It’s little more than 16 years since Bremont sold its first watch, but the resolutely British brand led by machine-mad brothers Giles and Nick English has established a following that many more historic dial names might envy. Bremont watches have become especially popular with military personnel around the world, many of whom have privately commissioned special pieces marked with the insignia, symbols, nicknames or monograms of regiments, squadrons and ships.
But the ultimate vote of confidence from His Majesty’s Armed Forces has been to grant Bremont a covenant with the Ministry of Defence that makes it the world’s only luxury watch manufacturer allowed to use the signs, symbols and insignia of all three services – the British Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.
The key word there is ‘luxury’, because it alludes to the fact that today’s cost-conscious MoD no longer issues its personnel with the sort of top-quality, relatively expensive watches that were produced in their millions throughout the war years and on until the 1970s. By that, we mean mechanical models by English and Swiss makers (Rolex included) that were once available from the quartermaster’s stores in exchange for the correct chit.