I had never heard of these watches until 1month ago but the more I read about them and see them the more I would like to own one. There's something about these watches...
Anyone own a Bremont on here and if so what's the build quality like???
You clearly haven't done much reading. Do a google for 'Bremont BWC/01 movement'. Embarassing
I still like some of their designs, although they're a little bit big for my tastes, but I'm tired of the company's endless 'Special Editions' with bits of 'historical' wood and metal in them, and the tie-in with the Kingsman film was cringeworthy
Hold on, let me grab the popcorn...Originally Posted by Martylaa
Seriously though, I do like them. Build quality is excellent! Would I buy one at RRP? Probably not.
On the other hand from the last post above I am a big fan. The case construction and attention to detail is very impressive. The main drawback is the use of ETA movements which don't justify the overall cost. Go for one ..you won't regret it.
Had an MBII and a Codebreaker, both bomb proof while I had them.
Bit of faux/forced history but every brand has to start somewhere and at the end of the day a good looking watch is a good looking watch.
Would gladly have another MBII as a daily wearer.
I own an ALT1-C.
No complaints really (apart from the silly sub dial where the hand skips past the markers).
Build quality is fine. It seems to be a brand the polarises opinion but its your money, if you like one then go for it :)
Wow, that article reminds me of the scandal involving Ratners years ago...You clearly haven't done much reading. Do a google for 'Bremont BWC/01 movement'. Embarassing
I still like some of their designs, although they're a little bit big for my tastes, but I'm tired of the company's endless 'Special Editions' with bits of 'historical' wood and metal in them, and the tie-in with the Kingsman film was cringeworthy
How do they come back from that? I was reading all the stuff on their website and it makes great reading, ah well...
Forget the politics and propaganda, they make excellent watches but the prices are way up there. Their new model Being something looks exquisite, have three of their divers and are excellent quality.
This is a brand that was roundly ridiculed here in the beginning. A bit more balanced these days but still remains some people's whipping boy. The movement fiasco was avoidable and unfortunate but doesn't really affect the way I look at the brand.
I wouldn't worry, the movement story seems to have largely passed now as it inevitably would. Was strange how personally some folk took it, like you'd walked into their house on Christmas morning and defecated on the kids presents!
I'm not fond of some of the creations but I'm probably tainted by my dislike of the bullshit that goes with them. Sorry fella........
So true!
don't dismiss them mate. I did some time ago with all the limited edition guff but I bought a little bc/a1 and thought it was well worth its 2nd hand value. I personally look at Bremont as a 2 tier brand, there are the silly stratospheric models that only the hard core would go for but I think these permit the development of the "lower" order if you will. the watches above are very well made and capable and if you think you would like one for the money then go for it.
Panerai survived the Brooklyn bridge fiasco and while the Bremont incident was no doubt cringe worthy and in some parts downright dishonest its no worse than many have gotten away with for years. use a vj7750 call it another code and sell away. it will not be their finest moment but nor should it be seen as their only moment.
I'm
Enjoying the U2.
I have both an MBII & a Rose Gold Wright Flyer & am very happy with them.
The build quality of both is excellent & they are definitely keepers
I got one in trade recently and was unsure at first but its well made, looks smart and they are down the road from me and were helpful when i rang to check the warranty, overall im pleased to have found them.
I like them just wish they did a chronograph around the 40mm, I would go for that.
I have not yet had the pleasure - but still on the wanted list and I keep an eye on sc in case one I fancy pops up ⌚️
Like any brand its best to look past the marketing hype, both positive and negative.
The endless pointless special editions, and in house gaff have not helped the brand's image but shouldn't detract from the quality of their product.
Sure the bulk of the range is expensive for an ETA (chronometer grade) powered watch, but so are many other brands, the advantage is parts are plentiful and are reliable workhorses.
I myself still have misgivings about ETA movents in premium priced watches, but the reality is it's no different from super cars running outsourced BMW or MB engines.
