The 120-click bezel comes with a sapphire inlay and is full of blue Super-LumiNova, which also appears on the hands and indices.One of the most prominent design characteristics of this Supermarine S2000 is your additional crown shield (which actually looks a bit like it had been made from titanium, given the slightly different color) along with the screw-down crown at two o’clock. Allow me to state up front that I’ve always had something for world-time watches; to me personally it’s a type of timepiece that lends itself to the functional utility as well as, nearly across the board, very attractive layouts. Additionally, at the risk of being perceived as a trend-follower, let me acknowledge that I have developed a specific fondness for the au courant blue dial/blue strap combo which has become so prevalent in the watch world, lo these past few decades. Taking all that into account, it’s fair to say I was likely right from the start to have a favorable feeling of this Bremont W Replica ALT1-WT world-time view, which I had the chance of wearing for a few weeks lately. But let us step aside from first impressions and drill down into the specifics of the very distinctive watch out of this fast-growing, quintessentially British watch manufacturer. (All initial watch photographs by Robert Velasquez to get WatchTime.) Bremont refers to the ALT1-WT as “over-engineered,” which might be an apt description: it’s evident after only a few glances at the dial the world-time function is not this timepiece’s only attribute outside of traditional timekeeping. The dial has a classical tricompax design, with a 30-minute chronograph subdial at 12 o’clock, 12-hour chrono subdial at 6 o’clock, and small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock.
We’re freshly back from a quick trip to England where we attended Bremont’s first alt-Baselworld event. Dubbed “Basel-on-Thames,” this was our chance to see Bremont’s latest releases amid the glittering backdrop of their iconic hometown. From the Bremont Townhouse in central London to their headquarters in the sprawling British countryside of nearby Henley, Bremont had the home field advantage, and it’s easy to see why the Swiss like to keep the big shows in their own backyard. While we covered the entire new line as it was announced earlier this week, as promised, here is a closer look at the Bremont’s latest addition to the Supermarine family, the S300 and S301 divers.
The biggest news here is that the new Bremont 247 Ti-gmt Review Replica Supermarine Type 300 range uses a 40mm case, where the longstanding S500 and S2000 models were 43mm and 45mm, respectively. Named after the first Spitfire prototype, the S300 (and S301) are water resistant to 300m and feature a total thickness of just 13mm (much slimmer than the S500).
This, however, made it even challenging to find something to criticize, that can be a fantastic thing from a customer’s point-of-view but maybe not so helpful when you actually attempt to compose a well-balanced review. One thing struck us straight away: awarded that the S2000’s enhanced functionality, and its positioning as a professional-grade dive watch, we feel the triangle on the bezel shouldn’t have been executed in red (see this post to our justification on this). On the flip side, from a design point-of-view, we redesign Bremont for the red accents on the flip side, dial and bezel.On a more serious note re: diving functionality (and assuming that there isn’t an additional strap extension included), the typical black rubber strap is too brief should you intend on wearing the S2000 over a diving suit. This also means that not only was the situation enlarged, but most of the parts had to be substituted in order to keep the well-balanced proportions of the first design.With the introduction of the S2000 in 2012, Bremont started to include “London” on the dial instead of the former “Swiss Made” that is found in before S500 models.The see’s COSC-certified movement sits in a patented mount to increase shock protection. It is then placed inside an anti-magnetic soft-iron cage to better protect the equilibrium, equilibrium spring and escapement from the effects of magnetic fields.
The S300 blue (40 mm), the Terra Nova LE (43 mm), and the S2000 (45 mm)
Being Bremont, the cases are done in hardened steel and bear the recognizable profile of Bremont’s multi-piece Trip-Tick design. All three iterations use domed anti-reflective sapphire crystals and are finished with a solid steel case back that is decorated with a portrait of an early Supermarine aircraft. Available in two versions, the S300 comes in blue or black with a dial sporting mixed Arabic markers and red accents. The black S300 has a matte dial and bezel insert with a gilt scale and a crown with a gold-tone accent.
The blue S300 has a radiant sunburst dial with white accents and a polished ceramic bezel insert. It’s worth mentioning that the S300/S301 seen in these photos are prototypes, so small details may change or be refined before final production. This includes the color of the blue bezel, which should be closer to that of the dial for the production version of the watch.
All three iterations feature a date at three and are powered by Bremont’s BE-92AE automatic movement. This COSC-certified Swiss caliber is based on a lightly modified ETA 2892 (the same movement that Omega used for their 1120 caliber). The BE-92AE is a 4Hz movement with 21 jewels, a Nivaflex 1 mainspring, Glucydur balance, Anachron balance spring, and a power reserve of 38-plus hours.
If you want your vintage appeal in a somewhat stronger flavour, the S301 should do the trick. With faux-aged Super-LumiNova (just as we saw on Bremont’s ALT1-ZT/51 and P-51) and a traditional Sub-like use of dots and hashes for the markers, the S301 is a nod to the early dive watches of the ’50s and ’60s. Any of the three versions can be had on your choice of a two-stitch calf leather strap, a striped heavy-duty NATO, or Bremont’s steel bracelet.
Aesthetically, the S300/S301 represents a considerable departure from the format Bremont Boeing Model 1 Ti-gmt Replica established with their S500. Gone is the lumed sapphire bezel, the 2 o’clock crown and guard, the HEV, the lollipop hour hand, and the lovely center dial detailing. While certainly a more simplified design, the S300/S301 still manages to feel like a Bremont. Legibility is strong and the sunburst blue dial packs a punch. Furthermore, that 40mm sizing feels great, especially on the leather strap. With 20mm lugs preventing the use of most pre-existing Bremont straps (most of their watches feature 22mm lugs), the S300/S301 will accommodate a wide variety of straps and Bremont will undoubtedly produce more OEM options in the future.
