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The Bremont Brand Story
Bremont is the perfect combination of classic style and outstanding innovation. An award-winning British producer of exceptionally high-quality chronometer watches, Bremont has taken the market by storm with their beautifully crafted modern take on aviation watches. Discover more with Ernest Jones.
Built from a real passion for engineering, a love for all things mechanical and an unwavering commitment to restoring Britain to the watchmaking powerhouse it once was, Bremont has quickly won a legion of fans from horology enthusiasts to hardcore adventurers and even Hollywood stars - and it’s not hard to see why.
Bremont, The Back Story
Bremont was founded in Henley-Upon-Thames in 2002 by Nick and Giles English, brothers with a genuine love for the art of modern engineering.
Their interest in all things mechanical came from their father, former RAF pilot and Aeronautical Engineer, Dr Euan English, who instilled his love for adventure in the boys, and taught them the mastery behind a well-made mechanical device.
From a young age, the English brothers spent their free time learning to fly historical aircraft and passed countless hours in their father’s workshop, helping him restore clocks, vintage watches, cars and planes – some of which Nick and Giles still fly to this day.
In 1995, life changed beyond recognition for the English brothers when the WW2 Harvard aircraft Euan and Nick were flying in was involved in an accident. Euan was killed on impact, Nick broke over thirty bones and was airlifted to hospital for a lengthy stay, and Giles, who was waiting to take off in the next sortie, heard the devastating news over the radio. From that point on their perception of time was irrevocably changed, and the loss of their father was a constant reminder that life was short and not to be wasted. Throwing caution to the wind, Nick and Giles walked away from their City careers to pursue what they enjoyed most, crafting beautifully engineered mechanical watches. And from there, Bremont was born.
"My Dad’s motto was that it’s better to live life and lose it, then never to live life at all, and that really is how he lived his life, and that has been the focus of ours going forward." – Giles English
BREMONT, THE NAME
The name Bremont came about on a trip around three years after the English brothers lost their father. Nick and Giles were flying across France in a 1930’s biplane when bad weather hit. They were forced to make an emergency landing in a pea field belonging to a French farmer, Antoine Bremont, a former wartime pilot with a love for restoring vintage machinery and carriage clocks. Antoine instantly offered his help, sheltering the plane in his old hay barn and welcoming the English brothers into his home for several days until the weather improved. It was then that the men connected over shared passions and Bremont’s likeness to their late father. Giles explains “My father died when he was 48, but then we met this lovely man, a real character who loves his old tractors and motorbikes and carriage clocks and we both felt that if Dad had lived to his late 70’s, he would have been very similar to Antoine.” Believing their family name ‘English’ would be a bit cliché for a British watch brand, let alone almost impossible to trademark on a watch face, the name Bremont felt like the perfect fit.
"Engineering is a passion that really does get passed down through the generations, it’s ingrained in our DNA, and I think that very much comes across in Bremont." – Nick English
Bremont, The Beginnings
Naturally, being one of only a few British watch brands instantly helped Bremont be that little bit different, but Nick and Giles knew they needed to be a lot more than that in order to make Bremont a success. The English brothers set about creating a truly authentic brand, one that wouldn’t be dictated by fashion or trends, but would instead focus on combining hardcore engineering and technological breakthroughs, with classic, timeless style – thus creating a collection of watches that are as at home in the boardroom as they are on top of Mount Everest.
In 2007, after a staggering five years in research and development, Bremont launched its first collection. Not only does this speak to the commitment the English brothers have to ensuring Bremont is producing some of the finest quality watches in its price point, but of the genuine passion that drives the brand. During this time, they sought out exceptional British engineering talent with transferable skills, received tutelage from some world leading watchmakers and tested their products far beyond the usual call of duty, or to use their words, ‘tested beyond endurance’.
"We are very passionate as a brand and creating watches for actual military folk or working with other businesses that share our values is one of the proudest parts of what we do." - Giles English
Partnerships
Bremont soon developed a reputation for engineering excellence which led to partnerships evolving with British engineering icons such as Martin Baker, Jaguar and British Airways. They also developed relationships with institutions such as America’s Cup, England Rugby and Isle of Man TT, for all of whom Bremont has acted as official timing partner. In recognition of Bremont’s engineering prowess, the company was awarded numerous military contracts, which now accounts for almost a quarter of its total business. The Bremont Military and Special Projects Division work with elite military units worldwide to create bespoke watches to fit the needs of combat personnel, whether that be withstanding the rigours of high altitude or deep-sea diving. Bremont also worked with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on the Bremont Armed Forces Collection and are the only watchmaker allowed to feature the signs and badges of the Royal Navy, British Army and the Royal Air Force on their products.
