Problems go beyond just a mediocre logo change. The loss of the Hardened steel, trip-tick case, MB shock mount, COSC/ISO movements, and the halting of the ENG movement. Bremont simply needed more time to get known. Bremont DID have an iconic look .. because NOTHING looks like a Bremont. So I call BS on the 'lack of an iconic design'. Show me anything that looks even close to an Alt1 or an MB2. The trip-tick case made all Bremonts instantly recongnizable, even if you didn't know what brand it was ... you knew what it wasn't. Maybe the whole 'British watchmaking' thing is dead .. but I'm glad Nick and Giles gave it a bloody good go. I own 5 Bremont pieces and have personal investment in the brand. Sure ... time will tell .. but frankly, throwing out the previous design language and tehcnical inovation to appease a bunch of Americans sickens me. Nick and Giles aimed high .. it's just too bad the rest of the world coudln't be arsed to take notice.
Ppl can say "greed" is the reason this company is almost dead but in truth, it's really about competition. Consumers bottom line is money. If consumers can get a cheap reproduction from China or another Asian country, they're going to. Designers lose because the quality and their name go down the drain because slave labor can produce goods and services at steeply discounted rates. Designers are forced to move operations or import cheaper quality materials just to keep the doors open. Consumers lose too because their money is spent replacing the cheap products they just bought rather than having been spent on a quality product that may be older but has endured. Consumers tend to be short sighted and Predators like Chinese labor camps count on that. Consumers need to be reeducated, guided into making wiser choices that support their desires and keep designers producing the products that are desired by the consumer.
Not issued by the MoD, but allowed to use the Army, Navy, Airforce logos etc on their product (I believe). It was a good way of buying some heritage. They also get to use the RFU branding. Really enjoyed the video, thank you.
This was utterly FASCINATING to watch (no pun intended 😂) never heard of Bremont until I saw it on a guys IG page (who is a pilot which now makes sense)…super informative. I am looking to buy my first real watch. My mother left me a VC from the 1960s that I have left in the safe deposit box and refuse to wear- everyday. I had never heard of the Edouard Keuin (I know I am misspelling the last name) but will research that because dudes named Edouard usually keep it right on time…😎 thanks for teaching something to me this morning brother❤
In the UK Bremont have a few Military ambassadors, and do limited runs of Service or cap badge specific models. I have the Super Marine and Arrow 2 and they are bombproof! I wore the SM on a deployment, and the Arrow 2 on my motorbike, which vibrates like anything. The watches themselves are great IMO as "field"or "tool" watches.
I love the Martin Baker and just bought one on the grey market. Got it for under $2k and it’s a beautiful watch. I would have leaned into that indestructible watch theme. I loved the wings that was a cool logo, super disappointed they changed it.
100pc agree. They could have been like the British version of Sinn. For me, it all went wrong because they got sidetracked on in-house craze, invested in bricks and mortar shops, and doing silly things like Royal Oak homages. They should have focussed on a few core, tool watch lines - distributed them online and select ADs, and gotten some more well known ambassadors.
100%... First, I think they need to remove this new CEO, PDQ. I think I should clarify that statement, perhaps. Just because he worked some magic at Panerai and Tudor, doesn't mean he has all the answers. It's a bit like Tom Ford working wonders with Gucci and thinking the same could be applied to YSL. His efforts at the latter did not have the same outcome he was able to achieve at the former. If I'm right, he did not endear himself to Yves whatsoever. I remember watching an interview on another You Tube channel, (I can't remember which) and his attitude was both arrogant and formulaic. In Davide Cerrato's disastrous new Bremont line, the results look clumsy. The changes should have been far more incremental, not a 180 degree turn. An in house movement was definitely "putting the cart before the horse". As you rightly point out, why do mid tier customers want an in-house movement which will cost that much more to maintain and service than the ETA? I look at the new offerings from Tudor and Omega etc., wondering if in fact it's better to just go with older models, any good independent watchmaker will be able to service. I then look at the likes of Sinn, who now have over 60 years of manufacturing under their belts, yet they still buy their movements in from Switzerland. Such decisions do affect people's buying choices in this sector. I think the English brothers, had delusions of grandeur, ultimately jeopardizing what they have worked so hard to try and achieve. Christopher Ward, isn't in the same mess, precisely because they have chosen a longer game of establishing a stronger foothold before making ambitious moves. They are edging their game up (it would appear), but the bulk of their range firmly at the "bottom rung of the Premium market". I hope it isn't too late for Bremont. To be honest, I've not really paid much attention to the brand up until now. My mantra has always been: "Bad news is always better than no news". If anything, people are now talking about Bremont, (even if not for the right reasons).
Being English I always wanted to buy a Bremont but never found one with the identity, attraction and price range to make a move. The only one was the Williams edition but just too expensive when compared to competitors.
Lots of valid point my man, everything you mentioned is so accurate. The new CEO , He was the one that did Tudor rebranding in 2012 right? The one that releasing the original Tudor Black Bay. He should have stick with the brand DNA.
Very interesting and informative analysis Abdullah you kept my attention right till you signed off. Well done. What Bremont should have done was dropped the propeller replacing it with a small line of waves for a dive watch. Keeping the name and font. But I fear they are doomed now, drowning in an ocean of debt and people talking about them for all the wrong reasons.
Really good analysis. Bremont never stood out enough to get me interested before, and they are even more generic after making those changes. The question is: why would I buy something from them for those prices when I could look at something with more cachet & real pedigree like a Longines, a Hanhart, an Oris, a lower-end Omega or IWC, or something more niche and tool-style like a Muhle or Sinn?
