What is it about Bremont?

[RedsBluesGreens]

If you forget any links between the material and the subject matter and take the design of the back face simply as a design feature, in its own right I think it's outstanding.

I think there's a lot of mileage in that statement - because you're spot on. If people looked past the tie-in's and 'partnerships', what you find are well made and (in my opinion) very well executed watches - and I'm not just talking about the LE's.

There was a thread recently on one of the FB watch groups which asked about the general opinion of Bremont. It ranged between 'oh dear no, not this again' and 'amazing watches.' The common link? Every person who owned a Bremont, who commented, only had a positive opinion of the brand and watches - especially the quality.

J.

[Andyg156]

I got a box from Wolf t'other day and at £17 a bargain.
I've taken 2 spaces up with my missus Tudor 1926 and another with one of her wee Guccis.
There's a slot for my S300 and next spring's Lancaster needed.
Also need a space for my beloved's xmas present

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I bought a watch roll while the 70% was on.

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[Andyg156]

To bring this thread back on topic, the TZ-UK forum has a thread which effectively berates Bremont as a brand. Actually berate might be too strong a word as it's simply a sarcastic 'dig' at Bremont started after a discussion about the new Hawking watch. The original point that was made before the posts started becoming somewhat juvenile was how extremely tenuous the links between Stephen Hawking and the LE watch are. The main criticism seemed to be aimed at the use of wood from the carcass of a draw in a desk that Stephen Hawking owned. The other criticisms were about the use of paper for the LE numbers and about the English brothers somewhat 'reaching' links between the two families.

The initial comments did pose a valid argument. How important could a drawer carcass and a piece of blank paper possibly be? I like those features, I think they add character to the watch, the colours match perfectly and while I don't think they are a critical link between the subject and the watch, they are still a link. However, the marketing side of Bremont do seem to be really pushing these as critical features and I wonder to a non Bremont fan whether they will be seen as nice, subtle, yet important features or whether they will think they are extremely tenuous. On the TZ-UK forum it unfortunately seems to be the latter. If you forget any links between the material and the subject matter and take the design of the back face simply as a design feature, in its own right I think it's outstanding.

I'm still not sure if i like all these bits of tat shavings being thrown into a watch. For me it is just a gimmick and been done to depth. It also gives the haters easy things to mock. Maybe once in a while to something historic and extremely special.

I understand the Wright Flyer piece due to its importance to aviation.

For me the majority of the LE's are stunning as a watch. I would prefer that Bremont concentrate in ensuring the LE's are totally unique in design. The DH-88 looks like the Alt1c-WT for instance. When you look on their website they have Project
Possible (RNCD2/Terra Nova/endurance), Jaguar (alt1-c), MW II Flying Tiger (U2), all in the Limited Edition tab.
As I have said previously they should only produce one LE set a year. But also look to reduce the amount of partnerships they produce.

There is no question the quality of work that they do in-house is up there with the best and they use quality materials.


In short, I think Bremont don't do themselves any favours. There seems to be a new release more than there is a new moon. They seem to have more watches relesed in their not yet 20 years than brands like rolex have.

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[nellydog]

I'm still not sure if i like all these bits of tat shavings being thrown into a watch. For me it is just a gimmick and been done to depth. It also gives the haters easy things to mock. Maybe once in a while to something historic and extremely special.

I understand the Wright Flyer piece due to its importance to aviation.

For me the majority of the LE's are stunning as a watch. I would prefer that Bremont concentrate in ensuring the LE's are totally unique in design. The DH-88 looks like the Alt1c-WT for instance. When you look on their website they have Project
Possible (RNCD2/Terra Nova/endurance), Jaguar (alt1-c), MW II Flying Tiger (U2), all in the Limited Edition tab.
As I have said previously they should only produce one LE set a year. But also look to reduce the amount of partnerships they produce.

There is no question the quality of work that they do in-house is up there with the best and they use quality materials.


In short, I think Bremont don't do themselves any favours. There seems to be a new release more than there is a new moon. They seem to have more watches relesed in their not yet 20 years than brands like rolex have.

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I thought the same. I wonder whether it's a marketing response to the covid-global economy, to help raise the brand's profile and keep it in the consciousness of customers.

[theancientmariner]

I'm still not sure if i like all these bits of tat shavings being thrown into a watch. For me it is just a gimmick and been done to depth. It also gives the haters easy things to mock. Maybe once in a while to something historic and extremely special.

I understand the Wright Flyer piece due to its importance to aviation.

For me the majority of the LE's are stunning as a watch. I would prefer that Bremont concentrate in ensuring the LE's are totally unique in design. The DH-88 looks like the Alt1c-WT for instance. When you look on their website they have Project
Possible (RNCD2/Terra Nova/endurance), Jaguar (alt1-c), MW II Flying Tiger (U2), all in the Limited Edition tab.
As I have said previously they should only produce one LE set a year. But also look to reduce the amount of partnerships they produce.

