You may recall that earlier this year I had the pleasure of reviewing the initial Boeing range offerings from Bremont, the Model 1 and Model 247. If you haven’t had the chance take a few minutes and check out the review for a recap!
At that time of that publication, we were expecting Bremont to release identical titanium iterations of the existing black and white dialed steel models. Instead, at Baselworld 2015, Bremont announced the Model 1 Titanium GMT, and the Model 247 Titanium GMT in new grey-toned dial colors as additions to the Boeing line-up.
The good folks at Bremont graciously allowed me to spend some time with the Model 1 TI-GMT to photograph and review. Unfortunately, the Model 247 Ti-GMT was already out on loan, but to make up for it, they also sent over the original steel Model 247 with a bracelet for comparison purposes.
So what all is different about this years’ Boeing models compared to last years? Firstly, the case material is made of aviation grade, proprietary Boeing Ti-64 titanium, as opposed to Custom 465 Steel. As you would expect, the result is a much lighter product on the wrist. Still, as with the Terra Nova, the titanium case is heavy enough to have a healthy presence on your wrist.
Also, as anticipated, the hue of the Ti-64 alloy is darker than steel. Here are a few comparison shots of the two metals side by side.
I quickly noticed that Bremont had made titanium buckles to keep the look and feel consistent across the whole watch. If you look closely, you can see that they polished the edges of the buckle for some extra contrast.
The second most obvious change is the addition of a yellow tipped GMT hand, a la the Terra Nova. A GMT complication isn’t useful for everyone; in fact, I could take it or leave it when it comes to my needs. However, the chapter ring that was added for 24-hour timekeeping is a huge plus for me! The dial of the Model 1 at times seemed slightly barren with unutilized space. The Model 1 Ti-GMT has a more balanced dial, migrating the markers and numerals inwards to a more central location.
The dial of the Ti-GMT is a dark slate grey, not quite black, and certainly not as light of a grey as the Model 247 Ti-GMT. The dial color helps to immediately differentiate the titanium models from the steel ones, which only come in black or white, and lack the GMT complication.
This year’s Boeing models mark the first time that Bremont have incorporated ceramic into any of their production models. I recall hearing rumblings of Bremont experimenting with ceramic when the Boeing range was originally announced, but in the end the ceramic prototypes were scrapped for sapphire.
I’m happy to see that ceramic bezels have now seen the light of day and are used in the Ti-GMT models. They look really sharp and sporty, and the lume still looks fantastic in low light conditions.
One criticism that I saw mentioned regarding the black Model 1 was that the second hand wasn’t very visible against the dial. That niggle has been resolved with the Ti-GMT, as the second hand is now painted white, except for the trademark blue Boeing tip, which is the only real Boeing reference on the front portion of the watch.
The rest of the watch elements have essentially remained unchanged, so I won't bore you with rehashing the details...but I do have a few photographs to show off the highlights!
Bremont sent one of their new Boeing strap changing tools over, along with a few straps to try with the watches. I really like the Seattle strap that comes with the Boeing watches, but if you know my reviews, I love to try out different straps.
There is a new Kevlar strap available from Bremont, which I had really been wanting to handle. I can tell you that it’s definitely a better strap than the original Kevlar strap that Bremont started with in 2008! I didn’t notice any fraying of the edges, and this fabric doesn’t catch random fibers like the original did. If you’ve been looking for a solid black strap, make sure you give this one a try!
Another strap that I used quite a bit was the Nubuck Bremont strap. I only wore this one on the Model 1 Ti-GMT, but thought it went well with the slate grey dial, and helped to keep the kit from being so dark.
Lastly, the steel bracelet for the Model 247 was a delight! Of course it adds a lot of weight to the watch, but looks really tough. I can safely say that its much easier to attach a bracelet using the screw lug system over springbars! If you've ever wrestled with mounting one of the Bremont bracelets in the past, you know exactly what I'm talking about!
The bracelet came with special Model 247 end links that fit perfectly and made mounting much easier than usual.
The Verdict
The last time around, I said that despite its thicker case, the Model 247 won out for me compared to the Model 1. This time, I've changed my mind! By adding the GMT chapter ring to the outer edge of the dial, the Model 1 Ti-GMT feels like a much more balanced watch, without the added thickness that the Model 247 necessitates. The ceramic bezel and lightweight titanium are an added bonus! I haven't seen the Model 247 Ti-GMT in person yet, but of the 3 models I've handled, the Model 1 Ti-GMT wins comfortably.
The Model 1 Ti-GMT lists for $6450/£4295, where as the steel Model 1 lists at $5450/£3595.
The Model 247 Ti-GMT lists for $7495/£4995 and the steel Model 247 lists at $6750/£4995.
Which one do you prefer?
Thanks for reading!!
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