Interview with Giles English Of Bremont Watches
Nick and Giles English
A few years back now two brothers, Nick and Giles English, had the idea to launch a small watch company in the period preceding what would become one of the largest global economic meltdowns the modern world has ever seen. Despite the financial carnage that ensued, Bremont Watches has flourished under the watchful eyes of these two dedicated businessmen and produced some truly exceptional pieces, including the Supermarine 500, the MB II and most recently the Bremont Norton chronograph. Today, we speak with Giles English about the brand, the winning partnerships they have cultivated and their plans for the future.
TWL: Since the company’s inception just a few short years ago, Bremont has quickly built a strong reputation and loyal following. What do you attribute this success to and what do you think sets the brand apart from the countless other Pilot watches out there?
GE: We are trying to design classical aviation watches that are extremely well made but can be used in the boardroom or up Mount Everest and I think this appeals to people.
Naturally with our background in aviation we know the market well and as new entrants we have to innovate and deliver far more technically than other more established watch companies.
TWL: Bremont watches are well-know for their exceptional build quality and practical design. How long does it take to design and test each new watch you release?
GE: Our latest released watch the Bremont MB has taken us two years to build and test , even with that timescale we are still a month late in delivering it to the shops! Making a dial change is quite easy but changing the design of the case or movement of course takes a lot longer.
TWL: Representing a move away from your traditionally aviation inspired watches Bremont introduced the Supermarine 500 series this year. How important was it to demonstrate that Bremont was capable of creating high quality watches outside of the pilot genre and what challenges did you encounter during the process?
GE: Just about every watch company has a diving watch in their collection but for us we wanted it to be aviation connected and as we have always had an obsession with the original Supermarine SB6 20’s amphibious racing aircraft we had a lot of inspiration for the design. It is not easy creating the vintage feel in a modern watch which does not look dated but I feel we have done it in the Supermarine collection.
As you would expect with a diving watch you are always concerned about the strength of the case/crystal so we over engineered it. As a result it has been certificated as a 1400m diving watch even though we are selling it as a 500m watch due to the fact that the test results came in after we had made the dials saying Supermarine 500. We are also pleased with the way the automatic helium valve is working.
TWL: How do you think this new piece has been received by the market and how do you feel this has impacted on the perception of Bremont as a brand? Are there plans for the future development of watches outside the aviation field?
GE: The reception on the Supermarine watch has been great and people are understanding the link. My view has always been that pilots are adventurous people and mostly have interests that stretch beyond aviation so our watches should also. Our brand ethos has always been about spirit and adventure and we have some other interesting watches in mind.
TWL: Recently Bremont has forged several successful partnerships with brands such as Martin Baker and the Norton Motorcycle Company. How did these relationships come about and what do you look for when seeking out other brands to partner with?
GE: As a small independent watch maker we get approached a lot to make watches for people and the associations have to make sense. With Martin Baker it was clear that they could offer us a unique test facility that could improve our watch making. As a brand not many people have heard of them outside the aviation industry but they are very highly regarded within it.
For Norton they were launching 200 of their new bikes and Nick is a lover of motorbikes and needed little convincing when they approached us. Their styling is also very classic which appealed to us.
We don’t actively seek out brands to partner with but if we get approached and it is the right fit then we will consider it.
TWL: Do you have any other brands in mind that you would like to collaborate with on future projects?
GE: None that are on the cards at the moment, we are too busy trying to deliver the MB.
TWL: Looking back on how things have gone so far and how the brand is currently positioned is there anything you would have done differently?
GE: For us we have been very lucky and I think we have done most things right but in hindsight there are always things that you would change. I think we take too long to develop product and we could always be more commercial but I am always concerned and protective over our brand values. In this industry it is very easy to sell your soul and both Nick and I want to keep ours.
TWL: What aspect of your business are you most proud of and what areas do you think still need improvement?
GE: We have a lot to improve on and we will always be improving, we are looking at some new and interesting movement designs at the moment that we hope to launch in 2011. Our remit is to only change movement designs if it improves the reliability of the watch. This analogy is taken when building engines for aircraft.
The key thing I am most proud of is the feedback we get and the fact that the average Bremont owner generally owns more than one watch, this I feel is a great thing and something to be proud of.
TWL: Finally, what watches are you both wearing right now out of the Bremont collection and why?
GE: I am wearing the Bremont MB prototype and Nick has the prototype ALT1-C cream watch on, one of the first watches we made!
To learn more check out the official Bremont website.
Category: Interviews
I must say that I’m pleasantly surprised at the quality and workmanship of Bremont’s designs. They are refreshing, and quite good looking too! I hope they are priced in the right segments, that of course is the only challenge now that the workmanship has been dealt with. Best of luch to the two young businessmen, Cheers from Victoria, B.C. CANADA
Prem C.
A post like this is always more exciting than some new model coming out from some big brand, at least for me..
Great interview.
Purchased the Supermarine 500 in black over the Christmas holiday and I’ve been wearing it since. Great looks, precise and extremely functional.. Superbly made, it conveys a sense of quality and great design that is remarked upon by everyone who notices my watch.