Basel? What Basel? Bremont Forges Their Own Path Forward in 2018

While Baselworld is gravitating towards another down year, Bremont’s stock is trending upward. The brand has increased production capacity at their Henley on Thames manufacture in England. Notably, they’ve rapidly diversified into other markets including cruise ship marketing, duty free, and military commissions. In this writer’s opinion, last year’s townhouse collection may have been their strongest yet. Of course, I may be speaking from a point of bias because I picked up the S301 Supermarine.
 

The one thing Bremont does remarkably well is listen. During last year’s English Tour road trip, I chatted with Nick and Giles English for hours during our meandering drive through the northeast corridor. They were keenly interested in obtaining market intelligence and trends.  This is a brand that wants to have its finger on the proverbial pulse while still forging their own path.
 

At both townhouse events, the 2018 Bremont collection was on full display. Here’s a rundown.

The centerpiece of this year’s novelties was the hyper-engineered Supermarine Endurance. A limited edition (of 300) made for British explorer Ben Saunder’s solo trans-Antarctic journey. Made to withstand the grueling 1,800-mile solo journey, the new Endurance is a feat of engineering. Capable of reaching depths of 500m and withstanding temperatures exceeding -100 °F. Like all Supermarines, the Endurance features Bremont’s three-part case, except in this novelty, the case is made of titanium. Part of what makes this a perfect Expedition watch is the bi-directional compass Basel with matching orange GMT hand with a large N (for North) on the tip. While future owners of the Endurance may not test this watch to the full rigors of its capabilities, it’s still sure to surprise and endure your next hiking or fishing expedition.
 

You had me at U-2! An evolution of the brand’s P-51 limited edition, this time featuring a stealthy DLC coated case but retaining the P-51’s look. I’ll admit, I was a bit confused by the name of this watch. While I understand that the watch takes its design cues from the P-51 limited edition, the P-51 and U-2 planes themselves could not be more different. As a massive fan of Cold War era spy planes, this watch hits a sweet spot for me. The U-2/51-JET also takes inspiration from the RAF Hawk T1 which is a two-seat fighter used by the Royal Air Force since 1976.

Like many of Bremont’s watches, the U-2/51-JET has been put through a plethora of tests. Including an 80,000ft, 12-hour flight at -50 degrees. Like the spy plane it was named after, this is a watch that will literally fly under the radar yet be there for you when you need it. The jet-black DLC coated case measures 43mm and features a bi-directional inner rotating bezel adjusted by, you guessed it, a DLC coated crown. The smoked gray sapphire case back is a nice added touch.
 

Last but certainly not least, we saw Bremont’s entry-priced AIRCO lineup receive a few updates. The Mach 1 and Mach 2 AIRCOs now feature white and British Navy-Blue dials. Sized at just 40mm, these new models are the perfect size for those of us with smaller wrists (myself included).
 

Bremont once again reinforces their position as a savvy British upstart with an increasingly impressive lineup of dive, tool, and sports watches. For my money, I’d go with the U-2/51-JET. How apropos would it be to wear that during this summer’s trip to Cuba?