Compared to the Bremont with which I am most familiar, the 43mm SOLO, the S300 and S301 wear smaller (duh), sit about as high, but position more centrally on my 7-inch wrist, thanks to a shorter lug-to-lug length. If you’ve tried a Bremont and decided that you wanted something a bit smaller, the S300/S301 (or the new AIRCO, also 40mm) offer a strong appeal. Of the three available strap options, I’d opt for the leather. The NATO is very soft and comfortable, but great NATO straps are also readily available for much less money than a good leather strap. The bracelet will be the default option for some dive watch buyers, but I’ve never been a big fan of bracelets, especially when paired with smaller case sizes. Bremont’s bracelet is heavy but not overly chunky, with solid end-links and a push-button fold-over clasp.
In 2009, two years after the launch of its first models, British high-flyer watch brand Bremont Zt Replica established the 43-mm-diameter Supermarine S500. Regardless of the fact that it was Bremont’s first watch made for the depths of the sea, the brand managed to make it look both contemporary and traditional at precisely the same time, a quality one does not come across quite often. Add the normal Bremont case construction with the black DLC Museum, an odd crown position at two o’clock, many bold color choices and an unexpected choice of palms, and it should become clear why people at DiveIntoWatches.com have desired to get our hands on one for a comprehensive review — especially after the larger, 45-mm version was declared in 2012. But as a result of Bremont’s HQ in London, we eventually obtained a sample watch delivered to us to try on and place before a camera. In the spirit of transparency, we should mention that it is always somewhat difficult to understand what kind of watch you could receive from a manufacturer when you make these requests. Sometimes it’s a pre-production model (possibly with restricted functionality) or a model that didn’t pass the last excellent control. Or, if you are lucky, it might even be the exact same watch you’d get if you purchased it as a customer (like box and papers).As you will certainly see in the pictures, the opinion we got had some minor scrapes, which is a sign that we weren’t the primary ones to invest time with this particular S2000. More importantly, you will most likely also discover that the date and day wheels are not aligned all that just, which had us wishing to get a no-date version. Bearing this in mind, let’s assume that we did not get a watch which was initially meant for retail sale — also with acknowledgment of this unmistakably higher level of quality we have gotten used to get from Bremont over the past several decades.
If you dig the look of the S300/S301, then I’d entirely recommend seeing all three in person – the press images did not do them justice. As we arguably enter the zenith of popularity for vintage-inspired dive watches, the S300/S301 offers an entirely different spin on a dive watch from Bremont Logo Replica while still including a number of the signature elements that helped put this brand on the map. Priced at $4,095 USD on a strap or $4,695 on a bracelet, the S300 and S301 should be with retailers in the second half of this year. bremont.com
The watch universe has a lot of tasteful sport watches. These models constitute the most popular segment of luxury timepieces sold now. The amusing thing is that it’s difficult to make a new elegant game watch, as they frequently will need to grow into existence. These watches required to be great sport watches, and then afterwards (with time) acquire the designation of being elegant. Together with the AC I, Bremont is ready to fast track it to elegance by offering their take on an existing refined look, that is the dial fashion of ship deck clocks as married to their popular case layout. What a watch such as the AC I lacks in originality it makes up for in design cohesion and aesthetic familiarity.Bremont’s decision to marry a conservative but useful dial design with a sporty case and strap — along with a common assortment of anti-shock methods makes the AC I see more than something pleasant looking, but something which exists among a little collection of competitors — particularly for the purchase price. Bremont tends to get a lot of flak for what’s seen as high rates. My experience with the brand tells me that they provide quality comparable to brands which cost a lot more, so I’ve always felt they’re a fantastic value. It really depends on what you are comparing them to. Compare a Bremont to some Victorinox Swiss Army watch and it will appear expensive. Compare it to a IWC and the price seems reasonable. In my view, with Bremont’s clientele, quality, and ability to supply an exclusive object, they are more akin to IWC than Victorinox Swiss Army (which is a new I also very similar to, but at lower costs).
Beneath the Bremont emblem on the back of this AC that I (along with other America’s Cup versions) is your “America’s Cup” name. Other than this subtle text (along with the dial pattern theme) there is nothing that connects this view using the America’s Cup. Sometimes I fear that event-branded watches will feel warmer in the long run, no matter how cool they are at the time. How much will someone care about an occasion from 2017 at 2027 if they stare at their opinion? I am not sure, but you can see why event-tied limited edition watches typically worry me as a collector.With that said, the America’s Cup integration feels a bit different. This view feels more motivated by the institution of this event versus one particular year or season. Thus, the Bremont America’s Cup watches tend to feel more inspired by the game than a specific execution of the sport — if that is reasonable. So, you do not need to have participated in the recently-ended America’s Cup series to appreciate this watch. Though it will help if you have some appreciation for the game generally. So at the least, you’ve seen other aesthetic visuals that permit you to know where the dial design came from.A rather spoken principle at Bremont seems to be that no matter what purpose one of their watches has, it needs to be a timeless, elegant, assertive, and elegant layout. The AC I’m most certainly that, even though it risks looking boring to some folks. I will admit that although I always respected the look of the AC I, I was a little bored by it at first. Bremont did not do anything wrong with this, but that I wasn’t sure that there was a marketplace to get a thick three-hander that seemed like a slightly more masculine version of this IWC Portuguese.
