Justice, British Designer Jewellery- Winchester, England

[jwalker9]

Our latest Retailer Q&A is with Justice British Designer Jewelry in Winchester. I had the pleasure of speaking with Tom and Jon who were happy to answer a few questions for our forum members on behalf of the store. I think you will all agree that Jon's U2 LE with orange barrel looks incredible! If you find yourself in their neck of the woods, stop in for a drink and a look at the Bremont range they stock. If you'd like to contact the good folks at Justice, you can reach them by web, email, or phone: Justice.co.uk - Bremont@justice.co.uk - 0845 604 5551

1 - Tell the Alt1tude forum a little about your store (where it is located, your history, the brands you carry etc)

Justice opened its doors in Winchester in March 2000, originally offering an eclectic mix of imported and local designer jewellery - an inspiring contemporary mix. By 2002 we rebranded as JUSTICE British Designer Jewellery and focussed on exceptionally talented award-winning British designers. We now stock the likes of Stephen Webster, Shaun Leane, Sophie Harley and Dower & Hall amongst others.

We slowly moved into watches beginning with a great British designer from another genre, Paul Smith. The learning curve was steep but we've come a long way since then and we are now holding brands such as Bremont, Eterna – the official timekeeper of Southampton football club – MeisterSinger and Elliot Brown.





2 – When and where did you first hear about Bremont and why did you decide to make Bremont a part of your store's collection?
I came across Bremont by accident. I was staying on a ship in Basel and the on-board entertainment featured a programme about how the luxury British watch brand had won a prestigious industry award. At the time, I wasn't really looking to take on any more watches, but liked the brand and the compelling history behind the company. After several meetings with co-founder Giles, and listening to his passion and vision for Bremont, it became clear that we both wanted to work together. Every watch they produce has a story steeped in British history, so Justice becoming a stockist was a no-brainer!



3 – Is there a Bremont model that your customers consistently gravitate towards?

Despite the general premise that the black-faced Bremont watches sell the best, it is the ALT1-C Classic Cream that has caught the imagination of our clients. It has an iconic look and is my favourite from the core collection. It is very accessible, has a vintage feel and is beautifully proportioned.

Another watch – the Martin Baker – which was designed in collaboration with the aircraft ejection seat company (Martin Baker) is also proving a big hit due to Martin Baker being located near us. This special edition was rigorously tested by the British aircraft company to withstand the force of a cockpit ejection.



4 – What is YOUR favourite Bremont watch and why? Which strap would you pair it with?

On a production level it has to be the P-51. I love the styling and it was the first big quality watch we ever sold. It is stunning and looks awesome paired with the vintage brown strap. It is constructed using original parts from the famous 1944 Mustang WW2 aircraft P-51-K. Aluminium from the aircraft’s original fuselage is integrated into both the dial and movement.

However, my all-time favourite is the limited edition U-2, which is the sister watch of the Martin Baker. I have one myself with a bespoke orange barrel and as far as I am aware is the only one with that feature. The U-2 Spy Plane is a high altitude reconnaissance aircraft which operates at 70,000 feet. The unique watch has been tested in conjunction with the U-2 squadron based in California.






5 - Bremont have created a number of limited edition watches from various historically significant items. If you could choose a piece of history to be a part of a limited edition in the future, what would it be?

The historical watch I dream of owning, relates to Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who built the Great Western Railway that linked London with the south-west of England. The key reference between Isambard and timekeeping, is that prior to the introduction of the railways, each town ran to its own time. Midday was when the sun was in the middle of the sky, which meant that in Bristol midday was ten minutes later than in London for example. This meant that when railways were originally constructed, trains actually crashed because they were working to different time scales. So railways actually unified timekeeping because people were forced to work to Greenwich Mean Time in order for the railways to be successful. Therefore, as a main architect of railways, bridges and buildings, my ultimate timepiece would reflect the work of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and the moment railways determined the time across the country.

[RedsBluesGreens]

Good review, Jeremy. I must get back to Justice soon - I've only been once! (And I'm only 'just down the road'!)