News from the world of Bremont
Spring/Summer 2019
ARGONAUT
PROJECT POSSIBLE
LADIES TIMEPIECES
TECHNOLOGY
Find out what it takes to be part of the Royal Navy Clearance Divers
Bremont ambassador Nims attempts world record with new S300
Four new SOLO-34 mechanical ladies timepieces
Take a look at the workings inside the Bremont MB range
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A TRIBUTE TO A RACING ICON Introducing the new Jaguar D-type Limited Edition mechanical timepiece, transporting you back to a golden era of motorsport. Page 3
TESTED BEYOND ENDURANCE Discover Bremont’s latest adventures and military projects from around the globe
THE GREATEST ROAD RACE ON EARTH Find out more about Bremont’s involvement with the Isle of Man TT and ambassador Peter Hickman
HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA Hear from ambassador Alex Gregory on what it’s like to win at this prestigious event
INSIDE BREMONT Bremont’s Manufacturing Manager talks about his transition from motorsport to watches
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WELCOME
BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
WHAT’S IN STORE... In this exciting issue of the Bremont Briefing we’ll get your pulse racing with updates from the world of motorsport including the new Jaguar timepiece and the exhilarating Isle of Man TT. The action doesn’t stop there, we’ll be giving you an insight into Bremont’s world including latest updates from our ambassadors and our skilled technicians. Enjoy!
WELCOME FROM NICK AND GILES We would like to say a personal thank you for your interest in the Bremont collection, developed to meet the expectations of those who demand more from a mechanical watch. Time began for Bremont in 2002, when we embarked on a journey to make beautifully crafted watches of exceptional quality. Inspired by a love of flying historic aircraft, of watches and of all things mechanical, our timepieces had to be tested beyond the normal call of duty - and not just in the workshop. Immensely precise, reliable and durable, Bremont watches are hand built in limited numbers; we’re proud that all are now assembled in the UK. Each is designed to appeal to those who share our passion for and appreciation of the innovation and mastery behind a beautiful mechanical wristwatch.
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We hope you enjoy the same satisfaction when you wear a Bremont watch, as we do in creating one.
Nick & Giles English, Co-Founders p24
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BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
BREMONT 2019 COLLECTION
Introducing:
D-TYPE LIMITED EDITION Bremont releases limited edition Jaguar D-type celebrating the triple Le Mans legend B R E M O N T.CO M / 3
BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
The Bremont Jaguar D-type is limited to only 300 pieces and is available to buy online or through Bremont Boutiques and Authorised Dealers. Find out more on page 20.
Introducing:
Jaguar Classic recently re-started production of the iconic 1950s D-type race car in Coventry, 64 years after the first examples were built. In 1955 Jaguar planned to build 100 D-types but only 75 were completed; Jaguar Classic is now fulfilling the company’s original ambition by creating 25 all-new, period-correct sports cars. The triple Le Mans-winning D-type is the third Continuation vehicle to come out of the Jaguar Classic workshops, following six missing Lightweight E-types completed in 2014-15 and nine XKSSs built in 2017-18. To celebrate this British racing icon, and as an extension of Bremont’s previous collaborations with Jaguar (the first of which dates back to 2014), the British watch manufacturer has designed a mechanical chronograph that sublimely transports the wearer back to this golden era of motorsport. Bremont Co-Founder Nick English said, “The Jaguar D-type is a truly iconic competition car that is just as remarkable today as it was when it was first produced. It has an outstanding record in the world’s toughest motor races due to its robust engineering, something we champion at Bremont. Continuing its legacy by completing the original planned production is very special indeed and we’re delighted to be celebrating with the launch of our new Limited Edition.” As the D-type was classified as a 300 bhp car, the new timepiece will be limited to only 300 pieces. The blue dialled bi-compax chronograph (inspired by pantones of the Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar race team) has brushed nickel sub-dials and a Tachymeter dial ring with its chronometer rated movement housed in a 43mm satin finished threepiece Trip-Tick® case. The large exhibition sapphire case back shows the beautifully finished mechanical BE-50AE movement and the very intricate Jaguar steering wheel inspired rotor. The watch crown has the original Dunlop tyre tread etched into it and the heritage Jaguar logo finished beautifully in enamel on its end. The Bremont D-type watch will be set on a blue racing calf-skin strap. Ian Callum, former Design Director for Jaguar and British design icon, has signed the packaging for this exclusive model. Callum remarks, “The Bremont D-type chronograph is inspired by one of the most dramatic and beautiful sports cars in history – a sports car which is a true embodiment of Jaguar’s racing heritage. As exciting today as it was in the 1950s, its story continues to be told and this iconic car deserves a timepiece to match. The Limited Edition perfectly captures the D-type’s mechanical beauty and subtly nods to the car’s performance – a true driver’s companion”. The D-type, which won the Le Mans 24 Hours race three times between 1955 and 1957, was powered by the six-cylinder XK engine. Jaguar Classic experts’ painstaking research, with exclusive access to original Jaguar engineering drawings and records, ensures each new D-type will be built to the authentic specifications laid down by competitions manager Lofty England and his engineers in the 1950s. D-type clients can choose either 1955-specification Shortnose or 1956-spec Longnose bodywork. Although sharing many of the mechanical components of its C-type predecessor, the D-type had an innovative monocoque construction and state-of-theart aerodynamics designed by aeronautical engineers, including its vertical fin or stabilizer.
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The Jaguar D-type has an instantly recognisable design. It was produced to win the Le Mans 24 Hours race and built around the principles of aerodynamics and speed
BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
The Bremont Jaguar timepieces have been hand-built at our workshops in Henley-on-Thames
Bremont caught up with former Director of Design for Jaguar, Ian Callum, to discuss the design of the iconic Jaguar D-type. THE CAR The D-type has always been a very special car and a particular favourite of mine. It is a very raw sports car which was designed and built for racing, and especially built to win. There’s something very visceral about its existence. When you drive the D-type you feel at one with the car because of the mechanical nature of it; you can feel the gearbox, you can feel the suspension and the chassis, making it a very unique car to drive. THE DESIGN The looks of the car are very important and very distinctive. When you analyse the D-type, it has a precise geometric fuselage with these unique pontoons built on to them to take the wheels and cover them up, and then it’s all blended together. It was designed by Malcolm Sayer around the key principles of aerodynamics to be very geometric and very controlled, which was the way he worked. There were a number of D-types designed including the original ‘short nose’ however, as the car developed, they recognised that they would require a longer nose for improved aerodynamics and better stability. They also developed this unique rear wing which led off the back of the driver’s seat and that’s what a lot of people remember the D-type to be like. Aerodynamically, it was superior to anything else on the track at the time.
THE WATCH I’m so pleased to be involved with this Bremont watch and it’s a huge privilege for me to be working with people like Nick and Giles and their teams. The association of a watch like this with the D-type is perfect actually. The beauty of the Bremont D-type watch is the mechanical element of it, you can actually see and admire the fact that it has been put together with real love and passion. There are some great details about the watch that really hark back to the design of the D-type itself. The tyre pattern on the crown is representative of the Dunlop racing tyre, a very famous pattern which you can only find on the Jaguar watches. The leather strap features the punched holes which is reminiscent of the steering wheel, taking weight out wherever possible. And the blue is closely inspired by the ‘Ecurie Ecosse’ blue, which to me is probably the most important D-type colour there is. What I find most impactful is when you turn the watch around, there is a real sense of precision and detail in the mechanism of the timepiece. The Jaguar D-type was built in a very British way, it was very matter of fact but also elegant. I can see those exact same qualities in this new Bremont timepiece. Head to Bremont’s Youtube channel to view the full video with Ian Callum: www.youtube.com/BremontWatchCom
Every leather wallet accompanying the limited edition Bremont Jaguar
D-type has been hand signed by Ian Callum, Jaguar’s former Director of Design.