Always been good watches, always been wildly over priced. I like some of the new designs and the reduction in prices, so maybe that will help. Too little too late?
Abdullah you are quite right the Triptic case is/was the absolute stand out reason to buy a Bremont. Without that case then I cannot buy another Bremont. Been a collector for 50 years now and loosing that case is a disaster. As for Tudor cases they are a disaster. Owned 4 Tudors but never kept them as the height to diameter relationship is just plain wrong, almost on purpose it seems.
I think the Wright Flyer debacle wounded them in a way that they couldn't afford. Which is sad, because I think that's a great looking watch with a great movement. Another nice watch which could have been iconic is the Broadsword. A really cool Rolex Explorer competitor with a purposeful, more military inspired, look.
mamacoo You are so well-informed about luxury watches. You've obviously done your due diligence and the comparison to the US is very informative...because of course, I live in New York. thank you very much
I've been a watch enthusiast for over 25 years and I only discovered Bremont about three years ago 😂 When I saw them in a boutique they seemed overpriced for what they were offering and that's what I would change, the price. They need to bring them down to be inline with other brands in their category like Longines. I have to say though, they do make one of the best Chrono GMTs.
Great overview. I purchased a Bremont watch (The Airco Mach 2, a dressy pilot watch grey dial preowned for $2200) and love it. I live in NYC and went to a few Bremont events and met the 2 brothers/founders of the brand. Once I saw the Billionaire Bill Ackman invest in the brand I was optimistic. Then when these watches came out, and heard the brothers cashed out, I was less optimistic. You are absolutely right, their watches were not priced right, and they never fully developed their brand with any kind of strong marketing. Its a shame. I am a mid tier watch brand lover, and my most worn watch is the Tudor BB 58, and my next watch will probably be either a Tudor Royale 38MM, or a Tudor BB 36 Smile Dial ETA.
To my American mind the biggest issue Bremont had before this shake-up was their extremely heavy focus on being British. That might work in Britain but you have remember that's a small island that comprises .95% of the world's population. Christopher Ward is also British and Fears yet neither of them are so pompous about it as Bremont and its why I wrote the brand off. It just doesn't apply to me. IMO that's the hill they're dying on and I can see why they are wanting to expand their focus, I just hope its not too late.
The clear explanation of what happened and why it happened is what is happening now, seems to me the founders were in it from the start to build something they will eventually sell out , all what they have done was to artificially build an entity that is exciting for a buyer nothing to do with brand legacy.
Out of all of Rolex’s models there is maybe two I would consider. No date sub and polar explorer 2. There are at three Bremonts I would consider. Love the S502 and the Broad Sword and the new gradient blue Terra Nova. I will wait for some type of sale but they are already less then half of the Rolex’s ridiculous inflated prices and no artificial waiting period. You can’t fault them for over engineering extreme quality into their pieces. Maybe it’s time to just reap the benefits of their labors. I love that they will keep the old logo for certain lines. Im in.
Bremont had actually done an outstanding job building a strong brand with a very loyal following. They watches were unique with great quality and class. They needed to double down on this brand and SLOWLY build out the portfolio combining this with operational discipline to get to breakeven and beyond. Rather they diluted the brand and wrapped it in bland offerings with little brand equity. I bought a Bremont recently and what did I buy? A used ALT ZH model with the old heritage at a 60% discount to retail, tells you everything you need to know recently. It's not too late, Bremont should correct these mistakes immediately. The old Bremont models had 1000 times the brand loyalty and desirability than any Tudor watch; they need to reverse course immediately with or without their disastrous new CEO.
It’s such an interesting comparison to look at Bremont versus Christopher Ward. Both companies have done a pretty major rebrand in the past few years, but one was incredibly successful and Bront was not. Another interesting point on this is that when you look at the movements, Christopher Ward, intentionally on most of their new products has looked Towards third-party movements while Bremont has not similarly, CW managed to distill their logo down and make it simpler and take up less space overall on the dial with word and text while Bremont taken up more space
I have never owned a Bremont but am familiar with the brand through Royal Marines heritage and 25 years in aviation. Bremont bashing seems to be in fashion but a rebranding takes time and needs to be properly articulated rather than just sprung on customers. Technology development is a good thing so it is also unfair to criticise Bremont for developing their own movements, though commercially it should not impact their position in the market,,,,,,,,,,, easier said than done.
Bremont doesn’t have a recognisable model, like Tudor has Black Bay. The new CEO from Tudor will struggle to carve out a market for Bremont. Bremont watches are all MEH and overpriced. You scroll through its website and all the watches are pretty unexciting. I would argue even amongst watch enthusiasts, only a very small percentage knows about Bremont. No one cares about Bremont. For the same price there’s are a lot of options.
I think they had something going with the Martin Baker line. Those were fine watches with a story/niche of being “tested beyond endurance” as Bremont’s slogan said. I have a MB, and it is great looking. I think what Bremont had to do was to regroup and rethink their collection by simplifying it and retaining the core collection, and build from there. Also, ditch the endless limited edition strategy. Moreover, adjust the pricing to an appropriate level. I really thought they had an awesome story/origin with Nick and Giles. They had the underpinnings of a great watch company, but wanting to make it big too quickly was their vice. I do not see how they will improve things with this rebranding. They used to be cool, now that’s gone.
Anyone who has not handled a Bremont in the metal doesn't realize how well made and beautifully finished they are. Also well regulated. It's wrong to automatically assume that they're overpriced. I can't speak for the new models. Haven't seen them yet. Not sure I like the new designs. I don't think they've dc'd the triptych case. Still available on some models. It would be a shame if they discontinue it altogether.
