Horologii

The Bremont Jaguar MKI and MKII: Joining hands once again

bremont1Prepare yourselves for a new sensation as Bremont launch two exciting and innovative new watches with Jaguar, the MKI and the MKII. Never been done before – the British watchmakers of ultimate elegance and style, accountable for producing eye catching, beautifully engineered chronometers of the last decade partnered up with another instantly recognisable British firm last year. Collaborating together they produced a six-piece lightweight limited edition range, inspired by the E-type sports racing cars of the 1960’s. The Jaguar range has undoubtedly built and enhanced the reputable qualities that Bremont have been priding themselves on throughout their remarkable journey so far. The brand have an excellent track record for producing some of the most exquisite yet sophisticated watches within the industry of watchmaking, together with an outstanding and remarkable history of success. Considering Bremont have only been producing COSC certified wristwatches since 2002, their Pilots range, inspired by a love of vintage aircraft restoration has led them to achieve their goal in a short space of time. Producing over-engineered a
nd chronometer tested mechanical watches that could not be rivalled at their price point, Bremont have made some of the greatest contributions to horologii to date. Similarly reflecting a spectrum of vibrant passion through their love of cars, it is Jaguar. Seductive and sleek they are at their pinnacle of producing instinctive and confident designs whilst continuing to pursue excellence in the UK’s automotives. The company believe they symbolise the epitome of “unmistakable purity”.  Bremont have worked in perfect synergy with Jaguar to produce two of the most breathtaking mechanical watches to hit Basel 2015 at high speed this year. Both new derivatives draw inspiration from one of the most influential sports cars of all time – Jaguar’s iconic E-Type.

Aesthetically the face of the MKI echoes the dashboard of the E-Type 1961. The white gold of the 2014 limited edition pieces have been replaced with polished stainless bremont2steel casing thus attaining a more accessible price point.  With the date window sitting proudly at the 6 o’clock position and featuring a stunning red quadrant between 3 and 4 o’clock, the design of the dial adopts accents of a tachymeter-inspired display, promoting a clear illustrative focus from the driver’s seat. Running on a La Joux-Perret base, the movement has 50 hours of power reserve and runs at an impressive 4 Hertz.

bremont3Courtesy of the BE-50AE movement, the MKII again, has a clean looking dial that is well spaced between properly sized hands and proves a good contrast between the polished stainless steel bodywork and jet black babremont4ckdrop. The MKII is a bi-compax chronograph. Its small and intelligent design sets off a handsome array of features such as the running seconds at 9 o’clock, the chronograph 30 minute counter at 3 o’clock and the date at 6 o-clock.

Finally, capturing the real essence of spirit and reincarnating the driving experience, both the MKI and MKII face designs lay heavy emphasis on the dashboard of the Jaguar E-Type, by displaying only three-quarters of the perimeter, chamfered hands and an off-set small seconds hand indicator. Visible white dots are added to the locations of the missing hour points, providing a useful point of reference to locate indices for accurate timekeeping.  The back of the models are made from sapphire crystal exhibition glass allowing the wearer to appreciate yet another piece of art. Encompassing the heart of the watch is not only a completely new movement, but the winding weight takes the form of miniature three-spoke E-Type steering wheel.  The hypnotising Jaguar’s head sits in the very centre of this. Both watches are 43mm wide and 16mm thick reinforcing Bremont’s tagline of hardwearing and robust wristwatches that are “tested beyond endurance”. Both watches are also available in perforated blue calfskin racing straps as well as the conventional black leather. There will be a limited annual production for both watches so collectors will need to keep a close eye over the following week for the release of further information to pre-order from Basel.

Undeniably there is a likeness between both Jaguar and Bremont in that both reign within the world of luxury and produce undeniably powerful yet agile masterpieces that signify expert craftsmanship. Jaguar have been combining attractive designs with high performance for over 90 years, driving the business’s ethos of an “uncompromising beauty” forward, to set new benchmarks for the future of car manufacturing in the UK and Bremont have marked the beginnings of new capabilities this year. What better working partnership could incorporate such important values to those with a passion for both watches and cars?