British watch brand Bremont, best known to the watch world for their aviation watches, has also produced dive watches since 2009. Starting with the Supermarine S500 – a 43mm, ceramic bezeled, crown-at-two-o’clock tool watch – Bremont Or Sinn Replica have subsequently added to their diving range over the years, first with the larger 45mm S2000 in 2013 and more recently with the 40mm S300 collection last year. Now, Bremont have announced a redesign of the S500 range to include the new Bremont S500/BK and S500/BL. Here, we’ll focus on the brand new Bremont Supermarine S501, a combination of styling cues from the vintage-inspired S301 range with the 43mm case size and 500m water resistance of the S500.
Bremont’s S300 and S301 collection differentiated itself from its larger siblings with a more vintage look in a smaller 40mm package which quickly became popular. The new S501 makes use of those same vintage styling cues with its metal dial featuring applied hour markers and hands similar in style to the S300. Of course, this still being a diver’s watch, Super-LumiNova is used throughout, this time with a bit of a vintage tint, for easy yet old school nighttime viewing.
The watch world includes a lot of tasteful sport watches. These models constitute the most popular section of luxury timepieces sold today. The amusing thing is that it is hard to generate a new elegant game watch, since they frequently need to mature into existence. These watches required to be good sport watches, and then afterwards (with time) get the feasibility of being tasteful. Together with the AC I, Bremont is ready to quickly track it into elegance by providing their take on an existing refined look, that is the dial fashion of boat deck clocks as wed to their popular case design. What a watch like the AC I lacks in originality it makes up for in design cohesion and aesthetic familiarity.Bremont’s decision to marry a traditional but practical dial design with a sporty case and strap — along with a common range of anti-shock systems makes the AC I watch more than something pleasant looking, but something that exists among a small collection of competitors — particularly for the purchase price. Bremont tends to have a good deal of flak for what’s regarded as high rates. My experience with the newest informs me that they provide quality comparable to brands that charge a lot more, so I’ve always felt they are a fantastic price. It really depends on what you’re comparing them. Compare a Bremont to some Victorinox Swiss Army watch and it’ll seem pricey. Compare it to a IWC and the price seems fair. In my opinion, together with Bremont’s clientele, quality, and ability to supply an exclusive item, they are more akin to IWC than Victorinox Swiss Army (which can be a new I also very much like, but at lower costs).
Also new on the S501 is the use of an exhibition caseback, making the Bremont modified rotor on the calibre BE-36AE automatic chronometer visible. The BE-36AE also features 25 jewels, a glucydur balance, an Anachron balance spring, a Nivaflex 1 mainspring, 28,800bph rate, and a 38-hour power reserve. Like other Bremont movements, the BE-36AE is COSC chronometer tested and certified. The BE-36AE is essentially a Bremont-modified Swiss ETA 2836 and is shared with the rest of the S500 series.
A knurled effect on the dial, copper band around the two o’clock crown, and a ceramic bezel also styled after the S301 are the other novel aspects of the S501. Other than these updates, the “Trip-Tick” three piece, 43mm wide by 16mm thick case, double anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and 22mm lug width remain the same from previous S500 models.
While not a groundbreaking redesign or a totally new watch, the S501 shows Bremont’s ability to adapt to the vintage obsessed market of the day. By combining the looks of the S301 with the more tech-forward tool watch approach and larger size from the S500 range, Bremont seems to have another winner. The new Bremont S501 will be available for $4,775 on either a vintage leather strap or stainless steel bracelet. bremont.com