I love the brand and back story. You’re history has to start somewhere rite. Love the fact it’s British. But they are being ambitious with the pricing. This is why I think CW are nailing it. Once you get into Tudor money you really have to be so much better than that to establish your foothold in the market.
I have a special project ALT-1 commissioned around 2013, it was my first and failed (condensation) in less than 45 days. after receiving it in 2024. I think the redirection of Bremont is the reason for poor quality control.
Bremont purchased the K! movement from Horage it was not designed by them. Christopher Ward also gets the stamp of approval from the MOD. Bremont were asking Rolex money for a watch that had no heft. This is why they suffered.
I have just ordered my first Bremont - the ‘old style’ S.301 I have admired it for a long time. So disappointed with re-branding thought I’d best make a purchase before Bremont implodes in on itself. So admired the English brothers, shame to see a company fall from grace like this.
If they want quick cash just slash the prices on their previous models. They looked great they were just overpriced. The new 2024 ones, just ditch and go back.
Bremont has a partnership with the UK MOD for the use of insignias and other symbols on their watches, but I believe the main provider of watches to the British military for the last 40 years has been CWC.
I think it is good they are doing their own movements. I think really it is a joke if a watch manufacture does not do their own as this is what I want from a proper watch maker. Also so many brands are all owned by the same parent companies again I buy a brand on it being the company in its own right. To me this is how you build legacy and show you make something unique and have control over the product and not just a marketing department product. I like Oris and their approach. I know they do not make all their movements (but they do do for many of them) but I do like their watches and what they do.
The old logo and the old aviation look of Bremont were the only things I liked about them, and now I am struggling to find something that keeps me following the brand. Super expensive, and nothing to convince friends why that watch has been your choice.
I liked their original pieces but resale was bad enough to sour my desire. Perhaps preowned but brands don’t survive those behaviors. The new direction is growing on me.
I think they are moving in the right direction. They have watches in price range and the longines now. I think it was hard for me to counterpoint dropping $10,000 with no heritage or very very limited heritage. Now It is much more feasible if a watch appeals to me to consider them. No it’s just a matter of desired ability and that is purely subjective.
I don't understand what you are saying. Bar a couple of basic entry point models, there hasn't been the promised change in prices. And in the new models, being charged at the same price as the old, you don't get the unique case, the patented shock system or faraday cage, so you are actually paying he same or more for less, manufactured God knows where. It's all a con. I own 3 Bremonts and am now effectivelly out, apart from the original designs. The new ones are of no interest and should not be identified as Bremonts.
Hey Abdullah, cool show. But the genuine British watch brand (I.e. not invented marketing profile) Christopher Ward, who have their own movement and GPHG prize, also are approved for all 3 British branches of Military. Including bespoke watches for the Paratroops
Christopher Ward is a British watch brand but manufacture in Switzerland and let's be real "Swiss Made" is a loose standard. Bremont was actually manufacturing in England with a dream to fully manufacture there. This new Bremont is the death of the brand.
Approved for use by the British armed forces????? I served for over 22 years and wore whatever watch I liked. Bremont have never had a contract to supply/issue watches to the armed forces. IWC, Rolex and Omega have had contracts with the MOD and issued watches up until the 1980’s when CWC got the contract, they still supply watches to the Royal Marines and the SBS but the chronograph and general watches are supplied by Pulsar now. As I said earlier, having a watched ‘approved’ means nothing when anyone serving can wear whatever they like anyway. It’s just a gimmick brand like Bremont and CW use to try and sound cooler than they actually are. Finally, the rebrand sucks.. that is all
i hope the Brand is not dead. what's not to like about their Style ?!!.. they make great , robust, and beautiful watches. it would be a shame if all that is thrown away . i think all they need is a better marketing team.
Marketing isn't the problem. The biggest problem was their pricing. The price for the product never appealed to the mainstream buyers as the competition was always too high at those prices. Even now, with their reduced prices of £2,500, there's still so much competition with reputable brands offering similar quality and specs for less than half that. They didn't quite market themselves as a luxury product like Hublot did. Nor did they position themselves as value-based brand like CW. Instead they went head to head with brands like IWC and Breitling, who have a far bigger market, history and brand cache.
@@watcheswithabdullah true true.. i can't argue with that. i admit that their prices are a bit high, which makes it hard for them to sell to people who aren't watch aficionado. maybe lowering their prices might save the company.
I don’t like the new bremont brand but I’ll say one thing. Everyone is talking about them. Awareness of them has gone up so is it a smart move. All of a sudden they make some new subtle changes and bingo……..I’m not saying they have done this. If they have it’s super risky but you never know it could be some kind of weird strategy
The watch community hated on them because they referred to a modified movement as an in-house movement and I don't think they ever fully recovered from that. Also, Belmont sounds either like Breguet or Mont Blanc. Those who had the money bought Breguet and the others were satisfied with Mont Blanc.
Every brand does that. IWC, Tag, et al. That is the norm, as mentioned in this video. Bremont did add to movements (modify) with high quality replacement parts and all were COSC / ISO rated as standard. That has also now gone.
I don't pretend to understand what financial pressures they are under but to me the new branding is terrible and I suspect the investment in an inhouse movement was a mistake. I would have doubled-down on the British and French heritage and stuck to the mid-price range. They already had dive, dress, automotive and field watches that fitted perfectly into their aviation-first theme. The ALT1-C is a perfect example. A refined dress watch with tryptic case and very subtle aviation accents (propeller logo). For Pete's sake their HQ is called "The Wing"! I hope they do a U-turn. CEO should be fired - no question.