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M I L I TA RY
BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF BREMONT
Briefing:
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MILITARY & SPECIAL PROJECTS Bremont has built very close working relationships with military organisations around the world. As a result, we develop exclusive bespoke mechanical chronometers that pay tribute to individual units and their unique missions. It allows us to do something unlike any other luxury watch company: create mechanical watches that not only reflect our values, but also incorporate the 'DNA' of our military customers’ professions, aircraft and equipment. If sensibly maintained, a mechanical watch should last forever - unlike battery alternatives. So a quality watch is more than simply a timepiece, it is an heirloom to be passed down through the generations. Bremont’s passion for crafting beautifully engineered chronometers is shared by many of our military clients. We go to extraordinary levels to produce unique timepieces for air force, navy and army units around the world, far surpassing any other brand. For more information head online to Bremont.com/military
@BREMONTMILITARY Share your best Bremont wrist shots with us #BremontMilitary
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T E S T E D B E YO N D E N D U R A N C E
BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
COURAGE IN DARKNESS STRENGTH IN DEPTH The Royal Navy Clearance Divers are an elite team responsible for mine clearance operations based in Portsmouth who rely heavily on timing, precision and durability. The new Bremont Argonaut has been designed around these key principles. Find out what it takes to be a Mine Clearance Diver in this exclusive piece written by Lt James Oxley RN.
It’s just past 11 o’clock on a cold October night and a small rubber boat bobs gently up and down in the shelter of the harbour, the faces of its occupants and their equipment lit dimly by the upper-deck lighting of the warships in the distance. In the boat, a well-drilled harmony of movement and orders gives indication that the team are preparing to start the next phase of their mission. Equipment and gauges are inspected and reports are passed to the team leader, then a final mission brief is given to the team before a solitary diver dons his equipment and runs through his final pre-dive checks. His task tonight is to search the murky depths of the harbour for a metallic object that was
last seen falling from the sky 75 years ago, and he will be conducting this dangerous mission without the support or safety of a diving buddy. With the mission brief complete, the diver slips slowly and silently into the water before descending into the darkness to commence his search of the seabed. This isn’t a scene from the latest James Bond film, or even a paragraph from a Robert Ludlum thriller – it is a sequence of events that has taken place many times in the past 12 months. The harbour is Portsmouth on the South coast of England, the metallic object is a 500lb high-explosive German bomb and the men in the boat are Royal Navy Clearance Divers.
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Briefing:
The story of the Clearance Diving Branch can be traced back to the dark days of the Second World War, when Allied shipping was suffering heavy losses from an unknown and seemingly invisible enemy. Axis forces had laid countless mine-fields throughout the waters of Northern Europe, the Baltic, the UK and the Mediterranean and any port capable of taking large vessels on the north coast of France had been booby-trapped in preparation for the expected Allied invasion. The Royal Navy needed the capability to not only deal with these sea-mines, bombs and explosive hazards quickly, but also to exploit them for the vital intelligence that would later be used to protect and save lives throughout the war. The solution was the Rendering Mines Safe (RMS) Teams and later the Port Clearance Parties, or P Parties, two of which went into action soon after D-Day to clear the vast quantities of unexploded ordnance and general debris left after the Allied invasion. On D-Day itself, Royal Navy and Royal Marines divers of the Landing Craft Obstacle Clearance Units cleared anti-invasion obstructions off the Normandy beaches as described by Rob Hoole in ‘Frogmen – First Ashore on D-Day’ in the December 2014 issue of Diver Magazine. In Gibraltar, a young Naval Lieutenant and bomb disposal expert called Lionel “Buster” Crabb was busy tracking down the Italian frogmen responsible for the sabotage of merchant vessels in the Bay of Gibraltar. These ‘charioteers’ of the Italian Decima Flottiglia were
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using manned torpedoes to transit the 3nm distance from neutral Spain to Gibraltar, before attaching deadly limpet mines to the hulls of the unsuspecting ships. Here, Buster Crabb and his team worked tirelessly under extreme pressure to disable the threat posed by the Italian frogmen; their tenacity and courage helped to pioneer clearance diving operations and saved countless lives in the process. In the years that followed the end of the war many of the P Parties and specialist units were disbanded, however the Admiralty decided to amalgamate the deep divers of the Standard Diving Branch and the Experimental Diving Unit with the remaining RMS teams and P Parties to create a specialist deep-diving, underwater engineering and bomb disposal capability. This was to become known as the Clearance Diving Branch, more commonly referred to simply as ‘the Branch’ by its members. Since the Second World War, the role of the Branch has remained almost entirely unchanged. Royal Navy Clearance Divers have seen action in nearly every theatre of war, from Korea to Afghanistan and almost everything in between. They have located and disposed of high-tech sea mines during conflict and they have cleared dangerous ordnance from harbours, waterways and shipwrecks during times of peace. They have forged modern diving techniques and they have helped advance diving medical knowledge. They have conducted every type of military diving operation, from Special Forces counter-terrorist assaults to hostile beach surveys and
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BR E MONT A RG ONA UT
search and rescue operations. They are recognised throughout the world as part sub-aqua masters, part bomb disposal specialists. Everyone who aspires to join the Branch starts their specialist training at Horsea Island, near Portsmouth. Here the recruits will be taught everything from basic diving techniques using military-grade scuba equipment, all the way through to advanced underwater search and navigation techniques using ultra-modern mixed-gas heliox rebreathers. They will become proficient in the use of recompression chambers and therapeutic diving medicine, and they will be trained in the use of underwater tools and surface-supplied diving equipment. Potential recruits must be aware though, this arduous 28-week course is no Red Sea live-aboard and aspiring Clearance Divers will be required to endure one of the most physically intense and demanding courses the Royal Navy has to offer. Once the diving phase of their training is complete, recruits will then transfer to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal School in the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside, where they are trained in the art of explosive ordnance recognition in zero visibility and underwater explosive demolitions. Once fully trained, clearance divers enjoy one of the most varied and exciting careers in the Royal Navy. They can be found serving as part of a close-knit dive team on board one of the Royal Navy’s 15 minehunter vessels, they provide explosive ordnance disposal support to the Special Forces during counter-terror operations,
