Bremont ....a great British watch maker

[Arun_D]

Podie said:

mel said:

I saw them in the flesh for the first time at the FoS over the weekend, I actually quite liked the watches for looks but they've lost a sale because of their snooty sales and marketting bints.

My Dad and I had a similar experience on the Friday at FoS. They just didn't seem interested. For reference, I had a Navitimer on, and my old man had his (original) Heuer Carrera on.

Yep, pretty much the same experience I had too on the Friday.

[Boshly]

Arun_D said:

Podie said:

mel said:

I saw them in the flesh for the first time at the FoS over the weekend, I actually quite liked the watches for looks but they've lost a sale because of their snooty sales and marketting bints.

My Dad and I had a similar experience on the Friday at FoS. They just didn't seem interested. For reference, I had a Navitimer on, and my old man had his (original) Heuer Carrera on.

Yep, pretty much the same experience I had too on the Friday.

Hmmm they were pretty helpful with me on the Friday and I must have tried 4 watches on. I guess it would have depended how busy they were at the time?

At one stage everyone went away for quite a few minutes leaving me with the EP 120 on my wrist right next to the entrance

Both Nick and Giles spoke to me for a while, and commented on my G-P, and both came across as really nice guys.

However..... my conclusion is: lovely watches but 30-40% too expensive? IMHO of course.

[Steve748]

I had a look in our local jewellers (Ogdens) and apart from them being very large and thick (looked huge on my wrist) for the price I would prefer to buy a JLC even though they are more expensive. I prefer the complications to be useful as in seconds/day/date/month/moonphase

[AeroMan]

Like Boshly, I spent some time on the stand at the FOS and tried on a number of the watches. Thee was no time pressure and today I bought one of the cheaper Bremont's a BC-F1.


Whilst I am basically delighted with the watch, there is one exception in that I think all the Bremont straps are not of the quality I would expect for this type of watch. I did tell Nick (English) this when I examined them on the stand and he said that he had taken it on board.




I am sure someone can recommend a dark brown crocodile strap that I can buy and use to replace the Bremont strap, they even supply a Bremont tool in the leather flight wallet (a nice touch) that comes with the watch to facilitate this change, so maybe they do know that this is really a necessary mod.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the watch and think the cheaper Bremont models offer better value than some of the more expensive ones - though I would love a Spitfire EP120.

[Steve748]

here you go http://www.toshi-straps.co.uk/

[AeroMan]

Many thanks Steve, the brown buffalo looks just the ticket.

[964RS]

well they have come in for some real stick on service over on TZ-UK

Got offered a spitfire 120 in a trade this week and that was enough to put me off

Alot to prove yet......

[AeroMan]

I found I had a problem with my Bremont BC-F1 when I returned back from a recent break, I phoned them this morning explained the issue and they advised that their COO would call in at my home at 4.30 pm tonight on his way home with a replacement watch. He duly turned up at the appointed time with the new watch and an extra free graphite strap (RRP circa £80.00) and collected my stricken watch from me.

He advised that they have not experienced the particular fault before, but if I have any problems then I should immediately get in touch with them, though he is confident that the replacement watch is perfect and the issue with my first watch is very much a one-off. We shall see, though I do tend to agree with him; so far.

Anyway, it was an exemplary example of customer service and probably shows they have taken on board some of the criticism that they have had in the past for customer service, on this and some other forums. It only remains to add that I have no connection with Bremont other than as a satisfied customer.

[Boshly]

I'm sure you are right on quality improvement (well sincerely hope you are as Nick and his brother seem really nice guys) but I still think they are too expensive for what they are.

I have spent some time recently looking into various watch 'manufacturers' - and I use that term as I cant think of what else to call them.

I have just bought Damasko DC57 which I am wearing now, bought a Benarus Moray which I have yet to receive and admired Eddies special edition watches over at Time Factors (love the Dreadnought and great piece comparing it with two other watches one a Sea Dweller from memory). This only goes further to re-enforce in my mind my thoughts on Bremont. Great marketing but 'better' than the others for more (much more in some cases) than twice the price??

For the sake of putting forward a balanced argument, I would do it too if I thought I could get away with it

Please educate me if I am missing something here.

[glazbagun]

Since this thread has popped up again, I only thought it sensible to mention Frodshams efforts to be the first all-english manufacture watch since the good old days. No pics or mention of price yet, but I've heard talk that it will be >£15K. The prototype movement looks delicious, and uses the Daniels double-impulse chronometer escapement, a refinement of a Breguet design if I remember correctly.

I think it's been six years in the making, now, so if they can get it out of the door for <£20k, they could have a real winner on their hands.

Article on manufacturing here:

http://www.micromanu.com/x/guideArchiveArticle.htm...

A better shot of the movement available on the Frodshams news page:
http://www.frodsham.com/index.aspx

[Stitch]

AeroMan said:

I am sure someone can recommend a dark brown crocodile strap that I can buy and use to replace the Bremont strap, they even supply a Bremont tool in the leather flight wallet (a nice touch) that comes with the watch to facilitate this change, so maybe they do know that this is really a necessary mod.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the watch and think the cheaper Bremont models offer better value than some of the more expensive ones - though I would love a Spitfire EP120.

You have to be a bit careful.

The watch case is so thick and the spring bar sits so close to it that the strap catches on the case (I can see that it is already doing that on your watch in the shot of the back you have posted).

To my mind this is a design fault and one that Bremont are aware of - I had a problem with my deployment clasp popping open and e mailed customer services about this and the issue of the strap catching on the case.