Yes - simplify the collection Yes - go Land / Sea / Air to give direction Yes - target lower luxury pricing No - don’t lose the trip-tick case No - don’t lose the classic logo Davide has gone too far. They just look like knock-off Hamiltons now.
They need to have a fire sale, then redesign the face of the terra nova watch. there is nothing wrong with the Supermarine, just get rid of the new logo.
CW are based in Maidenhead UK where their watches are designed. They are built in Biel Switzerland. 100% British owned. Bremont was a total marketing fabrication and wouldn't even join Association of British watch and clockmakers.
too late for Bremont. if they change their new identity again, they are DONE! They already have crossed the point of no return, so they just need to go on with what they got. It will be a tough road, but hope that they will come up with something wonderful and exciting.
That's exactly how I feel as well. The branding is all but gone. Now they just have the product that needs to stand out from the competition, or at least be a worthy addition.
The market is saturated and their main competitors are manufacturing in China and getting excellent results at a very low price point. Elliot Brown to name but one. On top of that, brands take time to develop and seep into the consumers psyche. It's good to reinvest into the company but the cost has to be within the financial constraints of the brands market value and it obviously wasn't. They panicked, made big mistakes and lost their core customers who liked the product just as it was. The best thing they can do is accept the mistakes , accept their limitations and accpet the market is ferociously competitive and similar quality can be acquired at a fraction of the cost to the consumer.
The date window execution on all their watches are absolutely horrendous.. The rebranding was just another terrible move in a string of bad decisions.. Bremont could've been the Christopher Ward of the marketplace before Christopher Ward was even a thing, but their timepieces are all overpriced and uninspired, so it's no real mystery that they've always failed to resonate with enthusiasts.
The DNA of bremont issues starts with constant talk about making their own movements. This was a silly thing to do and when you combine it with this constant talk about being English it was all a little bit too much, they were not making any profit from shortly before the point when they had the” in house movement” disaster in around 2018. The attempt to rectify this by what are basically new owners is disastrous throwing too much too quickly. no need to bring out watches that said London with the new logo. It’s a great shame because the actual watches themselves the case the bracelet and a couple of the designs are very, very good. you’re talking about them being caught in something of a price trap is the real issue.
Greed . Plain and simple. They make over priced avergage watches at best..but they had a USP around their styling and back story. now..they look worse than a Longines !
This is the attitude why the brand didn’t do as well as hoped despite investment. I’ve owned 2 Bremont watches and loved the unique case / tool watch atheistic mixed with a bit of class. I didn’t mind that there was an ETA 2892 in the back. But even when choosing them to wearing them to showing them to other watch enthusiasts I was always met with ; you could have got a Tudor, you’ve been ripped off, you’ve bought the wrong brand, your a mug for spending so much on an eta, it went on and on until I fell out of the favour with the hobby and the watch community in general. It’s basically the men’s equivalent to the luxury handbag community 😂
Bremont watches have always been overpriced and now with the new wave they look like a microbrand. I really like microbrands, but it's not a microbrand... The future will tell how it turns out.
Christopher Ward is not British aside from a small office and junk customer service. I will buy a C.W when they bring something to the UK and are in ADs with a proper service centre
I don’t like the new bremont brand but I’ll say one thing. Everyone is talking about them. Awareness of them has gone up so is it a smart move. All of a sudden they make some new subtle changes and bingo……..I’m not saying they have done this. If they have it’s super risky but you never know it could be some kind of weird strategy
That is true. Bremont has received a lot more coverage than the past few years. I personally don't think that's intentional, as higher coverage does not necessarily equate to higher sales in all cases. But I do see your point 🤓
Only just came across this excellent video, Abdullah… 🙌 I have bought many Bremont watches from the ‘Nick & Giles era’ and I love them. I’m still mourning the demise of the brand; I went to Watches & Wonders in April 2024 when the new ‘Davide’ watches were launched and made this video about my thoughts: ruclips.net/video/-cjT_Ix5IME/видео.htmlsi=FVlKKOhHzTgkS6V6 I have not since changed my mind and cannot bring myself to look at the new watches without shaking my head. It’s made me appreciate my Bremont watches ever more so & cherish the ones with the ENG movement. What brand destruction. Such a pity.
Problems go beyond just a mediocre logo change. The loss of the Hardened steel, trip-tick case, MB shock mount, COSC/ISO movements, and the halting of the ENG movement. Bremont simply needed more time to get known.
Bremont DID have an iconic look .. because NOTHING looks like a Bremont. So I call BS on the 'lack of an iconic design'. Show me anything that looks even close to an Alt1 or an MB2. The trip-tick case made all Bremonts instantly recongnizable, even if you didn't know what brand it was ... you knew what it wasn't.
Maybe the whole 'British watchmaking' thing is dead .. but I'm glad Nick and Giles gave it a bloody good go. I own 5 Bremont pieces and have personal investment in the brand.
Sure ... time will tell .. but frankly, throwing out the previous design language and tehcnical inovation to appease a bunch of Americans sickens me.
Nick and Giles aimed high .. it's just too bad the rest of the world coudln't be arsed to take notice.
I would echo every word of that my friend....
Exactly. Most watch people lack character. Bremont had loads of it. But character dont pay the bills
Hitherto Bremont had so-called ''character'' at a ridiculous price but now....
@@frankbrennan1619 They still have the price!
@@frankbrennan1619 only the rediculous price remains!!! just joking.... i have not checked/studied the new prices yet
Ppl can say "greed" is the reason this company is almost dead but in truth, it's really about competition. Consumers bottom line is money. If consumers can get a cheap reproduction from China or another Asian country, they're going to.