"So many great inventions in modern mechanical watches came from British watchmakers, and we have this really amazing history. So for us, being a British watch company has meant we can tell those stories, really educate, and if we can reinvigorate British watchmaking in any small way, it would be very, very special indeed." - Nick English
Commitment To British Watchmaking
Looking beyond Bremont’s technical excellence and undeniably stylish designs, what really sets them apart is their commitment to bolstering British engineering and their passion for reinvigorating watchmaking on British shores. As a business, Bremont has made huge investments in British manufacturing, training and apprenticeship schemes as well as machining equipment for creating very small precision components. All Bremont watches are designed and assembled at their impressive Henley facility, and their commitment to British manufacturing now means that almost all of their parts are made in the UK, including most of the bespoke parts for the limited edition watches and all of their hand-made leather packaging. With a new state-of-the-art facility opening in late 2020, Bremont’s ultimate aim of creating their own in-house movements that rival the famed quality of Swiss movements, is within reach.
"We live in a time of such disposable technology, and that is what makes a well-crafted mechanical watch truly beautiful. It will outlive you. It will still be working in 200 years. We have customers come in knowing that these watches will be passed down to their children, so it’s about creating something that will not only last but will remain timeless." Nick English
OUTSTANDING QUALITY
Immensely precise, reliable and durable, Bremont watches are hand built in limited numbers with an almost obsessive attention to detail. Malcolm, an engineer at Bremont HQ in Henley, explains “We work to within two microns of tolerance here and to put that into perspective, a human hair is sixty microns, that’s how tight the margins are. But the hardest task for us is to get it to the point at which Nick and Giles can look at it and say ‘Yes, this is a Bremont’. We can have a watch looking a million dollars and they can give it one look and instantly know if it’s not quite up to Bremont standard, and that’s why they are so good at what they do.”
Bremont’s design inspiration comes from the fundamental principles that drive the brand: British engineering, adventure, aviation and military, and they have successfully achieved a signature look that is in keeping with the aviation genre and yet wholly original. All Bremont watches in the core collection feature Bremont’s signature Trip-Tick® case construction and are engineered and hand-finished with state-of-the-art technology and only the highest quality materials. Nine layers of anti-reflective treatment on both sides of the sapphire crystal, as well as additional hardening technology, means that Bremont cases are an average of seven times harder and more scratch-resistant than competitors. Each watch is also guaranteed to within -4 and +6 seconds per day (making them 99.998% accurate), comes with a 3-year warranty and is finished with the highest levels of craftsmanship.
On a more emotive note, Bremont appreciates that a watch is often a meaningful purchase. They strive to only create timepieces that whether in 30 years’ time, or when passed down from generation to generation, will look as timelessly beautiful and operate as efficiently as they did on the day they were created. This commitment to contemporary takes on classic design ensures that a Bremont will never go out of style. A testament to this is that collections such as the ALT-1 series and the Martin-Baker, which were originally released in 2007, are still some of the bestsellers today.
"By the time you've been through all this testing and the watch is still working beautifully, you know you've got a watch that is extraordinarily robust. And we're never going to stop pushing it further and further." - Nick English
Tested Beyond Endurance
Bremont is famed for their ‘over-engineered’ products and their commitment to testing their watches way beyond the normal call of duty. This stemmed from the English brother’s belief that a watch should be able to withstand anything its owner is capable of, whether that be being ejected from a fighter jet, breaking mountaineering world records or skiing to the North Pole. The rigorous testing procedures include vibration, crash and altitude testing, extreme temperature testing and even live ejection testing, amongst others. But in the pursuit of perfection, Bremont also test their products in some of the world’s harshest environments on the wrists of adventurers, pilots, divers, explorers – all people who epitomise the Bremont spirit.
The list of Bremont ambassadors reads like any adventure lover’s list of idols. Including British adventurer, author and the first man to swim around Great Britain, Ross Edgley, who wears the Supermarine S2000 dive watch. As well as Nims, the retired Gurkha and SBS soldier who smashed numerous world mountaineering records as part of Bremont Project Possible whilst testing the Supermarine S300 White. However, this isn’t the typical ambassador programme you see all too often. Nick explains “We don’t pay celebrities to come and work with us, we only work with people who genuinely love watches and love what we are doing and I think that passion shines through.”
Believing it is important for Bremont customers to be able to meet the ambassadors and discuss their shared love of watches and adventure, Bremont started the ‘Adventurers Club’. Running regular events, Bremont fans are able to meet ambassadors, partners and friends of the brand and listen to their inspirational tales of exploration and innovation.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT BREMONT FOR YOU
Whether you are a lover of adventure or are simply looking for a timepiece of exceptional quality, Bremont is a truly authentic British brand with a commitment to timeless design and the willingness to go above and beyond in the pursuit of technical excellence, making their products great all-rounders.
With so many stylish designs to choose from, picking the perfect Bremont watch for you or your loved one can be a challenge. See our Bremont watch buying guide for details on each collection, or shop our stunning range of Bremont watches online today. Alternatively, come and see us in-store where one of the Ernest Jones team will be happy to show you the range, answer any questions and help you select the design that best suits your taste and needs.