they work closely with the UK’s amphibious forces to clear hostile beaches of mines and booby-traps, they provide underwater engineering support to the ships and submarines of the British fleet and they help to protect the public from dangerous unexploded ordnance and terrorist IEDs. This brings us back to the mission in Portsmouth Harbour, which is being conducted by clearance divers from Southern Diving Unit 2 – one of the Royal Navy’s three area bomb disposal teams. These three teams, in conjunction with their Army and Air Force colleagues, form a network of response units around Great Britain and Northern Ireland, ready to deal with any type of explosive hazard at a moment’s notice. In this instance, they have been called out to investigate a metallic object that has been located during the ongoing Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier dredging project, a vital component in the infrastructure required to safely bring the huge Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers into their new base port. Once the lone diver has located the bomb, which is buried in 75 years’ worth of mud and silt, he needs to use all of his training and expertise to identify it in the pitch black, before attaching a marker float and signalling his success to the team on the surface. Historical ordnance still poses a very real risk to the public and the condition of the explosive content within a device can often become very unstable over a prolonged period. During the two World Wars, hundreds of thousands of explosive weapons were released or laid by both Allied and Axis Forces in the seas around the British Isles, some of which failed to explode and only a small number of those that remain have been located and made safe by specialist teams. If any item or object is found during a dive that is suspected of being historic ordnance it is not to be touched or moved. Advice from the Royal Navy is to call the Coastguard or the Police at the earliest opportunity. The next phase of this task is to carefully move the 500lb device to a safe area for demolition, as the proximity of housing, underwater cables, pipelines and military infrastructure mean that a demolition in its current location simply isn’t an option and would almost certainly result in significant casualties. This complex evolution requires extremely careful coordination of equipment, shipping, harbour control and the local police force, which will be required to establish a cordon and complete evacuation around the bomb as it is moved out into the Solent for disposal. Specialist equipment is used to lift the device from the seabed and once every piece of this intricate jigsaw is in place, it is towed at slow speed to its final resting place – 5nm out to sea and far enough away that an underwater
explosion will not cause any permanent damage. Once in position, the final phase of the task is to carefully place a small explosive charge in a precise spot on the case of the bomb. This will be used to cause an explosive chain reaction, bursting through the thick metal case of the bomb to cause a full detonation of the explosives within. As with all clearance diving operations this final phase of the mission is completed by a lone diver. He requires expert knowledge of the ordnance (and a steady hand) to make sure that the placement of the explosive charge is accurate. If not, the consequences could cost him his life and jeopardise the success of the entire operation. With the demolition charge set in position and the diver safely recovered to the boat, a final check is made with the Coastguard to confirm an effective cordon has been established around the weapon. An EOD task is always a multi-agency operation and tonight is no different; the Coastguard have been involved throughout and their vital role is to establish a cordon and evacuation around the device, giving the team of clearance divers space in which to work and ensuring the operation poses no risk to public safety. A crackled voice yells out from the hand-held VHF radio in the dive boat, confirming that the cordon is in place and giving the Diving Supervisor the green light to initiate the charge. In the boat, a radio-controlled trigger is used to start the chain-reaction of explosive events that will result in the destruction of the bomb. The red firing button is pressed and, a fraction of a second later, a vast column of water erupts from the calm surface of the Solent. On average a Royal Navy bomb disposal team reacts to an EOD task in and around the UK mainland every 18 hours and their specialist EOD knowledge extends to the land environment as well. Since the Queen Elizabeth carrier dredging project was started in 2015, nearly five tonnes of high explosives have been located and removed from the seabed in and around the approaches to Portsmouth Harbour. This task is just one example of how the Royal Navy is ready to react to an incident at a moment’s notice, both in the UK and while deployed on operations around the globe. The huge underwater detonation gives confirmation that this task is complete, and with that the team from Southern Diving Unit 2 are free to return to their base to recharge their cylinders and re-prep their equipment. Tomorrow is just another day in the busy life of a Clearance Diving Unit and the duty phone could ring at any moment. Discover the new Bremont Armed Forces Collection, including the Bremont Argonaut, online or at Bremont Authorised Dealers or Boutiques.
The Royal Navy’s Diving Units provide a vital service to both the Royal Navy and the public and are at high readiness to deploy to any location around the UK. Precision, timing and robustness are critical to their operation.
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Image credit @NimsDai
Briefing:
BREMONT PROJECT POSSIBLE
Bremont has stepped up to be title sponsor of Project Possible, the extreme mountaineering feat that Bremont ambassador Nims Purja has embarked on.
Having summitted 6 of the world’s highest peaks in a matter of weeks, and with a further 8 to go, this significant funding comes at a critical time in the expedition when Nims might not have been able to continue due to lack of financial support. By ensuring phase two of Project Possible, Bremont hopes that the remaining, much more marginal, shortfall will be met for phase three as Nims continues to smash records and summit the world’s 14 highest peaks. Bremont has made this commitment to Nims as what he’s doing is not only truly remarkable but pushes the boundaries of human endeavour. At the time of writing, the world record for climbing 6 of the world’s highest mountains, known as the 8000ers, has been completed in just over 4 weeks and Nims has
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succeeded in the first phase of his ambition to speed climb the world’s 14 highest mountains in 7 months. Preparing the first mountain, Annapurna, Nims had to climb the mountain nearly 4 times in order to fix lines and ensure the narrow window for the summit was met. The winds on Dhaulagiri made the climb worse than Annapurna, reputed to be the world’s deadliest mountain, and the queues on Everest were extraordinary, as pictured above. There is now a wait until Guinness World Records verify the climbs but it is believed that a number of records have not only been broken, but ‘smashed’. Not least of which is Nim’s own record of Everest, Lhotse and Makalu which stood at 5 days – it is believed he has done this in 48 hrs 30 mins, having already climbed the world’s 10th, 7th and 3rd highest peaks. During Project Possible,
Nims has now successfully completed the first phase of his ambition to climb the world’s 14 highest mountains in 7 months. It has not been without its set backs though, as Nims has had to conduct rescue missions (right) at various stages.
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“I have been wearing the Supermarine S300 on the 6 mountains so far with the aim to wear it on all 14 peaks and so far it has been absolutely bomb proof.”
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Nims has been putting the new Bremont S300 to the test. Inspired by aviation principles and built to be thoroughly robust, the S300 White brings a new dial colour to the popular 40mm range of Supermarine dive watches. An endurance challenge of this magnitude requires a reliable timepiece to suit. Here is a brief overview of the challenges that the project has presented Nims so far... Annapurna, April 23rd Summit With 3 rescues, 3 ‘8000ers’ summited and then 3 more in just 3 days, Nims is not only breaking records, but he’s putting his chances of doing so aside to save others. This incredible adventure has shown the world what a modern day hero looks like. April 23rd saw Nims and his team summit Annapurna after a daunting climb. As the 10th highest peak in the world, Annapurna is renowned for being the most deadly with a 35% death rate due to its technical difficulty and climatic instability. The weather window narrowed and the days passed with the other summit windows being pushed further into the summer monsoon season. But Nims and his team became the first to summit in the Himalaya this season setting Project Possible on a positive path to completion. During the descent, news spread of another climber on the mountain who had gone missing. Despite completing his descent, Nims led a team up to 7,500m at the point where the climber, Dr Wui Kin Chin, was last seen. The rescue of Dr Wui Kin Chin was widely documented and whilst Dr Chin was rescued by Nims and his team off Annapurna enabling a medical transfer to his home in Singapore, tragically Dr Chin passed away from his injuries.
