Every traditional and long standing industry has its upstarts, those who
forge their own path to heights and praise that is seldom achieved
quickly and done in an environment that sees more brands flash and burn
than it does succeed. The world of exotic cars has Pagani, Koenigsegg,
and Noble who flaunt their youth at the kingdoms of speed built by
Bugatti, Ferrari, and Mercedes Benz. The same comparisons, albeit with
different timelines, can be drawn in fashion, sports, technology and
even watchmaking.
The luxury sport watch range (conservatively
$2500 – $25,000) is one of the most difficult segments within which a
new brand could to attempt to build its credibility. The competition is
exceeding fierce and includes perennial favorites and horological icons
from Rolex, IWC, Omega, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Hublot and even some
watches from elite manufactures like Audemars Piguet. If watchmaking
were more sporting, this would be the big leagues where only those
willing to innovate and play at the highest possible level will garner
any attention at all. One of the few young brands jostling for just some
of that spotlight is the British brand Bremont which formed in 2002
under the direction of Nick and Giles English. Their appreciation for
fine craftsmanship, top notch design and an understanding that this
unforgiving market meant they didn’t actually have a watch to show until
2007. Bremont is a brand deeply rooted in the English brothers love and
fascination for military aircraft. They quickly carved out a reputation
for making high quality military inspired watches that melded Swiss
technical prowess with a distinctly British flair. In 2009 Bremont
released their first dive watch, the S500 Supermarine. The Supermarine
is a beautiful dive watch with classic styling cues that, for only a
brief a moment, mask the considerable amount of research and technology
that is represented in its design and execution as Bremont’s first dive
watch.
- 43 x 16 mm hardened steel case
- 50.5 mm Lug to lug
- Sapphire crystal with dual-sided 9 layer anti-reflective treatment
- Fully luminous sapphire unidirectional bezel
- Bremont BE-36AE Automatic movement (COSC)
- Proprietary Faraday cage and anti-shock system
- Day/date display
- 500m water resistant
- Automatic helium escape valve
- Screw-in case back
- Available in blue, silver, black, black/green
- $5150 ($5600 with bracelet)
Bremont's
brand statement is "Tested Beyond Endurance" and the Supermarine
features a series of specialized systems that should make it one of the
toughest and most reliable divers on the market today not to mention one
of the most advanced sport watches in its class. While that brand
statement may seem like a nice footer for business cards and power point
presentations, Bremont takes these words as more of a mission statement
than marketing buzz words.
The Supermarine is named after the
famed British aircraft manufacturer that made the Spitfire fighter plane
which was flown in the World War II and the S6-B which can be seen on
the case back of the S500 Supermarine. The case design its self is one
of Bremont's biggest achievements. The Trip-Tick case features a three
piece design (see expanded diagram in gallery below) which incorporates
an upper hardened steel frame and lug chassis, a central DLC treated
stainless steel barrel and a screw down case back. From a design
standpoint this allows the lugs to carry a more sculpted, downward curve
resulting in a more comfortable and slimmer feel than the S500′s 16mm
height might suggest. The steel used in Bremont's watches is heat
treated in Britain to harden its composition using a similar process to
that which hardens jet turbine blades. The end result is a hardness
rating of 2000 vickers (HV) which is some nine times harder than
conventional 316L steel used in most watches. Rolex uses 904L stainless
steel which is only rated to ~490 HV and Sinn makes some watches out of
Tegimented submarine steel which has an outer layer rated to 1200 HV. A
hardness rating of 2000 HV literally brings the hardness of the
Supermarine's case into the same range as a quality sapphire crystal, so
while the Supermarine is not scratch proof it is going to fight the
signs of use better than most watches including all of it competitors.
The
crown is located at two o'clock on the Bremont Supermarine and the
right side of the case also features a gorgeous crown guard that is
essentially a design element that raises the outer edge of the case to
protect the screw down crown from direct impacts. Please take a moment
to view the included photos as this is both a clever solution compared
to conventional crown guards and suits the style of the S500 flawlessly.