Was sent a replacement strap with a tang and buckle. The new strap had curved ends so that it clears the case (strangely when I changed things over the spring bars were already curved). Unfortunately, the new strap was very short so I am now using the watch with the original strap and tang buckle.

Personally don't think that a Toshi would look right on a Bremont (nothing against them, I have a couple of Toshi's and one is on the PO I am wearing as I type this) - would probably look at a Hirsch, maybe a Nevada.

[AeroMan]

Thanks Stitch that's helpful. I intend fitting the graphite strap and seeing how I get on with that, it does not seem to have curved ends so I guess it will wear also.

[AeroMan]

I have now fitted the graphite strap and see what you mean. It has indeed got had curved ends and seems to have a metal spring in it so that it clears the case. The problem appears solved, I'll see how it wears.

[LordGrover]

glazbagun said:

Since this thread has popped up again, I only thought it sensible to mention Frodshams efforts to be the first all-english manufacture watch since the good old days. No pics or mention of price yet, but I've heard talk that it will be >£15K. The prototype movement looks delicious, and uses the Daniels double-impulse chronometer escapement, a refinement of a Breguet design if I remember correctly.

I think it's been six years in the making, now, so if they can get it out of the door for <£20k, they could have a real winner on their hands.

Article on manufacturing here:

http://www.micromanu.com/x/guideArchiveArticle.htm...

A better shot of the movement available on the Frodshams news page:
http://www.frodsham.com/index.aspx

It's been a while, but the Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronograph is available to order - if you have a few bob spare.
Website: click.

[mkindy03]

Can't help feeling all the "built in association with" stuff is a little naff, just a bit like those monthly collector magazines that give a scale model of WW2 aircraft or Grand Prix car each addition to build into a stunning collection.... Don't get me wrong I would like nothing more than to see watch making in the UK make a come back...but let's do it by producing a product that stands on it's own two feet.

[glazbagun]

LordGrover said:

glazbagun said:

Since this thread has popped up again, I only thought it sensible to mention Frodshams efforts to be the first all-english manufacture watch since the good old days. No pics or mention of price yet, but I've heard talk that it will be >£15K. The prototype movement looks delicious, and uses the Daniels double-impulse chronometer escapement, a refinement of a Breguet design if I remember correctly.

I think it's been six years in the making, now, so if they can get it out of the door for <£20k, they could have a real winner on their hands.

Article on manufacturing here:

http://www.micromanu.com/x/guideArchiveArticle.htm...

A better shot of the movement available on the Frodshams news page:
http://www.frodsham.com/index.aspx

It's been a while, but the Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer is available to order - if you have a few bob spare.
Website: click.

Holy Thread Resurrection Batman!

It's amazing, but they did it. I'll need to spend more time read on up on the story of this watch. Like I said, I saw a working prototype movement back when I was a student, so what they've been up to for the past seven/eight years will be interesting.

Good for them, though- the first all new English watches since god knows when, and they're properly high end.

[lostkiwi]

glazbagun said:

LordGrover said:

glazbagun said:

Since this thread has popped up again, I only thought it sensible to mention Frodshams efforts to be the first all-english manufacture watch since the good old days. No pics or mention of price yet, but I've heard talk that it will be >£15K. The prototype movement looks delicious, and uses the Daniels double-impulse chronometer escapement, a refinement of a Breguet design if I remember correctly.

I think it's been six years in the making, now, so if they can get it out of the door for <£20k, they could have a real winner on their hands.

Article on manufacturing here:

http://www.micromanu.com/x/guideArchiveArticle.htm...

A better shot of the movement available on the Frodshams news page:
http://www.frodsham.com/index.aspx

It's been a while, but the Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer is available to order - if you have a few bob spare.
Website: click.

Holy Thread Resurrection Batman!

It's amazing, but they did it. I'll need to spend more time read on up on the story of this watch. Like I said, I saw a working prototype movement back when I was a student, so what they've been up to for the past seven/eight years will be interesting.

Good for them, though- the first all new English watches since god knows when, and they're properly high end.

Since 2008 I believe...
https://www.loomeswatches.com/the-loomes-watch

[critical mass]

Stitch said:

AeroMan said:

I am sure someone can recommend a dark brown crocodile strap that I can buy and use to replace the Bremont strap, they even supply a Bremont tool in the leather flight wallet (a nice touch) that comes with the watch to facilitate this change, so maybe they do know that this is really a necessary mod.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the watch and think the cheaper Bremont models offer better value than some of the more expensive ones - though I would love a Spitfire EP120.

You have to be a bit careful.

The watch case is so thick and the spring bar sits so close to it that the strap catches on the case (I can see that it is already doing that on your watch in the shot of the back you have posted).

To my mind this is a design fault and one that Bremont are aware of - I had a problem with my deployment clasp popping open and e mailed customer services about this and the issue of the strap catching on the case.

Was sent a replacement strap with a tang and buckle. The new strap had curved ends so that it clears the case (strangely when I changed things over the spring bars were already curved). Unfortunately, the new strap was very short so I am now using the watch with the original strap and tang buckle.

Personally don't think that a Toshi would look right on a Bremont (nothing against them, I have a couple of Toshi's and one is on the PO I am wearing as I type this) - would probably look at a Hirsch, maybe a Nevada.

I wear a Toshi on my Bremont Solo. If I remember correctly the colour was called Papaya- a rich dark brown. It looks great.

You’re right in that the lugs are short and hence the curved spring bars. However you just need to tell Richard at Toshi and he’ll shape the leather accordingly.

Edited by critical mass on Wednesday 25th April 15:51