Bremont MB Savanna
Bremont And Martin-Baker Team Up Again For The MB Savanna In Matte Titanium
The acclaimed British watchmakers know a thing or two about flying, and any military pilot worth their salt knows the importance of a good ejector seat.
By Josh Shanks
Contributor
It’s been a while since we last checked in with our friends at Bremont. And, of course, there’s a reason for the silence coming from across the pond. The brand has been, to use a Formula One term, heads down!
Thus, it is wholly appropriate that since we last saw brothers Nick and Giles English, the brand has gone on to sponsor the iconic F1 team Williams and its star driver George Russell. Additionally, Bremont has opened its new UK-based Manufacturing and Technology Centre a.k.a. “The Wing” outside London in Henley-on-Thames.
Today, however, we’re not talking about an on-ground Bremont exploit; we are taking flight and talking about one of the essential pieces of a military pilot’s gear, the ejector seat.
Martin-Baker
To the best of my knowledge, the ejector seat first entered the American consciousness with the 1986 classic Top Gun. And while no pilot wants to leave their aircraft unless it’s safely parked on the tarmac, sometimes conditions, damage, and hazards merit a quick escape, which is where Martin-Baker comes in.
For nearly 70 years, Martin-Baker has been the world’s leading producer of ejection and crashworthy seats. To date, the manufacturer has saved 7,652 lives with its innovative seats. The brand is so proud of this life-saving work that it displays the total lives saved via a ticker on its homepage.
Since 2009, Bremont and Martin-Baker have partnered to produce Bremont’s MB collection. The MB is noteworthy because it’s likely the only mechanical timepiece to undergo a live ejection seat launch. A little-known secret is that Bremont is also an official supplier to some of the world’s military forces with their Military and Special Projects Division.
Introducing The Bremont MB Savanna
Today, Bremont is introducing a new MB model in tactical matte titanium. The new MB Savanna is a 43mm Grade 5 titanium encased timepiece with various improvements over its MB predecessors. For starters, the two family-run businesses, Martin-Baker and Bremont, have worked closely to design a watch that looks great on the wrist and is also highly functional in the cockpit.
The new MB Savanna features a color palette reminiscent of African subtropical camouflage and is meant to blend in with the harsh savanna environment. Moreover, its titanium case is coated with an anti-reflective tactical coating. Beyond just the case, this colorway is carried throughout the watch, from the knurled barrel and crowns to even the savanna-colored strap.
The watch is powered by Bremont’s BE-36AE automatic calibre, which is essentially a modified ETA 2836-2 movement. A notable design feature is a ruthenium-plated and skeletonized rotor that is visible via the sapphire crystal caseback.
Furthermore, like many of the Bremont watches rolling off the brand’s new Henley-on-Thames manufacture, portions of the manufacturing and assembly are done in the UK. As Co-Founder Nick English explained in the press release, “Along with the extensive testing done in the UK, we’re proud to say all case finishing and manufacture has also been done in the UK.”
Like other MB models, the MB Savanna features a seconds hand with a yellow and black loop at the end, which is reminiscent of an ejection seat’s pull handle. The dial also features an inner bi-directional Roto-Click bezel operated via a second crown at 4 o’clock.
Pricing & Availability
The Bremont MB Savanna Special Edition will be produced in limited quantities but is not numbered. The watch will be available from Bremont retailers worldwide and cost $5,795.
For more information, visit Bremont’s website.
(Images © Bremont)
On a Mission: Our Three Favorite Townhouse 2022 Novelties from Bremont
By Mike Espindle
, Executive Editor
Adventure, artful design, air, sea, and land (as well as some intriguing backstories) all coalesce in Bremont’s 2022 novelties.
Bremont Delivers On Its Promise With The Brand’s First Manufacture Movement & Longitude LE Collection
By Josh Shanks
, Contributor
Around five years ago, Bremont took some flak from the watch community about its claims to an "in-house" movement. In the years that followed,...
Into The Wild With The Bremont MB Savanna & Supermarine Chrono Blue
By Rhonda Riche
, Editor-At-Large
Designed for the sea and sky, two of our favorite 2021 models from Bremont are also perfect for a walk in the woods.