Overall in my experience they're well engineered with good build quality, and can take a decent amount of abuse (shock protection seems to work well when I tested it unintentionally)
Not so keen on the anodised aluminium barrels used throughout the range though, as it's not a fool proof coating, HA would be a different story but my orange barrel didn't take much to get beaten up, I might get it custom hard anodised once it's back from Bremont.
One good thing is their CS is second to none, and I feel a lot of larger brands could do with providing service like them (advantage of course of being a small company),
Plus there are not many companies where you can mail the owner and suggest the use of TiN as a barrel coating (lol or Damascus steel)..... And get an enthusiastic reply back about material properties!
Pic of my 5 y/o MBII (currently being serviced)
I'm struggling to see Bremont sizes, are they a general larger watch? I'll assume they are bigger than a 40mm case...
As they say...
The fact is Nick and Gilles English are watch guys to the core who make solid watches, and though some may scoff at their limited editions -- which are just that, and hardly representative of the core collection -- I'd gladly punch any of you in the nose for a P-51. Anyway, I currently own a Supermarine 500, but I'll probably add an MBII, Terra Nova or U-22 to the stable at some point.
Regards,
Adam
My Supermarine is superbly well made. The ETA movement has been heavily modified, the case is hardened. Value is relative but I see no real argument that other watches in its price point are better value
I think they make nice looking watches with decent case build quality. I have owned 3, have 1 remaining.
All 3 have been back for warranty issues so take that "Tested Beyond Endurance" as marketing gruff as they can't survive a desk!
CS is not as good as it was in the early days but may be due to them getting larger. My advice is buy secondhand as retail list price is silly but then that is true for 95% of watch brands
I own this
And have done for a while.
If you ignore all things written about Bremont, by them and us, and just look at the watch and its standard of specification and finishing, you will be impressed. I pretty much guarantee it. And if you can find faults, they will do something about it, and have an enviable CS reputation for doing so.
I am pre-disposed to giving them a chance, as they have clearly made a commitment to building watches over here, and now make most if not all case components over here.
They really did drop the ball over the in-house movement.
What they were doing is right. But what they said was wrong. No escaping that.
They have picked the ball up again and will run with it.
I guarantee that more and more of their watches will be made over here, until pretty much the whole watch is. They have said as much on so many occasions. Just don't expect it to be done next week.
Dave
and yes, the chronos are 42mm diameter. And the white-dialled Boeing chrono is beautiful (even if the pushers screw down).
Good to hear!!
I'm
Enjoying the U2.
Having owned one for a while and recently sold it I can make the following observations
Fantastic build quality
Robust and seriously tough
Great customer support from Bremont
Im not a movement snob so the ETA thing didnt bother me but as mentioned the new prices are a bit on the steep side ( as with most brands).
Over all I'd recommend them.
I've got a couple, an Alt-WT and a Victory, and overall I've been happy with them. The world timer had a problem but to be fair to Bremont they sorted it out with minimal fuss. Not to keen on the newer designs but I would be happy to buy another.
Pricing and marketing are another subject and you will have to make your own mind up about that.
They design and make some nice looking watches.
Their marketing hype, lies, constant limited editions, putting historical slivers of something in the case and pricing structure leaves me cold so I always dismiss them.
Me too.
However, I am beginning to like the look of their bog standard chrono models second hand as opposed to a Breitling/Chopard/Tudor/IWC generic ETA-powered chronograph. As a tool(ish) watch for knocking about in/driving rather than the last word in haute horologie, they make damned fine cases using robust proven movements.
Although I am wearing Howdy's old Breitling Bluebird today and there is nothing they have that looks as good IMHO :)
Pretty much the main reason for owning one,
Battered my around, knocked it off the strut tower of my car where it was perched when i was poking about the engine, scraped it off the concrete at the track, been camping, hiking, smacked it against things doing manly things and it still told the time.
It's what Rolex Professionals were designed for before they became a status symbol.