This was not the first time that during a World Record climb Nims has been involved in a rescue. “When I first started, my training was geared to climbing Everest without oxygen. In 2016 I was executing a solo attempt on Everest when I came across a fellow climber who had been passed by other climbers. Being a Gurkha and a former member of the Special Forces, we never leave anyone behind. I used everything I could to bring her below the ‘death zone’ for a rescue. I have never been that tired before.” Dhaulagiri, May 12th 1800 hrs Summit Dhaulagiri tested the mental resilience of the team in a different way. Despite being the only team on the mountain which allowed them to focus on fixing lines for the summit attempt, the weather was dangerous with winds in excess of 70mph. Nims made the decision to keep the team off of the mountain and wait for it to improve. “We summited quite late on the 12th May. 1800hrs is not ideal as you still have to get your team down and off the mountain. If I am honest, this was probably 5 times harder than Annapurna due to the weather conditions. We could only climb a few steps when the wind was a bit slow and then brace when it’s at its speed, we did this pretty much all day.” Kanchenjunga, May 15th 1119 hrs Summit “Myself and Mingma David Sherpa were dropped at Kanchenjunga base camp at 11am on May 14. We went for the summit push directly from the base camp at 1pm that same day. With 5 sleep deprived days and battered by the weather summiting Dhaulagiri, we still made it to the summit of Kanchenjunga just over 22 hours later.” “Whilst descending, we met an Indian climber, Biplab Baidya, 48, at 8450m with his guide; both had ran out of oxygen (O2) and needed rescuing. We gave them our spare O2 and started the rescue mission. We immediately requested for a back up team from camp 4, with extra O2 if possible. After descending 150m, we found another climber, Kuntal Kanrar, 46, who was left behind by his guide and his team. I gave him my own O2 and continued with the rescue mission. After descending a few more meters, our guide Geshman Tamang then had to give his O2 away. By 2.30pm all my team had given away their own O2 to the two climbers. I was told 3 Sherpa’s were coming up with O2, this never happened. I was told this every time I radioed asking. This seriously impacted my team and was a huge risk to life. Geshman Tamang started developing mild High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) and his feet started to freeze. I sent him back down. By this point we had sadly lost Kuntal due to no back up with the extra O2. The wind started picking up, but we continued rescuing Biplab. Now the strongest Sherpa I have ever known, Mingma, appeared to be having HACE. We could not afford to have another casualty with no help coming up so I sent Mingma down. Leaving just Dawa and myself with no O2 performing the rescue.” Everest, May 22nd 0530 hrs Summit Undeterred by previous events, Nims continued to the Basecamp of Mount Everest to complete the last 3 mountains of this phase in just 3 days. In doing so, he will beat his previous record of 5 days and 10 hours. Lhotse, May 22nd 1545 hrs Summit Nims summited Lhotse in 10hrs 15 mins straight after the summit of Everest, equalling his previous record of summiting Everest and Lhotse. Makalu, May 24th 0600 hrs Summit Nims went on to successfully summit Makalu as reported on Seven Summit Treks. At the time of writing, he now looks ahead to the remaining 8 peaks; Nanga Parabat, K2, Broad Peak, G1, G2, Manaslu, Shishapangma and Cho Oyu. Be sure to follow the journey online via the Bremont Blogbook or on Instagram @NimsDai. The new Bremont S300 White is available to purchase online or through Bremont’s Authorised Dealers and Boutiques.
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SPEED DEMONS
BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
“The Isle of Man TT is all about time and precision and it’s steeped in so much British history so to be able to have Bremont involved as the Official Timing Partner is awesome.”
BREMONT APPOINTED TIMING PARTNER TO WORLD’S ULTIMATE ROAD RACE As the Official Timing Partner, Bremont has teamed up with 2018 Senior TT champion Peter Hickman who is credited with the fastest lap ever recorded. The TT Course is world famous. It is the last of the great challenges in motorsport and is the ultimate test of both man and machine. The first TT Race was held on the Isle of Man in 1907 and featured in the World Championship until 1976. This year’s event was the 100th meeting of the world-renowned race and luxury British watch manufacturer Bremont were delighted to be its Official Watch and Timing Partner. We caught up with Peter Hickman to discuss what it takes to compete at arguably the world’s most dangerous road race... “In terms of the actual adrenaline rush you get during a race, you tend to spike initially and then you actually tend to plateau for most of the race. Afterwards you get a massive high and I think it’s knowing what you’ve just achieved that makes it kick in. It lasts for hours. The high you have after finishing an Isle of Man TT race is nothing like anything else I’ve ever experienced.” “The Senior race last year was 226 miles, 6 laps, 1 hour and 43 minutes and it came down to 2 seconds at the end of it. 2 pit stops, 2 different manufacturers of bikes, 2 different riders, 2 different teams and after all that, 2 seconds at the end we managed to win by which
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is absolutely nothing. It’s a strange thing to say how you felt when you’ve won something so prestigious but it was an interesting feeling. There are so many mixed emotions at the TT, it’s such an unusual race and it’s really unique.” “The Isle of Man TT is all about time and precision and it’s steeped in so much British history, so to be able to have Bremont as a brand involved with the Isle of Man TT and the official time keepers for the 2019 TT races is awesome.” At this year’s TT, Peter came away with three wins and narrowly missed out on the Senior TT title. He remarked, “Overall it was a great event for myself and to come away with three wins is a big achievement. There are very few people that have done that. I’ve become the solo champion twice in three years which is a great accomplishment. This hasn’t been all down to me though. It’s a huge credit to the team who have done a fantastic job with the bikes. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes and it has all been a real team effort.” Peter’s trusted timepiece is the Bremont World Timer which you can find online or at any Bremont Authorised Dealer or Boutique.
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A W I N N I N G M E N TA L I T Y
Briefing:
HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA: A WINNING MENTALITY Bremont found out from ambassador Alex Gregory MBE what it’s like to win at this prestigious event. “Every event at Henley Royal Regatta is prestigious and so important to each crew competing because so much goes into the preparation for the races. One of the most important races for me was the Grand Challenge Cup and we won that back in 2015. It was one of the toughest and most exciting races that I’ve ever been a part of.” “We were competing against a German crew and it was neck and neck all the way into a strong headwind. It was an incredibly gruelling race and one of the most important I’ve ever won.” “To rowers, Henley Royal Regatta is so important. People come from all over the world to compete here because it’s such a unique challenge and there’s nothing else quite like it in the world. The crowd play a huge part in the event, they are so close by that it feels as though you are in a cauldron of noise the whole course.” “Owning a Bremont HRR Winners timepiece is something pretty special because it’s something you can take away and have for the rest of your life. In fact it’s
HRR MEMBER
something you can take away and pass down through the generations. The watch will always be a reminder of the effort, energy and the dedication that you put in to winning the race at Henley Royal Regatta. It’s the trophy you get to keep.” 2019 marks the third year that Bremont will be the Official Timing Partner of the event. Attracting thousands of visitors over five days, spectators will enjoy over 200 races of an international standard, including Olympians and crews new to the event. Bremont wishes each competitor the best of luck for this year’s races. Hand-assembled at Bremont’s Henley-on-Thames workshop, the Henley Royal Regatta Special Edition watches are available exclusively to Members, Competitors and Winners of the event. For more information and to view the collection visit: www.bremont.com/henley-watch or visit the Bremont Boutique during the event.
HRR CO M P E T I TO R
HRR WINNER
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E X T R AO R D I N A RY I N D I V I D UA L S
BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
ROWING DANGEROUSLY Bremont ambassador Jordan Wylie attempts a rowing world first to raise funds for charity. The man who ran through the 3 most dangerous countries in the world last year is now pushing the boundaries one step further to help children who need our support around the world. Jordan hopes to become the first person on record to row completely unsupported across the Bab ElMandeb Straits. The Bab El-Mandeb straits are a strategic waterway passage located between Djibouti on the Horn of Africa and Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, that link the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean via The Gulf of Aden. It is perhaps the most important, most dangerous and most geo-politically contested strait of water on the planet. This monstrous challenge should not be underestimated as it is a world first attempt to row the most dangerous strait of water on the planet in aid of Frontline Children (50%), Epilepsy Action (25%) and Seafarers UK (25%). To prepare for this challenge, Jordan spent time with Bremont ambassador and two-time Olympic Gold medal winning rower, Alex Gregory, on the river in Henley-on-Thames. To follow Jordan’s journey or to donate to this worthy cause visit www.givepenny.com/rowingdangerously
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Aldo started his career in the Royal Marine Commandos and is well versed above and below the surface, making him suited to put Bremont watches to the test.