Designers lose because the quality and their name go down the drain because slave labor can produce goods and services at steeply discounted rates.
Designers are forced to move operations or import cheaper quality materials just to keep the doors open.
Consumers lose too because their money is spent replacing the cheap products they just bought rather than having been spent on a quality product that may be older but has endured.
Consumers tend to be short sighted and Predators like Chinese labor camps count on that. Consumers need to be reeducated, guided into making wiser choices that support their desires and keep designers producing the products that are desired by the consumer.
Not issued by the MoD, but allowed to use the Army, Navy, Airforce logos etc on their product (I believe). It was a good way of buying some heritage. They also get to use the RFU branding.
Really enjoyed the video, thank you.
This was utterly FASCINATING to watch (no pun intended 😂) never heard of Bremont until I saw it on a guys IG page (who is a pilot which now makes sense)…super informative. I am looking to buy my first real watch. My mother left me a VC from the 1960s that I have left in the safe deposit box and refuse to wear- everyday. I had never heard of the Edouard Keuin (I know I am misspelling the last name) but will research that because dudes named Edouard usually keep it right on time…😎 thanks for teaching something to me this morning brother❤
In the UK Bremont have a few Military ambassadors, and do limited runs of Service or cap badge specific models. I have the Super Marine and Arrow 2 and they are bombproof! I wore the SM on a deployment, and the Arrow 2 on my motorbike, which vibrates like anything. The watches themselves are great IMO as "field"or "tool" watches.
This is such an underrated channel.
You just made my day! 😄🙏
I love the Martin Baker and just bought one on the grey market. Got it for under $2k and it’s a beautiful watch. I would have leaned into that indestructible watch theme. I loved the wings that was a cool logo, super disappointed they changed it.
100pc agree. They could have been like the British version of Sinn. For me, it all went wrong because they got sidetracked on in-house craze, invested in bricks and mortar shops, and doing silly things like Royal Oak homages. They should have focussed on a few core, tool watch lines - distributed them online and select ADs, and gotten some more well
known ambassadors.
Really good thoughtful video. Enjoyed it.
100%... First, I think they need to remove this new CEO, PDQ. I think I should clarify that statement, perhaps. Just because he worked some magic at Panerai and Tudor, doesn't mean he has all the answers. It's a bit like Tom Ford working wonders with Gucci and thinking the same could be applied to YSL. His efforts at the latter did not have the same outcome he was able to achieve at the former. If I'm right, he did not endear himself to Yves whatsoever. I remember watching an interview on another You Tube channel, (I can't remember which) and his attitude was both arrogant and formulaic. In Davide Cerrato's disastrous new Bremont line, the results look clumsy. The changes should have been far more incremental, not a 180 degree turn.
An in house movement was definitely "putting the cart before the horse". As you rightly point out, why do mid tier customers want an in-house movement which will cost that much more to maintain and service than the ETA? I look at the new offerings from Tudor and Omega etc., wondering if in fact it's better to just go with older models, any good independent watchmaker will be able to service. I then look at the likes of Sinn, who now have over 60 years of manufacturing under their belts, yet they still buy their movements in from Switzerland. Such decisions do affect people's buying choices in this sector. I think the English brothers, had delusions of grandeur, ultimately jeopardizing what they have worked so hard to try and achieve. Christopher Ward, isn't in the same mess, precisely because they have chosen a longer game of establishing a stronger foothold before making ambitious moves. They are edging their game up (it would appear), but the bulk of their range firmly at the "bottom rung of the Premium market". I hope it isn't too late for Bremont.
To be honest, I've not really paid much attention to the brand up until now. My mantra has always been: "Bad news is always better than no news". If anything, people are now talking about Bremont, (even if not for the right reasons).
Being English I always wanted to buy a Bremont but never found one with the identity, attraction and price range to make a move. The only one was the Williams edition but just too expensive when compared to competitors.
Lots of valid point my man, everything you mentioned is so accurate. The new CEO , He was the one that did Tudor rebranding in 2012 right? The one that releasing the original Tudor Black Bay. He should have stick with the brand DNA.
Good video brother 👏 I like your analysis of their design DNA...or lack of it
I wear my bremonts a lot more than my breitling and omega watches. They are perfect
Very interesting and informative analysis Abdullah you kept my attention right till you signed off. Well done. What Bremont should have done was dropped the propeller replacing it with a small line of waves for a dive watch. Keeping the name and font. But I fear they are doomed now, drowning in an ocean of debt and people talking about them for all the wrong reasons.
Really good analysis. Bremont never stood out enough to get me interested before, and they are even more generic after making those changes. The question is: why would I buy something from them for those prices when I could look at something with more cachet & real pedigree like a Longines, a Hanhart, an Oris, a lower-end Omega or IWC, or something more niche and tool-style like a Muhle or Sinn?
Always been good watches, always been wildly over priced. I like some of the new designs and the reduction in prices, so maybe that will help. Too little too late?
Abdullah you are quite right the Triptic case is/was the absolute stand out reason to buy a Bremont. Without that case then I cannot buy another Bremont. Been a collector for 50 years now and loosing that case is a disaster. As for Tudor cases they are a disaster. Owned 4 Tudors but never kept them as the height to diameter relationship is just plain wrong, almost on purpose it seems.
It’s kinda crazy because I agree with everything you saying. But, I still think I’m gonna buy one.