My SD was brutalised by me, before i sent it for service last year. Sadly, now it looks new like the day I bought it, so it doesn't get as much wear . Not a bad thing as It has a few older sub relatives & the MBII that have taken it's place, but I still regret deciding it would be a good idea to get it refinished as the "story" the scuffs and scrapes told has been lost. (another story all together)
As for the G-shock argument if i'm going to give watches the rough treatment,
I have quite a few, but as a collection. Haven't actively worn one for since the mid 90s, and replacing parts on one that I like, that later get discontinued can be a headache. I'd prefer to repair than replace :D
then again, normal people tend to take their watch off when there's a slight possibility it might get damaged.
Great watch but at Msrp too high for me. Great customer service and excellent build quality.
My thoughts exactly - had an MBII for a while and very satisfied - eventually sold it to pay for another watch (can't even remember what now) - but wouldn't mind picking up an ALT1-C if one became available.
I'm not dumping on Bremont but the fact that Nick and Giles are watch guys to the core means they really should know better on a number of levels. And the limited editions are numerous and various - I count 5 different models or tie-ups in the last 12 months? I personally think that devalues the core collection which, in fairness, I think is pretty solid and attractive.
An excellent used buy but there's no way I'd pay full whack for a new one. And I can afford to, which tells me something.
SGR
Devalues it to who? WIS are clearly not their target market (way too niche and we can see straight through the marketing and dodgy movement claims) but I can see the attraction of the numerous special edition/tie in watches for the export market. Anyone know what percentage of their sales are overseas?
Their limited editions come from the heart, so I've got no problems there, while their military watches are just that – for the military (i.e. they aren't for sale to the public). So, on this count we'll just have to disagree, since I find that these side projects of theirs only reinforce my fondness for the brand.
Did they stumble with the Wright Flyer "in-house" kerfluffle? Yup, and they took their lumps over it. Will they eventually have a fully in-house movement? Yup, and I'm sure that unlike some other British watchmaker, theirs will be within reach of mere mortals.
Still, I guess you can't please all the people all the time, right?
Regards,
Adam
I've had 4 Bremont's - U-2, White Solo, Supermarine and MB11 - all now gone. Build quality was great but had several QA issues with them.
Not sure if I'd buy another one and got bored with the Limited Editions, especially the Wright Flyer nonsense, but you never know. I've not seen much in the 2015 releases that interests me apart from the updated ALT1-Z which they've refined pretty well.
We can certainly agree to disagree on where the motivation for the limited editions comes from - and I mean that without malice or sarcasm - but why so many? One a year would be ample surely? We've had about 5 in the last 12 months and it certainly gains them a few column inches here and there but does it really help in terms of building a sustainable and loyal client base...? As someone with many years of experience of marketing in the luxury goods industry I worry that the short-term gimmicks and the inevitably 'here today, gone tomorrow' brand partnerships actually don't help.
I'll make the prediction now. Bremont to be bought by LVMH before 2020.
SGR
Devalues it to me as a potential customer, but I certainly take your point.
SGR
Do limited editions really hurt a brand? Now it's one thing if we're talking about AP and their endless ROO LEs that are differentiated by little more than a dial color and a name, or Hublot and their naked theft of said business model, but here we're talking about a precious few dedicated LEs that are quite different from anything else that exists in Bremont's core collection. The EP120, P-51, Victory, Codebreaker and Wright Flyer were all lovingly conceived and crafted with elements from their namesakes (with the latter three having a charitable aspect), while the military editions are a labour of love for the men and women who serve (and again, these aren't for sale to the general public, so I don't lump them in with the true LEs).
In the past year we've had the Wright Flyer and the Jaguar E-Type and the Kingsman pieces. Too much? Perhaps, but it's worth bearing in mind that the latter two were time sensitive, in that they had to coincide with the release of their respective tie-ins. It's also worth bearing in mind that in both cases Bremont was approached, and not vice versa; I'm not sure that I would've walked away from the opportunity. Anyway, I simply don't see how the above can be perceived as a strike against the brand.