In short, I think Bremont don't do themselves any favours. There seems to be a new release more than there is a new moon. They seem to have more watches relesed in their not yet 20 years than brands like rolex have.

There's some good points in your post even if I don't agree with them all.

I think that having the inserts in LE watches can have appeal in the right watch but it's not something that should be done simply because it's been done before. Oddly, the one that should have the most appeal which you mention, the Wright Flyer, seems to be the least desirable as they're still available new after all these years. A good looking watch that had a rocky start due to the movement controversy but more so it makes me wonder if few people consider a small piece of cloth from the first aeroplane desirable in a watch?

I disagree about the DH-88. The layout is the same as the WT but barring that you really have to use some imagination to mistake it for a WT. The WT is a nice watch, the DH-88 is a stunning watch. I do take your point about the Jaguar being like the ALT1-C though. There are many of Bremonts watches that take their cue from the ALT1-C. I guess that it's a classic design as there are quite a few watches from other brands that have a similar design as well.

I do find a couple of your comments to be slightly at odds with each other. On the one hand you want Bremont to concentrate on making their LE designs as unique as possible, on the other hand you compare them with Rolex who have one of the most bland range of watches possible. I still find it hard to believe that Rolex change the colour of a watch bezel and the fans of the brand see it as a complete design change, so much so that the earlier version commands a huge price tag. Crazy!

[thebounder]

I think the Hawking watch is beautiful - would I pay £8000 for a steel BREMONT? Nope. The bits and pieces - I think they have a place, mustang, spit etc but I don’t like it being done to death and not convinced on new Hawkins. The DH88 is gorgeous. I remain a fan and have just ordered a bronze Broadsword as reasonable value for money


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[shedlock2000]

I have a love hate relationship with Bremont. I wonder whether or not that is projected by other WISs.

I dislike pilots watches, hate straps, dislike the ETA jumping 24 hour hand movement and don’t like oversized or bulky watches. However, I love British built things and prefer watches that are up with my rough life. Accordingly, Bremont’s are at once too big, have the wrong movement, are generally pilot watch designs, focus too little on their bracelet tech (and so on) — what they do do, is put up with my life.

I’d be all over an Omega gmt if they made one that was a reasonable size, and I’d be all over the Rolex GMT of it were priced approachably — but neither are. Bremont are, I think, providing a rugged timepiece; but yet don’t have the cashe they need in order to demand the prices they’re demanding; and I think the wider community realise this. For instance I can buy an Omega Seamaster 300 for $4500 new — what I get from Bremont is an overpriced leather strap, sub-par lume, and uninspiring dials (with the aforementioned 99 military iterations).

Of course, people who don’t own a Bremont cannot be convinced by their hard-wearing dependability — and my ALT1 has certainly put up with some abuse. That said, the movement isn’t shock protected and is basically a decorated 7750 — even Mido and Tag have spat out a ‘travellers’ gmts or in-house chronographs.

In order to receive real approbation, I think Bremont need to focus on their movements and casss (they need a smaller cased divers gmt, for a start), rather than on the cheap printed military dial iterations that toll perpetually out of the factory. They need a good in-house traveller’s gmt and not a bunch of helicopter printed dials. They need a good *matching* bracelet with a ratcheting micro adjustable clasp or something.

According to their branding, Bremont are meant to be perpetuating innovation and British design and craftsmanship, instead they are portraying a company which takes a number of case and dial designs and tweaks them uninventively and repetitively. Take the Royce tie-in ion-bird: a Boeing with a different bezel and dial, a case too big to wear daily, and a handset that is unbalanced and non-matching — hardly ‘inspired design’.

Until Bremont reveal an innovative movement and cram it into a 41mm case thats 14mm thick, then they’re just going to perpetuate their reputation as augmenters not innovators. Bremont need to come up with a stunning bracelet and a watch that matches it, they need a bezel insert that doesn’t look cheap (they were close with the Endurance, but the piece is sub-Baltic in finishing), they need an innovative in-house attempt at a traveller’s gmt. In short, they need to earn the rep as a serious player.

Bremont’s reputation is, I think, somewhat deserved. And it’s such a shame because their passion is there — they’re just focusing on the trifley stuff not the substantive things that matter.


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[thebounder]

Have to agree with reservation only on a few of their watches - my ALT Z1 I think is a beautiful abs balanced piece - I have a u251 jet also not overly in love with abs have had s2000, kingsman and Solo (nice watch) only thing at moment would be a dh88 which I think is stunning -


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[shedlock2000]

I have the ALT1 ZT/BK too. It’s the best of the bunch I think. However, it needs to be 2mm thinner, 2mm smaller, and have an external 1-23 bezel or something.

The kingsman is a nice piece, but no matching bracelet — the colour match is miles off and not everyone is a strap groupie.


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[thebounder]

I sold the Kingsman cos I simply couldn’t read it


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