collaboration with another British giant, Jaguar. The first project they worked on was when Jaguar launched the new C-X75, and Bremont developed an analogue dashboard clock for the sportscar.
Here, I’m highlighting the Bremont Jaguar C-Type watch. This was introduced in 2023, the 70th anniversary of the 1953 Le Mans race where the Jaguar C-Type finished first. The overall appearance of the watch resembles a machine, but in a graceful form. Stainless steel bezel, black dial with white subdials, and a touch of red to provide the perfect amount of dynamism. My absolute favorite part is that the crown is engraved with the Jaguar heritage Dunlop tire tread – such a nice touch.
Bremont Supermarine
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: BE-932AV
- Power Reserve: 50 hours
- Case Width: 43 mm
- Lug-to-lug: 51 mm
- Price: Under $5,000
The Supermarine collection is Bremont’s dive watch collection.
My personal favorite from the collection is the Supermarine S502. The black bezel and dial provide a very serious look. A cream color is used as a secondary color, and this is paired with syringe-style hour and minute hands. This classic look is counterbalanced with a modern GMT hand, giving dynamism with its red contour. The crown is positioned at the 2 o’clock position, which is something I would like to see more often.
Bremont Terra Nova
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: BE-79AL
- Power Reserve: 38 hours
- Case Width: 40.5 mm
- Lug-to-lug: 47 mm
- Price: Around $4,000
The Terra Nova collection is created for the modern explorer. These pieces are made out of 904L type stainless steel. For reference, watches are usually made of 316L stainless steel. Type 904L contains more chromium, molybdenum, and nickel than 316L. What we need to know as the main takeaway is that the 903L type is more corrosion resistant than the 316L.
The Terra Nova collection is inspired by the military pocket watches of the early 20th century. They encompass essential functionality with unexpected style and elegance.
The new collection has Bremont’s new logo, the “Wayfinder”, reiterating the brand’s dedication to adventure and exploration.
WRITTEN BY
Maté D
SEE ALSO
Furlan Marri Watches: Brand Review
Furlan Marri has positioned itself as offering exceptional value for money, and this is a major reason the brand has won the hearts of seasoned enthusiasts and newer collectors alike.
UNIMATIC Watches: Brand Review
I’m genuinely excited about UNIMATIC as a brand. They set an excellent example for other microbrands, as they already established themselves as a leading independent microbrand, prioritizing craftsmanship and unique designs.
Jowissa Watch Review: Everything You Need to Know About the Brand
Jowissa might be a somewhat overlooked brand as there isn’t a lot of chatter about the brand online. So let’s take a look at the facts!
Best Seiko Watches: The Ultimate Guide to Seiko Watches
Navigating the endless options Seiko has to offer can feel a little daunting. This guide was created to help you in deciding what timepieces are worth adding to the collection.
Nivada Grenchen Brand Review: A Successful Resurgence of a Historic Brand
Nivada Grenchen stands as a testament to the timeless elegance and pioneering spirit of Swiss watchmaking. With a rich history that dates back to the early 20th century, this brand has consistently pushed the boundaries of precision, design, and innovation.
BALL Watches: A Comprehensive Brand Review
Even though BALL does not exactly fly under the radar, I believe their history deserves some time in the spotlight, as this is a brand synonymous with precision, durability, and innovation.
Certina Brand Review
Certina offers a blend of history, innovation, and style that is truly timeless and classic. Great quality from a history-rich brand at very reasonable prices.
Ollech & Wajs Brand Review
Ollech & Wajs represents the pinnacle of Swiss watchmaking, blending the tradition of precision and durability with the innovation of modern design. Read more about the brand!