I think the Wright Flyer debacle wounded them in a way that they couldn't afford. Which is sad, because I think that's a great looking watch with a great movement. Another nice watch which could have been iconic is the Broadsword. A really cool Rolex Explorer competitor with a purposeful, more military inspired, look.
mamacoo You are so well-informed about luxury watches. You've obviously done your due diligence and the comparison to the US is very informative...because of course, I live in New York. thank you very much
I've been a watch enthusiast for over 25 years and I only discovered Bremont about three years ago 😂 When I saw them in a boutique they seemed overpriced for what they were offering and that's what I would change, the price. They need to bring them down to be inline with other brands in their category like Longines. I have to say though, they do make one of the best Chrono GMTs.
That is exactly what the rebranding has done. Pity it has also sucked all the character out.
Excellent review analysis I’m tempted to get old one as great design aviation ❤❤ keep up good info
Great overview. I purchased a Bremont watch (The Airco Mach 2, a dressy pilot watch grey dial preowned for $2200) and love it. I live in NYC and went to a few Bremont events and met the 2 brothers/founders of the brand. Once I saw the Billionaire Bill Ackman invest in the brand I was optimistic. Then when these watches came out, and heard the brothers cashed out, I was less optimistic. You are absolutely right, their watches were not priced right, and they never fully developed their brand with any kind of strong marketing. Its a shame. I am a mid tier watch brand lover, and my most worn watch is the Tudor BB 58, and my next watch will probably be either a Tudor Royale 38MM, or a Tudor BB 36 Smile Dial ETA.
Great analysis
To my American mind the biggest issue Bremont had before this shake-up was their extremely heavy focus on being British. That might work in Britain but you have remember that's a small island that comprises .95% of the world's population. Christopher Ward is also British and Fears yet neither of them are so pompous about it as Bremont and its why I wrote the brand off. It just doesn't apply to me. IMO that's the hill they're dying on and I can see why they are wanting to expand their focus, I just hope its not too late.
The clear explanation of what happened and why it happened is what is happening now, seems to me the founders were in it from the start to build something they will eventually sell out , all what they have done was to artificially build an entity that is exciting for a buyer nothing to do with brand legacy.
Out of all of Rolex’s models there is maybe two I would consider. No date sub and polar explorer 2. There are at three Bremonts I would consider. Love the S502 and the Broad Sword and the new gradient blue Terra Nova. I will wait for some type of sale but they are already less then half of the Rolex’s ridiculous inflated prices and no artificial waiting period. You can’t fault them for over engineering extreme quality into their pieces. Maybe it’s time to just reap the benefits of their labors. I love that they will keep the old logo for certain lines. Im in.
Bremont had actually done an outstanding job building a strong brand with a very loyal following. They watches were unique with great quality and class. They needed to double down on this brand and SLOWLY build out the portfolio combining this with operational discipline to get to breakeven and beyond. Rather they diluted the brand and wrapped it in bland offerings with little brand equity. I bought a Bremont recently and what did I buy? A used ALT ZH model with the old heritage at a 60% discount to retail, tells you everything you need to know recently.
It's not too late, Bremont should correct these mistakes immediately. The old Bremont models had 1000 times the brand loyalty and desirability than any Tudor watch; they need to reverse course immediately with or without their disastrous new CEO.
It’s such an interesting comparison to look at Bremont versus Christopher Ward. Both companies have done a pretty major rebrand in the past few years, but one was incredibly successful and Bront was not. Another interesting point on this is that when you look at the movements, Christopher Ward, intentionally on most of their new products has looked Towards third-party movements while Bremont has not similarly, CW managed to distill their logo down and make it simpler and take up less space overall on the dial with word and text while Bremont taken up more space
Very interesting. They should have kept the those unique elements and built on them.
I have never owned a Bremont but am familiar with the brand through Royal Marines heritage and 25 years in aviation. Bremont bashing seems to be in fashion but a rebranding takes time and needs to be properly articulated rather than just sprung on customers. Technology development is a good thing so it is also unfair to criticise Bremont for developing their own movements, though commercially it should not impact their position in the market,,,,,,,,,,, easier said than done.
Bremont doesn’t have a recognisable model, like Tudor has Black Bay. The new CEO from Tudor will struggle to carve out a market for Bremont. Bremont watches are all MEH and overpriced. You scroll through its website and all the watches are pretty unexciting. I would argue even amongst watch enthusiasts, only a very small percentage knows about Bremont. No one cares about Bremont. For the same price there’s are a lot of options.
I think they had something going with the Martin Baker line. Those were fine watches with a story/niche of being “tested beyond endurance” as Bremont’s slogan said. I have a MB, and it is great looking. I think what Bremont had to do was to regroup and rethink their collection by simplifying it and retaining the core collection, and build from there. Also, ditch the endless limited edition strategy. Moreover, adjust the pricing to an appropriate level.
I really thought they had an awesome story/origin with Nick and Giles. They had the underpinnings of a great watch company, but wanting to make it big too quickly was their vice.
I do not see how they will improve things with this rebranding. They used to be cool, now that’s gone.
Not exactly the best brand slogan of '' Bremont watches are all MEH & overpriced'' & that was on a good day but now.....
Anyone who has not handled a Bremont in the metal doesn't realize how well made and beautifully finished they are. Also well regulated. It's wrong to automatically assume that they're overpriced. I can't speak for the new models. Haven't seen them yet. Not sure I like the new designs. I don't think they've dc'd the triptych case. Still available on some models. It would be a shame if they discontinue it altogether.
Bang on.
I love the brand and back story. You’re history has to start somewhere rite. Love the fact it’s British. But they are being ambitious with the pricing. This is why I think CW are nailing it. Once you get into Tudor money you really have to be so much better than that to establish your foothold in the market.