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BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
E X T R AO R D I N A RY I N D I V I D UA L S
BREMONT BOOK CLUB The Bremont Book Club is a new feature of the Briefing. In each issue, we will be sharing books handpicked by Bremont that highlight how extraordinary individuals have been tested beyond endurance in their work and life. In this issue, Bremont recommends Ollie Ollerton’s ‘Break Point: Fear. Courage. Strength. Survival’ and Sean Conway’s ‘Big Mile Cycling’. Ollie Ollerton is a former Special Forces soldier and a member of the Directing Staff on Channel 4’s hit show SAS: Who Dares Wins. Ollie’s military career began at the age of 18 when he joined the Royal Marine Commandos and toured operationally in Northern Ireland and in Iraq for Operation Desert Storm. He subsequently spent six years in the Special Boat Service rising to team leader, before working in Iraq as a private security contractor and carrying out charity work in South-East Asia, rescuing children. In ‘Break Point’, Ollie tells his incredible story for the first time. In 2008, Sean Conway set off on a 1000 mile bike ride that would shape the next 10 years of his life as he became obsessed with the idea of becoming a real ultra-cyclist. This is his story, how he tried, and failed many times, to break a cycling world record, and the story about his final world record attempt, cycling 4000 miles across Europe. Sean nearly gave up on his dream after tragically losing two of his ultra-cycling friends, but decided to continue in their honour with his quest to chase big miles on two wheels. Sean looks back at some of his cycling heroes, heroines, and the boom in ultra-cycling over the last decade.
UNDISCOVERED WORLDS
FIRST FORMULA E WIN FOR MITCH
Bremont ambassador, Aldo Kane, puts watches through their paces in some of the most unexplored parts of the globe. Aldo Kane is a World Record breaking extreme adventurer and the epitome of the meaning ‘Tested Beyond Endurance’. Aldo started his career in the Royal Marine Commandos and proceeded to become one of the youngest Snipers in the UK armed forces. Aldo spent 10 years in total operating around the globe in all environments including war in the Middle East. Since leaving the Royal Marines, Aldo now provides safety services for some of the world’s largest TV and film productions, often operating for long periods in some of the world’s most hostile and extreme environments. Most recently, Aldo has been testing Bremont timepieces whilst on BBC Two’s Undiscovered Worlds with Steve Backshall. Aldo was part of the team that visited some of the most unexplored parts of the world, including kayaking in the Arctic and cave diving in the Mexican jungle. Aldo’s watch of choice is the MBIII, however he has also spent time testing the new Bremont S300 and S2000 in the UK, as pictured above.
Bremont ambassador Mitch Evans made history for Panasonic Jaguar Racing, claiming the team’s first ever ABB FIA Formula E win in Rome. It is Jaguar’s first international motorsport victory in 28 years. During a qualifying session plagued with intermittent rain showers, an impressive performance from Mitch saw the Kiwi driver clinch P2 from Super Pole. An early collision in the race brought out a red flag. The Kiwi drove confidently at the restart and managed to overtake Andre Lotterer with Attack Mode at turn 11 for the lead of the race. Despite Lotterer activating Attack Mode a lap later, Evans defended well and held onto his first win in the series.
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BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
Briefing:
KEEPING HOPE ALIVE Since The Children’s Air Ambulance (TCAA) first took to the skies for its inaugural flight in 2013, it has been fuelled by a determination to keep families together. Six years on, nearly 400 missions later and after helping to save many lives, the charity has just expanded to reach even more babies and children in need of its lifesaving service. TCAA is the first and only dedicated paediatric and neonatal transfer helicopter service in Great Britain, and is funded solely by charitable donations. When literally every second counts in the life-saving treatment of a poorly child, the charity’s specially trained pilots are able to transfer their young patients four times faster than by road in one of the world’s fastest helicopters. It’s a charity service whose specialist facilities are so advanced they can provide intensive care in the air for critically ill babies and children up to the age of 18, transferring them from local hospitals to specialist paediatric treatment centres.
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Within its first two years the service had surpassed expectation, had topped the 100-mission-mark and had ensured families were able to stay together to enjoy those milestone moments whether a first or a fifteenth birthday, their most wonderful Christmas or the arrival of their little brother or sister. As a result, its success prompted a significant commitment to expand. In 2018, after a long, six-year project to design and build two unique helicopters, TCAA increased its fleet and invested in two new airbases serving the north and south from Doncaster and Oxford respectively. The new Agusta Westland 169 aircraft stationed at each base contain world-leading, state-of-the-art intensive care equipment, uniquely designed stretchers, BabyPods for the very young and an extra seat to ensure a parent or guardian is able to accompany their child on their life-saving transfer mission. The aircraft contain all of the vital equipment needed to safely transfer patients
to receive the vital care they need, or if the patient is too sick to travel, they transfer specialist care teams to where the patient is being cared for. To date, TCAA has flown nearly 400 missions and, in partnership with nine specialist NHS teams across Great Britain, has helped to keep hope alive and keep families together. Commenting on the expansion, TCAA CEO Andy Williamson said: “This is the culmination of a long and difficult journey to provide this unique service and I am very proud of this latest evolution which will see two helicopters coming to the aid of these very poorly, young patients. The difference the charity’s two new helicopters will make to children, parents and NHS doctors and nurses involved in paediatric and neonatal specialist air transfers is very significant and that’s what this charity is all about.”
C H A R I T Y PA R T N E R S
BLUE SKY THINKING Adding to a number of select charities extremely close to Bremont’s heart and introduced through its extensive military connections, the brand announces its support for the awe-inspiring Jon Egging Trust and its Blue Skies 3 Student’s Scheme.
Bremont were thrilled to host a workshop tour in Henley-onThames, where the students witnessed the delicate assembly processes involved in watchmaking
The Jon Egging Trust, known as JET, was launched in 2012 in memory of Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging who tragically lost his life whilst completing a display at the Bournemouth Air Festival in August 2011. He was coming to the end of his first year with the world-famous Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, ‘The Red Arrows’, flying in the position of Red 4. The trust was set up with the sole aim to support young people who find themselves in difficult circumstances. They create accredited programmes to promote self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as helping to develop key life and career skills to eventually become role models within their own communities. The Jon Egging Trust realises Jon’s dream of inspiring young people through his love of aviation, teamwork and leadership, helping them identify their strengths and work towards their own ambitions. Bremont will be specifically involved in the Blue Skies 3 Student’s Scheme which will allow groups of local pupils access to learn about every area of the brand, providing an insight into the wide range of job opportunities available within the company. The partnership kicked off with a tour of Bremont’s Henley-on-Thames facilities. This allowed students the chance to witness first-hand the dedicated team work required to run a luxury watch brand, from the raw manufacturing and delicate assembly through to the marketing and selling of the finished products. Nick English, Co-founder of Bremont Watch Company “JET is a charity founded on similar principles and values to that of our own here at Bremont with a strong aviation link. Giles and I lost our father in a tragic plane crash similar to that of Jon’s and it was our main inspiration to set up the brand in 2002. It is great to be able to support and be a part of the fantastic work that the charity is doing and we are honoured to be able to tell our story with the hopes of inspiring a younger generation to overcome adversity, think differently and achieve great things in their futures ahead.” Dr Emma Egging, Co-Founder of the Jon Egging Trust “Bremont and the Jon Egging Trust are founded upon a shared ethos of ‘inspiration and achievement through adversity’; this relates directly to the support we provide young people across the UK. We are delighted to launch this exciting new partnership, which will provide inspirational opportunities for young people to learn about: precision engineering, innovation, excellence and what it takes to create an iconic British brand. With partnerships like these, we can ensure that young people facing challenges are given the opportunity to gain the motivation and lifeskills they need to thrive.”