The left side of the case features an integrated automatic helium
escape valve for saturation diving. While the HEV will not be used by
the majority of Supermarine buyers, it is a technical benchmark seen on
most luxury dive watches produced today. Technical benchmarks aside, the
Supermarine has definitely been made for diving and in testing nearly
tripled its 500 meter water resistance rating. Bremont does not take
your attention for granted and has gone to great lengths (or depths) to
make a watch that will keep up as well on a dive as it will to dinner
that evening.
One of the few elements that is instantly
noticeable on a high quality watch is the crystal. Budget watches use
mineral glass while pricier options employ synthetic sapphire that can
vary in clarity and hardness. In the luxury range the sapphire should be
almost invisible under normal use and be as hard as possible (1800+
HV). Bremont takes their crystals very seriously, believing that the
crystal should be protective but other wise unobtrusive and not distract
or distort the view of the dial. The S500 Supermarine features a
slightly domed sapphire crystal with nine layers of anti-reflective
coating on each side. The crystal does not distort the dial nor does it
exhibit much of the blue flaring that is seen on many crystals with
anti-reflective coatings. The Bremont's sapphire crystal carries the
same hardness rating as the case so it is quite unlikely you will
scratch or superficially damage the crystal in any way. On wrist the
crystal seems to disappears and leaves you to enjoy the beautiful
details of the dial.
The dial, including the hand set, is likely
what will first draw buyers to the Supermarine. The design of the dial
matches beautifully with the overall styling of the Supermarine which is
classic without being faux-vintage or feeling outdated. The rich black
of the dial is contrasted well by the slightly off white luminous paint
used on the markers and hands. The twin aperture day/date window border
is nicely finished and the white text on a black background is easily
legible. Bremont has not cluttered the dial with paragraphs of text or
busy logos. Instead, the S500 carries the Bremont name and minimalist
logo, its own name, and its water resistance. The center of the dial is
largely devoted to a gorgeous striped pattern bordered by a circular
design similar to railway tracks. The striped pattern looks engraved
like a counter-relief, not painted or applied to the surface but rather
part of the dial and very much three dimensional. It is excellent in
every way, and gives the S500 a unique aesthetic which dresses up an
otherwise simple dial. Lastly, the hands are an attractive design that
also aids legibility and accuracy as they are long enough to fully reach
their designated scale. The "lolly pop" hour hand is a somewhat
divisive style but one that I think is lovely and makes the Supermarine
instantly recognizable among steel clad, black dial divers much of the
world is wearing. The dial, applied markers and beautiful hands make for
a very legible design that is as functional as it is attractive. If you
want something with more color than the model shown here (the S500/BK)
there are also options with blue (S500/BL) or silver dials (S500/SI) or a
bezel with a cool green twenty minute scale (S500/BK-GN). Lastly,
Bremont released the Supermarine Descent LE which boasts a complete DLC
coating and a black/green bezel for a more stealthy look.
Most
dive watches have unidirectional counter-clockwise rotating bezels that
are used to time different aspects of a dive ranging from total dive
time to decompression times. The bezel on the Bremont Supermarine is a
120 click unidirectional bezel that features a sapphire insert which
sits above a minute scale that has been treated with luminous paint. The
markings on the bezel charge via available light just like the hands
and markers on the dial and the end result is as much fun as it is
practical (see photos and video). The sapphire insert shares the same
2000 HV hardness rating as the domed sapphire crystal and should have no
problems warding away the scratches and markings from normal use. The
edge of the bezel is notched for grip and works well with wet or dry
hands. The action of the bezel is positive and it does not exhibit any
wobble or tendency to "swim" between each click. The S500's bezel is
high quality, easy to use and should be more than tough enough for even a
sporting owner.
The internal elements of the case are just as
advanced as its exterior. The entire movement and its anti-shock system
is housed inside a Faraday cage to protect the movement from magnetism.
Inside the anti-magnetic casing is a proprietary anti-shock system that
incorporates a rubberized movement mount that keeps the movement
"floating" and confined to minute tolerances as opposed to being clamped
to the case its self. Bremont developed this anti-shock system in
co-operation with Martin Baker, the company responsible for
manufacturing 70% of the worlds ejector seats for over ninety air forces
world wide. The Bremont MB series was developed to be able to withstand
the use of an ejector seat which subjects the timepiece and all of its
internals (not to mention the pilot) to over 30Gs worth of force.