I have a special project ALT-1 commissioned around 2013, it was my first and failed (condensation) in less than 45 days. after receiving it in 2024. I think the redirection of Bremont is the reason for poor quality control.
Bremont purchased the K! movement from Horage it was not designed by them. Christopher Ward also gets the stamp of approval from the MOD. Bremont were asking Rolex money for a watch that had no heft. This is why they suffered.
I have just ordered my first Bremont - the ‘old style’ S.301 I have admired it for a long time. So disappointed with re-branding thought I’d best make a purchase before Bremont implodes in on itself. So admired the English brothers, shame to see a company fall from grace like this.
Aren't you worried if they go out of business ? How will u service the 301 ?
Just sold mine Nice watch if a bit overpriced
If they want quick cash just slash the prices on their previous models. They looked great they were just overpriced. The new 2024 ones, just ditch and go back.
Agreed
I've always had Bremont on my radar, now, really feels very meh & falls into the CW category IMO.
Bremont has a partnership with the UK MOD for the use of insignias and other symbols on their watches, but I believe the main provider of watches to the British military for the last 40 years has been CWC.
I think it is good they are doing their own movements. I think really it is a joke if a watch manufacture does not do their own as this is what I want from a proper watch maker. Also so many brands are all owned by the same parent companies again I buy a brand on it being the company in its own right. To me this is how you build legacy and show you make something unique and have control over the product and not just a marketing department product. I like Oris and their approach. I know they do not make all their movements (but they do do for many of them) but I do like their watches and what they do.
The old logo was more dignified somewhat like Royalty especially from a London based watch company.
The old logo and the old aviation look of Bremont were the only things I liked about them, and now I am struggling to find something that keeps me following the brand. Super expensive, and nothing to convince friends why that watch has been your choice.
True!
I liked their original pieces but resale was bad enough to sour my desire. Perhaps preowned but brands don’t survive those behaviors. The new direction is growing on me.
The new watches look like Fossil watches.
I think they are moving in the right direction. They have watches in price range and the longines now. I think it was hard for me to counterpoint dropping $10,000 with no heritage or very very limited heritage. Now It is much more feasible if a watch appeals to me to consider them. No it’s just a matter of desired ability and that is purely subjective.
I don't understand what you are saying. Bar a couple of basic entry point models, there hasn't been the promised change in prices. And in the new models, being charged at the same price as the old, you don't get the unique case, the patented shock system or faraday cage, so you are actually paying he same or more for less, manufactured God knows where. It's all a con. I own 3 Bremonts and am now effectivelly out, apart from the original designs. The new ones are of no interest and should not be identified as Bremonts.
Hey Abdullah, cool show.
But the genuine British watch brand (I.e. not invented marketing profile) Christopher Ward, who have their own movement and GPHG prize, also are approved for all 3 British branches of Military. Including bespoke watches for the Paratroops
Christopher Ward is a British watch brand but manufacture in Switzerland and let's be real "Swiss Made" is a loose standard. Bremont was actually manufacturing in England with a dream to fully manufacture there. This new Bremont is the death of the brand.
Approved for use by the British armed forces????? I served for over 22 years and wore whatever watch I liked. Bremont have never had a contract to supply/issue watches to the armed forces.
IWC, Rolex and Omega have had contracts with the MOD and issued watches up until the 1980’s when CWC got the contract, they still supply watches to the Royal Marines and the SBS but the chronograph and general watches are supplied by Pulsar now.
As I said earlier, having a watched ‘approved’ means nothing when anyone serving can wear whatever they like anyway. It’s just a gimmick brand like Bremont and CW use to try and sound cooler than they actually are.
Finally, the rebrand sucks.. that is all
i hope the Brand is not dead.
what's not to like about their Style ?!!.. they make great , robust, and beautiful watches. it would be a shame if all that is thrown away . i think all they need is a better marketing team.
Marketing isn't the problem. The biggest problem was their pricing. The price for the product never appealed to the mainstream buyers as the competition was always too high at those prices. Even now, with their reduced prices of £2,500, there's still so much competition with reputable brands offering similar quality and specs for less than half that.
They didn't quite market themselves as a luxury product like Hublot did. Nor did they position themselves as value-based brand like CW. Instead they went head to head with brands like IWC and Breitling, who have a far bigger market, history and brand cache.
@@watcheswithabdullah true true.. i can't argue with that. i admit that their prices are a bit high, which makes it hard for them to sell to people who aren't watch aficionado. maybe lowering their prices might save the company.
I don’t like the new bremont brand but I’ll say one thing. Everyone is talking about them. Awareness of them has gone up so is it a smart move. All of a sudden they make some new subtle changes and bingo……..I’m not saying they have done this. If they have it’s super risky but you never know it could be some kind of weird strategy
The watch community hated on them because they referred to a modified movement as an in-house movement and I don't think they ever fully recovered from that. Also, Belmont sounds either like Breguet or Mont Blanc. Those who had the money bought Breguet and the others were satisfied with Mont Blanc.
Even autocorrect has no respect for Bremont as it "corrected" it to Belmont! 😉
Every brand does that. IWC, Tag, et al. That is the norm, as mentioned in this video. Bremont did add to movements (modify) with high quality replacement parts and all were COSC / ISO rated as standard. That has also now gone.
Omega offers best bang for the buck.