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BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
BREMONT AT THE BIKE SHED SHOW 2019 Bremont watches were on show alongside the finest motorcycles at this year’s Bike Shed Show in London. Bremont were thrilled to showcase its watches at Europe’s biggest and best independent annual motorcycle show, which took place over the last bank holiday weekend in May. Joined by a host of Bremont’s ambassadors including Charley Boorman and Aldo Kane, the event celebrated the creativity of the new-wave and cafe-racer custom motorcycle culture, with over 240 curated custom motorcycles, unseen in the UK, from all over the world, plus live music, art, photography, and hand-made accessories alongside selected brands, retailers and exhibitors. Set in London’s historic and beautiful Tobacco Docks, the event is famous for its superb hospitality with high quality, healthy street-food from 17 soletrading vendors, barista coffee, six proper bars and a pub, lounges with dozens of sofas, and lounge spaces, plus dockside seating, live music, live tattoo artists, and a multi-chair traditional barbershop. Bremont Co-Founders Nick and Giles English are avid motorcycle enthusiasts and prior to the event Bremont welcomed the Bike Shed crew to Bremont HQ for an exclusive filmed tour of the workshop. They also paid a visit to Nick’s garage to talk through his beloved collection of motorbikes. You can view the film on the Bike Shed Motorcycle Club Youtube channel.
#BREMONTSPOTTED An array of people in the public eye have been seen wearing Bremont watches over the last few years, here are a few of our recent favourites
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ON TH E ROAD
BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
BICESTER HERITAGE SUNDAY SCRAMBLE This exciting partnership sees Bremont join Bicester Heritage on their Sunday Scramble open day events, furthering the collective passions of both companies for British craftsmanship and motoring heritage. As a key part of this collaboration, Bremont clocks will adorn prominent buildings around the historic former RAF Technical Site at Bicester Heritage. Bicester Heritage is creating a revolution in historic vehicle ownership. The unique location is the UK’s only hub for historic motoring excellence and is the national centre for a £5.5bn per annum industry that employs over 34,000 skilled people. Founded in 2013 Bicester Heritage has gone from a standing start to a home for over 30 specialist businesses, and growing, with a collective turnover of over £20m, making it the largest player in the industry and set to grow exponentially with a global reach.
ATTEND OUR EVENTS
AUTHORISED DEALER EVENTS We regularly hold joint events with our authorised dealers. To find out if there’s an upcoming event near you or to register for event updates please email: events@bremont.com
If you would like to attend the Sunday Scramble events, find out more at www.bicesterheritage.co.uk
A UNIQUE TROPHY FOR UNIQUE SUPERCARS
Cars that graced the Bremont Paddock included a 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Spider; a 1955 Triumph TR3; a 1959 Jaguar XK150 DHC; a 1962 Ford Thunderbird; a 1974 Ferrari 365 GT4 BB; a 1966 Gordon Keeble and a 2019 Lister ‘Knobbly’. Bremont also provided the trophies for Stonor Supercar Sunday which saw winners awarded in two classes: Historic Supercar and Modern Supercar. Engineered at our manufacturing facility near Henley-on-Thames, the trophies were made up of two parts; an aluminium base and a top bezel made from 316L Stainless Steel, the same material used to produce the top bezels on Bremont watches.
Bremont manufactured a oneof-a-kind set of trophies for this year’s Stonor Supercar Sunday. This year’s Stonor Supercar Sunday took place on the 19th May and Bremont Co-Founder Nick English was named patron of the event and an all-new Bremont Paddock was created, where around 30 of the world’s finest classic sports and supercars were displayed. Set in a sweeping valley at the heart of the beautiful Chiltern Hills lies Stonor House, home to the Stonor family for over 850 years. And now home to an annual gathering of cars and car fans of all ages. This year over 150 supercars wowed the crowds—from a pioneering 1932 Bugatti Type 55, two Ferrari 250 SWBs, a mint McLaren F1 and a fleet of modern hypercars including a Lamborghini Huracan Performante.
Once a month Bremont hosts an Adventurers Club event at some of its Boutiques. This is an evening where a Bremont Ambassador or friend of the brand will share tales of adventure, exploration, inspiration or innovation and invites the audience to ask questions. If you would like to be invited to future events at any of our Boutiques, please email: events@bremont.com The trophies for the Stonor Supercar Sunday were all machined at Bremont’s Manufacturing Facility
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#MYBREMONT Share your best #MyBremont shots with us to feature on our Instagram page BremontWatches
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BUYING BREMONT
BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
Inside Bremont:
BUYING BREMONT A LT1 -ZT/51
Get the full Bremont experience – drop into one of our boutiques for a glass of fizz and to discover the full collection. In 2012 Bremont opened its very first flagship store in the heart of Mayfair, London’s luxury quarter. It was awarded ‘Store Design of the Year’ at the prestigious UK Retail Jewellery Awards. Since then, Bremont has opened five additional boutiques. Simply book an appointment or stop by to chat with our friendly staff and discover our collection of watches and accessories.
VISIT AN AUTHORISED DEALER You can purchase your Bremont through our global network of Authorised Dealers. Find your nearest online at: www.bremont.com/stores
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CANARY WHARF BOUTIQUE 8A Canary Wharf Shopping Centre Cabot Place, West Canary Wharf, London E14 4QT Tel: +44 (0) 203 943 5100 Email: canarywharf@bremont.com
NEW YORK BOUTIQUE 501 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10022 Tel: +1 212 321 0012 Email: madison501@bremont.com
MAYFAIR BOUTIQUE 29 South Audley St, London W1K 2PE Tel: +44 (0) 207 493 5150 Email: southaudley@bremont.com
HONG KONG BOUTIQUE 1 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2395 0628 Email: hongkong@bremont.com
CITY OF LONDON BOUTIQUE Royal Exchange, London EC3V 3LQ Tel: +44 (0) 207 220 7134 Email: royalexchange@bremont.com
AUSTRALIA BOUTIQUE St Collins Lane, 260 Collins Street, Melbourne Tel: +61 1300 36 2200 Email: bremont.mel@bremont.com.au
Shop the collection online at Bremont.com
BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
BUYING BREMONT
NEW FROM BREMONT
STRAP KITS For a limited time only and whilst stocks last, Bremont is delighted to introduce a new Strap Kit range. Our specially curated Strap Kits are designed to give you a versatile selection of straps to pair with your Bremont watch, each providing a completely new and interesting aesthetic. There are 6 kits available; The Desert Kit, The Expedition Kit, The Navigator Kit, The Regatta Kit, The Henley Kit and The Racing Green Kit. Discover the range online at Bremont.com
T HE N AVI G ATO R KI T
ELEGANT BRITISH TIMEPIECES, ANYTHING BUT PRECIOUS Bremont is refreshing its collection of ladies’ mechanical chronometers with the introduction of the new Bremont SOLO-34. Building upon the continued interest in the women’s range, the brand has redeveloped the elegant timepiece in a slightly larger 34mm case size. The SOLO-34 collection is built using beautifully polished stainless steel and boasts two different dial designs. The AJ line has the more modern aesthetic with applied index markers and named in honour of Amy Johnson, who flew her DH-60 Gypsy Moth from England to Australia in 1930. The addition of a mother-of-pearl dial is not only new to the women’s offering but is also something entirely new for the brand. Complementing this design is the classic and timeless LC timepiece with its elegant, applied Roman numerals adorning the dial. Named after Lettice Curtis, the SOLO-34/LC celebrates arguably the most remarkable female pilot of the Second World War who flew a wide range of military combat aircraft with the Air Transport Auxiliary and was the first woman to qualify to fly a four-engine bomber. Bremont Co-Founder, Giles English: “We have seen increasing interest in our smaller SOLO ranges and are therefore pleased to offer this new case size with updated movement, improving on the former SOLO-32 editions. Producing accurate, durable and stylish watches is something we pride ourselves on at Bremont and we feel the new SOLO-34 timepieces will deliver on every level. We’re looking
THE DESE RT K I T
“Originally inspired from a technique used widely in the aerospace industry, the signature coating provides high impact resistance whilst maintaining its polished surface finish.” GILES ENGLISH, BREMONT CO-FOUNDER
forward to adding further to our women’s collection in the future.” “The beautifully finished BE-92AV automatic movement, with 42-hour power reserve, can be seen through the open case back and is housed in a 34mm case that is a little over 10.5mm in thickness. The watches are manufactured using Bremont’s trademarked Trip-Tick® case construction and, as with other core collection timepieces, the polished SOLO-34 steel cases will undergo a similar hardening treatment to 2,000 Vickers. Originally inspired from a technique used widely in the aerospace industry, the signature coating provides high impact resistance whilst maintaining its polished surface finish.”