Bremont's research subjected the test units to 40 years worth of
vibration, and additional tests for shock, magnetic interference,
corrosion and climate tests. All watches in this market are tested
extensively but few are put through the kinds of field testing that
Bremont subjects their watches to while they advance through development
stages.
Underneath all of this hardened steel, sapphire and
layer upon layer of luminous paint is of course the S500's movement. The
Supermarine is powered by Bremont's BE-36AE which is a modified ETA
2836 Swiss automatic movement with a 36 hour power reserve. The BE-36AE
boasts 25 jewels, a glucydur balance, an anachron balance spring and a
nivaflex 1 mainspring. All of Bremont's watches are certified COSC
chronometers and come fitted with a custom Bremont rotor. The movement
cannot be seen on the Supermarine as it uses a solid stainless steel
case back. The model provided on loan from Bremont ran a steady -1s per
day on wrist and held a +3 average time on a winder, this variance is
well within COSC timing and we think it simply suggests the Supermarine
prefers a spot on your wrist over a spot in your watch case.
In
person the Bremont Supermarine really shines, if you have not
experienced a luxury watch on your wrist they have a distinctively
different feel and visual appeal when compared to entry level options.
The case design on the Supermarine (and indeed all Bremont watches) is
outstanding, even in their price range. The lugs are drawn from the top
section of the case and curve downward with a very unique shape. The mix
of brushed and polished sections on the lugs is excellent and the shape
of the case is unlike anything I have reviewed. In addition to their
visual quality, the short downward shaped lugs make for a very practical
lug to lug distance of just over 50mm. The Supermarine feels and looks
43mm wide and I think that is a perfect size for this watch. The case
wears closer to 12mm or 13mm thick and was not prone to catch door
frames, table tops or edges any more than a thinner watch would. When on
wrist the Bremont comes into its own, its comfortable case is mounted
to a soft but sturdy rubber strap that features a low profile buckle
that hugs the edges of the rubber and reduces the buckles tendency to
catch on sleeves or deep pockets.
With such a solid feature set
and attractive design you're likely not expecting the Supermarine to be
cheap, and it isn't. The Supermarine on a rubber strap carries an MSRP
of $5150. The Supermarine battles directly against models from Omega,
Breitling and IWC. At the $5000 price point, the Bremont is expensive
but not overpriced. Most options from Omega, Breitling and IWC use
modified ETA calibers but cannot match the S500′s exclusive case design,
anti-shock system or low production volume. The most obvious
competition is the IWC Aquatimer with its modified eta movement,
illuminated sapphire bezel, and a matched list price of $5200 USD. I
think the Bremont has the IWC outmatched in many crucial ways. Yes, the
IWC is a more well known brand with more history than the Bremont but as
a watch you're actually going to spend your own money on, the Bremont
is simply better value and for my money, a better looking watch. The
Supermarine features a more advanced and robust case design and
composition, it will be more exclusive than the IWC, and (for the time
being) you will pay less for the Bremont brand name. In all reality,
most buyers choosing a watch solely on its brand name will overlook IWC
or Bremont for Rolex, Omega or even Tag Heuer. Bremont is still a young
brand that is proving its self on a watch-by-watch basis which means you
are getting a different pricing structure than you will with a Swiss
marque where the brand alone commands a price point regardless of the
features or technology showcased by the watch. Bremont is commanding its
price point with excellent and attractive designs that are backed by a
relentless testing process and company leadership that places
craftsmanship, quality and longevity above all else. While there are not
a lot of distinctively British watch manufacturers there is a rich
history in the UK concerning engineering, technology and design which
can be seen in world class projects like the Concorde, the McLaren F1,
the Millau Viaduct, and even planes like the Supermarine Spitfire and
the S.6B. All of these endeavours were upstarts in their own way,
challenging the status of their industry by boasting cutting edge
technology, game changing design and raising the bar for the
competition. The Supermarine is a beautiful, well made and thoughtfully
designed watch that shows there is room for yet another serious
contender in the luxury dive watch segment.