I don't pretend to understand what financial pressures they are under but to me the new branding is terrible and I suspect the investment in an inhouse movement was a mistake. I would have doubled-down on the British and French heritage and stuck to the mid-price range. They already had dive, dress, automotive and field watches that fitted perfectly into their aviation-first theme. The ALT1-C is a perfect example. A refined dress watch with tryptic case and very subtle aviation accents (propeller logo). For Pete's sake their HQ is called "The Wing"! I hope they do a U-turn. CEO should be fired - no question.
Davide will close the Bremont factory if he continues like this.
Yes - simplify the collection
Yes - go Land / Sea / Air to give direction
Yes - target lower luxury pricing
No - don’t lose the trip-tick case
No - don’t lose the classic logo
Davide has gone too far. They just look like knock-off Hamiltons now.
Christopher Ward is also approved by the British Armed Forces
Oh yeah, that's true. I think the time I was told by Bremont AD about this, it was before CW had gotten theirs approved.
This is just one line of the products. The heritage designs still remain.
When you lose your identity, you lose EVERYTHING & even if you didn't have that much to lose in the first instance.....
They need to have a fire sale, then redesign the face of the terra nova watch. there is nothing wrong with the Supermarine, just get rid of the new logo.
CW are based in Maidenhead UK where their watches are designed. They are built in Biel Switzerland. 100% British owned. Bremont was a total marketing fabrication and wouldn't even join Association of British watch and clockmakers.
Yeah what the hell happened to bremont
I'm fine with boring current line if they didn't completely scrap the models that have character
too late for Bremont. if they change their new identity again, they are DONE! They already have crossed the point of no return, so they just need to go on with what they got. It will be a tough road, but hope that they will come up with something wonderful and exciting.
That's exactly how I feel as well. The branding is all but gone. Now they just have the product that needs to stand out from the competition, or at least be a worthy addition.
The market is saturated and their main competitors are manufacturing in China and getting excellent results at a very low price point. Elliot Brown to name but one. On top of that, brands take time to develop and seep into the consumers psyche. It's good to reinvest into the company but the cost has to be within the financial constraints of the brands market value and it obviously wasn't. They panicked, made big mistakes and lost their core customers who liked the product just as it was. The best thing they can do is accept the mistakes , accept their limitations and accpet the market is ferociously competitive and similar quality can be acquired at a fraction of the cost to the consumer.
The date window execution on all their watches are absolutely horrendous.. The rebranding was just another terrible move in a string of bad decisions.. Bremont could've been the Christopher Ward of the marketplace before Christopher Ward was even a thing, but their timepieces are all overpriced and uninspired, so it's no real mystery that they've always failed to resonate with enthusiasts.
Bremont had never been cool… but it turns out an undesired brand can hit lower than rock bottom.
The Martin Baker is super cool. I love mine and it’s a gorgeous design, super tough and great for an active person.
Sales increased by 23% last year.
I’m also not convinced the new CEO is the key to success. Montblanc is a failure. Beautiful pieces but far too large. Time will tell.
The DNA of bremont issues starts with constant talk about making their own movements. This was a silly thing to do and when you combine it with this constant talk about being English it was all a little bit too much, they were not making any profit from shortly before the point when they had the” in house movement” disaster in around 2018. The attempt to rectify this by what are basically new owners is disastrous throwing too much too quickly. no need to bring out watches that said London with the new logo. It’s a great shame because the actual watches themselves the case the bracelet and a couple of the designs are very, very good. you’re talking about them being caught in something of a price trap is the real issue.
Greed . Plain and simple. They make over priced avergage watches at best..but they had a USP around their styling and back story. now..they look worse than a Longines !
This is the attitude why the brand didn’t do as well as hoped despite investment. I’ve owned 2 Bremont watches and loved the unique case / tool watch atheistic mixed with a bit of class. I didn’t mind that there was an ETA 2892 in the back. But even when choosing them to wearing them to showing them to other watch enthusiasts I was always met with ; you could have got a Tudor, you’ve been ripped off, you’ve bought the wrong brand, your a mug for spending so much on an eta, it went on and on until I fell out of the favour with the hobby and the watch community in general. It’s basically the men’s equivalent to the luxury handbag community 😂
The new logo looks similar the logo used by NATO war-pigs. No way would I ever buy or wear one of these!
Bremont watches have always been overpriced and now with the new wave they look like a microbrand. I really like microbrands, but it's not a microbrand... The future will tell how it turns out.
CW way better!
But not British. That's why they have a Swiss flag on the logo. Also aiming at different markets.
Bremont are overpriced. Christopher ward is owning the british market for good reason.
Good riddance for this overpriced junk! 😮
Christopher Ward is not British aside from a small office and junk customer service. I will buy a C.W when they bring something to the UK and are in ADs with a proper service centre
I don’t like the new bremont brand but I’ll say one thing. Everyone is talking about them. Awareness of them has gone up so is it a smart move. All of a sudden they make some new subtle changes and bingo……..I’m not saying they have done this. If they have it’s super risky but you never know it could be some kind of weird strategy
That is true. Bremont has received a lot more coverage than the past few years. I personally don't think that's intentional, as higher coverage does not necessarily equate to higher sales in all cases. But I do see your point 🤓
Only just came across this excellent video, Abdullah… 🙌
I have bought many Bremont watches from the ‘Nick & Giles era’ and I love them. I’m still mourning the demise of the brand; I went to Watches & Wonders in April 2024 when the new ‘Davide’ watches were launched and made this video about my thoughts: ruclips.net/video/-cjT_Ix5IME/видео.htmlsi=FVlKKOhHzTgkS6V6
I have not since changed my mind and cannot bring myself to look at the new watches without shaking my head.
It’s made me appreciate my Bremont watches ever more so & cherish the ones with the ENG movement.
What brand destruction.
Such a pity.