SO LO - 34 -A J - M P
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TECHNOLOGY
BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
ENGINEERING. AND THEN SOME.
Inside Bremont:
The Bremont MB Range features some of our most advanced technology to date. Take a look at some of the unique features that have been engineered to make the MB range a pilot’s watch designed to withstand everything the pilot does. 1
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1 ROTO - C L I C K® Many Bremont watches have been designed from a clean sheet of paper. New bezel technology designed and built in-house is now integrated into a number of models such as the MB. The bezel rotates while gliding on a series of four ball bearings. These bearings knit into the gearing of the bezel to produce a most satisfying click for every minute rotated.
4 B - E B E 2 0 0 0 HA RDENI NG After being manufactured in-house, cases are then treated with B-EBE2000 technology. The steel is heattreated and defused with carbon, then bombarded with electrons producing a value of 2000Hv - approx. seven times that of normal stainless steel.
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2 TRIP -TICK® CAS E A three-piece case construction consisting of a hardened steel top bezel and case back, with a central distinguishing knurled barrel design to protect the internal workings of the Bremont MB.
5 KN URL E D BARRE L There are several striking middle barrel colours available to choose from for the MB range. The knurled effect is inspired by the intricately engineered mechanics of the Martin-Baker ejection seats.
3 ANT I-S H O CK Designed by Bremont initially for the MB range of watches, our unique rubberised movement mount encloses the inner workings. A flexible ring then connects the mount to the outer case, absorbing shocks and allowing the inner case and movement to float.
6 ANTI-MAGNETIC FARADAY CAGE A number of Bremont models are designed to withstand the detrimental effects of magnetism on a watch’s movement. With a limited amount of space available, this is achieved by encasing the movement in a soft-iron Faraday cage. Any potentially harmful magnetic fields are then routed around the movement.
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TECHNOLOGY
BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
WANT TO SEE MORE? Head online to view the film and get an insight into the internal workings of the Bremont MB:
www.bremont.com/technology
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CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF BREMONT & MARTIN-BAKER 10 years on from the launch of the Bremont MB range, a partnership which has not only become synonymous with the Bremont brand, but which celebrates pioneering British engineering, the luxury British watch company introduces the anniversary MBIII/WH GMT. The new Bremont MBIII/WH GMT is limited to just 310 pieces and features new striking details paying tribute to Martin-Baker Photos credit @TopperJewelers
The new white dialled MBIII, limited to only 310 pieces, has been designed and built to mark the 10th Anniversary since the release of Bremont’s first MB watch back in 2009. Martin-Baker, the British aviation company responsible for supplying over 70% of the western world’s Air Forces with fighter ejection seat technology, is at the very pinnacle of British engineering and innovation; the now iconic Bremont MB range has redefined the aviation watch world.
C A R I N G F O R YO U R B R E M O N T
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5 During a Bremont service the movement itself is completely dismantled into its constituent parts of up to 150 pieces. Pictured here is the Bremont Jaguar MKI.
Inside Bremont:
IT’S ALL PART OF THE SERVICE A mechanical watch is a hand-built precision instrument, so at Bremont we recommend a routine service every three to five years. A service is essential to keep it in good working order and maintain its value as an investment piece. Here’s what goes into a typical Bremont service... 1 Inspection and Diagnosis The first step is a thorough visual check of the watch in which photographs are taken; the condition of the case, crystal and case components are marked on a diagram on the booking-in form. The hand alignment, functioning of the crown, pushers and Roto-ClickŽ are all checked. A chronoscope is used to assess timing; the date change, chronograph and GMT functions are all tested. The watch is de-magnetised, if necessary. The customer is then consulted to confirm whether they would like any cosmetic damage corrected and a quotation for recommendations and work required is produced. The watch is held until the quotation is approved; once the customer has agreed that the work can proceed it can be allocated to a watchmaker.
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2 Uncasing Once in the workshop, the bracelet or strap is removed from the watch and the case is dismantled; the crown, pendent tube, pushers and correctors are removed and the crystal is pressed out. All existing gaskets and seals are discarded. The movement, in its mount, is taken out and passed onto the allocated watchmaker.
3 Case Renovation All external case components are cleaned and polished or replaced, depending on the customer request and case material. Top bezels made from hardened steel, or with a DLC
finish, and MB decoration rings are replaced (with approval) as they cannot be polished. Rose gold cases are polished to the best possible standard, without compromising their shape. Worn or damaged case components are also replaced, along with bracelet screws and spring bars. All other parts are ultrasonically cleaned. Bracelets are steam cleaned with 8 bars of pressure to ensure internal parts are thoroughly cleaned.
4 Case Re-assembly The new and renovated parts are re-assembled with the replaced gaskets for sealing and shock-proofing and the crystal. The completed case is then depth and pressure tested for water resistance.
C A R I N G F O R YO U R B R E M O N T
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5 Movement Dismantling The hands, dial and movement mount are removed and stored with the newly renovated watch case. The movement itself is de-magnetised and then completely dismantled into its constituent parts of up to 150 individual pieces (depending on the complication). At this point, component parts may be cleaned using special fluids, to aid inspection.
6 Inspection Each movement component is individually inspected to identify any damage and to ensure it is within tolerance. For example, the condition of teeth, pivots and bearings are checked and parts examined for evidence of surface scoring. The Jewels are cleaned and polished individually using a traditional hornbeam wooden peg, which facilitates the removal of old lubricants. Loupes of varying magnification and a microscope are used to carry out inspection.
7 Replacing All worn, damaged or evolved movement parts are replaced, as required. At Bremont the main barrel (containing the main spring), the reversers and rotor bearings are all replaced as standard during a service.