Now, obviously, this is just one man's opinion, and I readily admit that I tend to be somewhat forgiving in this respect. To wit, while I'm no fan of APs strategy with the ROO, I still love the collection, own two currently, and wouldn't hesitate to buy another should they release a new model that tickles my fancy (and I actually have the money on hand to buy it -- unlikely). Simply put, I buy why I like and I wear what I buy; what I don't do is throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Regards,
Adam
PS - With respect to your prediction, I don't think that it'll happen quite so soon, given that Nick and Gilles are quite keen on remaining independent, nor are they hurting for sales or cash, but in the long term anything's possible when there's money on the table. ;-)
Last edited by craniotes; 26th March 2015 at 00:58.
Hi Adam,
Nice that we're able to see things from different perspectives without any of the petulant name-calling that too readily seems to spring forth when people on this forum disagree.
I'm probably less forgiving than you because I've been in the meetings where the lesser-known brand partner (arguably Bremont in these situations) is trying to work out exactly how to position the brand partnership or decide on the next limited edition. I'm certainly not going to knock the charitable elements of what they've done - entirely laudable - but I'd hardly call Boeing a natural brand partner and the tie-up with Chivas left even me (a battle-hardened veteran of such marriages of convenience) scratching my head and desperately looking for the plot. And I'd take the suggestion that Bremont was approached in both the Jaguar/Kingsman cases rather than vice-versa with an extreme lump of sea salt. I've been in those meetings too, I know how it works, and the only question that really matters is 'how much?'.
I really do like a few of the Bremont core models but I don't think they're large enough yet as a brand to appeal to the 'common man' in the same way as a brand like, say, Breitling. And I think a great many of their owners are self-confessed watch people. That doesn't mean they should not pursue a strategy of broadening out the brand to become a Breitling but it's a marathon not a sprint, and they do need to be mindful of the need for a clear and articulate brand position as they grow. Personal opinion only (in large flashing letters!) but I think they're muddying the waters with the partnerships and some of the LEs which I find gimmicky. In the early days of a brand, you have to prove yourself and counter perceived risk. Authenticity and credibility are everything, and I think Bremont has taken backward steps this year in that regard.
SGR
Last edited by StuartGR; 26th March 2015 at 09:38.
I can't see me buying a Bremont, saying that there's a couple of designs that look good, but my money would be spent elsewhere.
I've looked in their shop in the Royal Exchange a few times.
The ejector seat second hand on some models (the MBs I guess?) is quite cool, but they seem extremely expensive for what they are in my opinion.
M.
Love the Bremont Jaguar MK 11 Although still a bit steep at £4950 RRP
http://www.bremont.com/chronometers/.../mkii#selector
I want that. I was hoping they'd churn out something after the limited ones which I thought were terrific, glad I saw that!!
How are they on discount..?
Love this new Basel Boeing GMT model. Great strap match as well. But prices are too high for me to really consider.
Now that is nice...Love this new Basel Boeing GMT model. Great strap match as well. But prices are too high for me to really consider.
If heavily modified means 'have the movement supplier put a branded rotor on' then yes.
As has been said a million times, if they were just up front about it there would be none of the grumbles. If they had just listed the Supermarine as having a 2836, I'd still give it a go - second hand - as it looks pretty good and seems to wear well.
I wrote to them asking about the movement enhancements and received a personal response from the service manager describing the work they do and their reasoning in choosing the 2824 over the 2892 to modify. They described substantially more than you indicate. But then I'm sure your sources are much better informed.
What do they do then?
I think this is a really lovely looking model. Is it really only £4950? I thought I saw these at £8750?
Still not cheap by anyone's standards but they do have a decent following and as its one of there more understated designs I think you'd be able to sell on reasonably easily.
Otherwise I'd echo many thoughts on here. Have thought about buying many times but never been in a position to pull the trigger or is that just don't feel its money well spent?
I really wanted a Terra Nova but think its just too deep. Wanted a U2 DLC Ltd Edition and then one came up on here and timing wasn't right. Now thinking seriously about selling something else to buy the new U22 grey faced U2. But will I do it?
Sadly, that does sound more plausible. We live in a world where £4950 doesn't buy you a Sub date anymore :(
At £8750, I'll have a Royal Oak Chrono thanks.
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