Much has already been written about Bremont and, as a brand, I must admit I did have my preconceptions of them. Sadly, in the world we now live in, we can make snap judgements at times without properly looking at things holistically. I now realise that I hadn’t given Bremont a fair crack of the whip and a tour of their new HQ in Henley-On-Thames was in order, so with my brother Mark, we visited the Wing.
Bremont Building - Credit WatchBrothers
Established in 2002, Bremont is the joint creation of brothers Nick and Giles English. Grown from the idea of creating a luxury watch brand that could incorporate the aviation and watch influences from their father Ewan. How the company started is a compelling story and one that you cannot ignore, however, today I’m not dwelling on the past or their history, instead, it’s how they are evolving and changing to be more efficient.
Wing Tour
Bremont Building - Credit WatchBrothers
Authenticity, innovation, and adventure are words that align with the Bremont name. The team working behind the brothers has now grown to 173 globally and at the heart of this, is their state-of-the-art Manufacturing and Technology Centre known as “The Wing”.
At 35,000 sq. ft, it’s an extremely impressive building, set in the Chiltern Valley, Oxfordshire, a place Bremont calls home. Designed by architects Spratley & Partners, the site, a former piggery, has now been transformed into an end-to-end mechanical and watchmaking centre complete with on-site CNC machining, finishing and assembly. As well as an impressive boutique and entertaining space which I have no doubt they use to its full extent.
Frog Eyed Sprite - Credit WatchBrothers
As you pull off the road, and round the corner, you enter through the gates to see this amazing facility for the first time. At a cost of around £25,000,000 to build and kit it out, the boys have worked wonders. The wing profile of the building has that nod to the heritage of their father and upbringing and upon entering, you cannot deny their attention to detail is evident.
The reception was adorned with Nick's Austin Healy Frog Eyed Sprite which he still races and a battered Mk 1 Landrover. We were greeted by Tom Quintrell, their Guest Experience Host and ushered into the private bar and lounge area to meet up with the others on our tour. With a maximum of 6 people attending each tour, it feels extremely personal and you are made to feel like an integral part of the Bremont collective.
Mk 1 Landrover - Credit WatchBrothers
Streamlining…
It was made clear from the start, that of course Bremont has a history, and one they are proud of, but they don’t want to focus so much on that, it’s the now and the tomorrow that’s most important to them. Their focus is now concentrated on Land, Sea and Air and streamlining collections. This is a pivotal time for them as a company and the small changes they can make will have a greater impact further down the line. Consistency was a word that kept coming up and through that, greater efficiency is the by-product. Across all three collections expect to see slightly fewer models and a more cohesive theme running through them.
Bremont Supermarine - Credit WatchBrothers
After watching an introductory film which highlighted the ethos behind Bremont, you got a real feeling of the company's DNA and its drive to innovate and take it further. After the film, we sat and listened inventively to Tom walk us through the history and journey of the Bremont. This was followed by a whistle-stop tour of the watches they have made, including their collaborations and Special Edition watches. This included their first Alt C 1, Martin Baker, Supermarine, Kingsman and the new Argyle models. Then across to the Limited Edition pieces: Codebreaker, Wright Flyer and 1918 models. I wasn’t familiar with many of their watches and now have a much fuller picture of their back catalogue, which has some really impressive pieces.
Bremont X Bamford Aurora Limited Edition - Credit WatchBrothers
Kaizen Implementation
We then made our way to see the Assembly and the Watchmakers at work. For me this was the most interesting part, as the manufacturing process was explained in detail and was where the name Davide Cerrato came up for the second time. Since Davide joined the company in May 2023, there have been some significant changes across the board. Models have been realigned, as there were too many dial variations which led the whole range to be streamlined.
Watchmaker's at Bremont - Credit WatchBrothers
More importantly, he has implemented Kaizen to the brand. Kaizen (Japanese) means “continuous improvement” and is an organised use of common sense to save on spending, to raise quality, to shorten delivery time and to increase customer satisfaction. It’s a fluid, continually moving concept that involves everyone, from the CEO to the drivers, to improve all functions at every level. To highlight this, we just need to look at their manufacturing numbers. Before Kaizen, production was at around 450 watches per month, with a 70% consistency rate. 12 weeks later and after the implication of Kaizen, production had grown to 1000 watches per month with an 86% consistency. That’s a whopping 122% increase in production and almost 23% increase in consistency in only 3 months. This just shows, with the right guidance, how brands can not only turn things around but focus on the small changes for large gain.
Watchmaker's at Bremont - Credit WatchBrothers
They currently have desks for 16 watchmakers and if the growth continues this will increase to 25 in time and have plenty of outdoor space for more growth.
My Final Thoughts
Having a deep dive into a brand can certainly change your mind as you find out more about them. I now understand the ethos behind Bremont and with Davide guiding them, I am excited about where they are going. Now joining the British Watch and Clockmakers Guild, and getting ready for their first Watches and Wonders, their excitement is palpable.
Bremont Showroom - Credit WatchBrothers
Speaking to Sarah Wood, their Global Marketing Manager, she explained how the upcoming show in Geneva is taking Bremont to play with the big guns. They are now ready to sit at the table and take part in their biggest show to date. They have a huge stand and will be showcasing new models and are all very excited about this new direction.
I get Bremont now and as a recent convert, my favourite is the Waterman Apex II. It’s a stunning watch and one I’ll keep my eye on, as there is a space in my watch box, you never know what the future may bring. If you want to take part in a tour, I highly recommend it and at only £25.00 per head, it’s great value for money. Bremont also donate all net proceeds from the tours to their nominated charity, London’s Air Ambulance. So, if you are a watch nerd like myself, take my advice and book a tour, you won’t regret it.