11 Refitting The dial and hands are refitted onto movement. Bremont watchmakers replace hands during a service, as standard.
12 Casing up and Regulation The movement and case are re-married, the timing is tested once more, using the watchmaker’s bench chronoscope and any required regulation adjustments are made.
13 Water resistance testing
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The watch head is pressure tested with a full depth test, encompassing overpressure ratings, designed to ensure that the watch is able to perform at the required pressure.
14 Testing A cyclomat, which simulates wrist winding, is used to fully wind the watch (over 4, 6, or 8 hours, depending on the movement type). Timing tests are conducted and recorded at zero hours and again after 24 hours; the watch is then run down completely to test the power reserve, which may take up to 48 hours for a core range watch (or even 8 days for a Supersonic).
9 8 Cleaning The movement components are carefully sorted into a range of baskets of differing sizes so that they can be ultrasonically and mechanically cleaned. An array of fluids and specialist equipment are used; cleaning and drying takes approximately 45 minutes. The special rotors from Limited Edition watches are meticulously hand cleaned due to the precious materials that have been incorporated as part of their unique structure.
9 Rebuilding and lubricating The movement can now be rebuilt using the cleaned and replaced parts. Correct lubrication of each component is critical, so specific surface treatments are individually applied. As many as 8 different oils or greases may be used in a single movement, depending on the properties and characteristics required by each part. These are applied using tiny oil ‘picks’ which hold different ‘droplet’ sizes of oil that are painstakingly applied to every bearing and interaction point on the movement. Loupes of up to 20x magnification are used to enable application of pin-point accuracy and quantity judgements. The sequence of assembly must be memorized by the watchmaker and followed precisely, adjustments are made as new parts are married to the movement, this process takes hours of concentration by highly skilled watchmakers.
15 Quality Control The strap or bracelet is fitted once more and the watch returned to diagnostics for final QC. The hand alignment, functioning of the crown, pushers and Roto-Click® are all checked again. A chronoscope is used to confirm timing accuracy; the date change, chronograph and GMT function are all tested again. Finally, a full visual check of the aesthetics is carried out. The fully serviced watch is now ready to be returned to its owner. To find out more about a service for your Bremont, simply contact your nearest Authorised Dealer, Bremont Boutique or contact us directly on +44 (0) 800 817 4281 or email customerservice@bremont.com
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10 Regulating and Testing The rebuilt movement is de-magnetised again as the use of metal instruments during the handling, cleaning and rebuilding may have caused the components to become magnetised. It can now be regulated using a bench chronoscope to assess timing accuracy and the need for adjustment, before being moved on for testing in 5 different positions. Each core range watch movement is regulated to an accuracy of -4 to +6 seconds per day; some Limited Editions work to different parameters.
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INSIDE BREMONT
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Inside Bremont:
Hand polishing gives the watch case a unique and distinctive hand-made feel
THE ART OF CASE FINISHING At Bremont we obsess over the details. At our Parts Manufacturing Facility we go to extraordinary lengths to ensure our cases are engineered and finished to the highest possible specification. Our CT500 Recomatic automated grinding machine can produce many finishes for case parts, including a ground finish, polished finish and a satin finish. Its multi- axis functionality allows work to be carried out on a linear and circular axis, as well as between the lugs. Down time of the CT500 machine is reduced significantly due to the ‘easy loading’ tooling. All Bremont’s in-house case parts are hand finished to a very high standard. Due to the unique design of Bremont’s Trip-Tick® case, each case needs hand polishing. Whilst the cases appearance is that of a highly precise, machined part, hand polishing gives the watch a very individual and hand-made feel to the touch. Our highly skilled hand polishing technicians have over 25 years of experience between them in the jewellery and luxury watch industry.
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It doesn’t end there, once the case parts have been hand finished, they are fastidiously checked over by our quality controllers before being carefully assembled into a finished Bremont timepiece.
The case of the ALT1-C Polished models are hand polished at our Parts Manufacturing Facility before being treated for hardness
INSIDE BREMONT
BREMONT BRIEFING SPRING SUMMER 2019
BREMONT’S WORLD
01. BRITISH ENGINEERING Great Britain has a wonderful history when it comes to watchmaking and has probably been the home to more advances in horology than any other nation. Bremont is determined to play a pivotal role in the reinvigoration of this industry on British shores. Bremont builds many of its own watch components at its state-of-the-art parts manufacturing facility in Ruscombe, near Henley. As a company Bremont verges on the obsessive in the desire to produce watches that are over-engineered for the task in hand. This passion becomes very evident when you hold a Bremont watch.
FIVE QUESTIONS WITH... MALCOLM KENT, BREMONT MANUFACTURING MANAGER 02. AVIATION AND MILITARY The love and passion for aviation has coursed through the founders' veins from very early in their childhoods. There has always been a very close association between time and aviation since the first brave adventurers took to the skies over 100 years ago. The love of aviation and its uncompromising demands are both inherent in every Bremont watch. Hand-in-hand with Bremont's love of aviation is the company's appreciation of the military. Bremont has worked closely with them for a number of years.
WHAT DOES YOUR ROLE AT BREMONT INVOLVE? Hi, I’m Malcolm and I’m the Manufacturing Manager based at Bremont’s Parts Manufacturing Facility. My role is to oversee the manufacturing of the many parts used to build our watches, including bezels, case middles and case backs. My role also involves overseeing the production output of the machines, which are operated by our highly skilled engineers and technicians, who between them, have a wealth of experience in the industry. WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY AT BREMONT LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? Working for a growing company like Bremont, no day is ever the same but I’d say that in a typical day I’ll be ensuring that the machines are running at optimum efficiency and delivering the quality of output required. As with any manufacturing, there are always ways in which processes and techniques can be refined and improved, so I’ll be looking at ways of doing this too. Some of our watches feature specialist finishing techniques such as DLC (diamond-like carbon coating)
03. ADVENTURE A key design requisite for the timepieces from the outset was the desire to make beautifully robust and durable watches that were at home both in the workplace, and of course in rather more physical environments. The watches continue to be tested to the limits, both in the workshop but also by Bremont’s ambassadors and partners.
Bremont’s Parts Manufacturing Facility in Oxfordshire continues its expansion with investment in new machinery allowing Bremont to produce increasing volumes of watch parts
and hand polishing, which have to be monitored closely for quality. WHAT MANUFACTURING EXPERIENCE DO YOU BRING TO BREMONT? I’ve spent 23 years working in the manufacturing industry; 10 of those years were spent working in the Aerospace industry and the other 13 years spent in the motorsport industry, including F1. Whilst working within those industries I focused primarily on machine operation, programming and the machining of highly complex parts. I was lucky enough to be working with some of the biggest names in the motorsport industry. I’m delighted to bring some of this knowledge and experience to Bremont and assist in bringing the watchmaking industry back to British shores. HOW DOES MANUFACTURING WATCH PARTS DIFFER TO MANUFACTURING PARTS FOR RACING CARS? Both industries are very similar in the fact that the parts being machined are incredibly precise and the tolerances between parts are very tight. In Motorsport, the parts are based more around the principles of performance in order to make the car as quick as possible. Parts can change from track to track, depending on the performance specifications of the particular car. With watch parts, it’s all about longevity and endurance, which means that the parts need to be machined very consistently and to a very strict specification. WHICH BREMONT DO YOU WEAR AND WHY? I wear the Bremont ALT1-ZT/51, it’s a great day-to-day watch. Also, knowing that the case parts have been manufactured right here is quite satisfying!
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