“The best thing that any business man can do with his few hours saved by flying supersonically is to have a few more Martinis” – New Scientist and Science Journal, 15 April 1971
Those few hours can now be viewed through the sapphire crystal of The Bremont Supersonic as the British luxury watch brand launches its eighth historical timepiece in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Concorde. Ahead of her time in more ways than one, Concorde, the British-French turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, flew faster than a rifle bullet and halved the time of transatlantic crossings.
Operating from 1976 until her retirement in 2003, Concorde transported over 2.5 million British Airways passengers flying eleven miles high at twice the speed of sound. A landmark in aircraft design, her achievements make her a classic example of successful British engineering.
It is this celebration of engineering and design that Bremont have drawn inspiration from in producing the limited edition Bremont Supersonic watch.
In partnership with British Airways, metal from the G-BOAB Concorde, known as Alpha Bravo, was donated to the British watchmaker to incorporate into their latest timepieces. Alpha Bravo Concorde was registered in 1974, taking to the skies for the first time in May 1976 flying from England’s Filton to Fairford in 3 hours, 32 minutes. It was the third Concorde to be part of the British Airways fleet.
Alpha Bravo reached a top speed of Mach 2.05 at a height of 63,500ft and in September 1984 she set a distance record for an airliner with a 4,565-mile flight from Washington to Nice. She was even famed for flying the England squad home from France after the 1998 Football World Cup.
Building on from the successful launch of the limited edition Bremont Waterman, the Bremont Supersonic incorporates the aluminium taken from the plane. Machined into a decorated ring within the case back design underneath the crystal, the watch features a description of the aircraft’s main attributes. Number and registration, years of active service, number of supersonic flights and her top speed all intricately detailed before being hand assembled by skilled watchmakers at Bremont’s workshop in Henley-on-Thames, England.
The watch contains the manufacturer’s first ever manual wind movement which features an 8-day power reserve and has a power reserve indicator at the 12 o’clock position on the dial. Other features include a sub seconds hand and date window at 6 o’clock, anti-reflective scratch resistant sapphire crystal, water resistant to 10ATM/100 metres and a Connolly leather strap in either Concorde blue, blue crocodile or brown alligator.
As with Concorde, the Bremont Supersonic is another example of elegant design and beauty. Limited to only 300 steel, 100 white gold and 100 rose gold pieces, the style of the timepiece is reminiscent of a 70’s look and feel. With its sunburst white dial representing Concorde’s specially developed highly reflective paint and the blue hands of the Supersonic echoing British Airways blue, the British watchmaker has drawn inspiration throughout the supersonic airliner’s fuselage going as far as including a subtle motif of the plane’s iconic silhouette on the second-hand sub dial.
Bremont co-founder Giles English reflects on the latest timepiece, “Concorde was more than just metal. She inspired pride and emotion – that is truly a rare thing. We are delighted to dedicate the Bremont Supersonic chronometer to this remarkable type and will incorporate aluminium from Concorde Alpha Bravo into the watch. The Bremont Supersonic is our unique tribute to the world’s only successful supersonic airliner; it’s an honour to work with a prestigious company such as British Airways and for them to trust us with their Concorde heritage.”
Still holding the world record for transatlantic flight, taking 2 hours 52 minutes and 59 seconds from New York to London in 1996, Concorde enabled civilians to break the sound barrier in comfort and style. Concorde was not merely a machine; she was a cherished source of national pride – something not too dissimilar from the new Bremont Supersonic.
For further information see the Bremont website.
Related Content
BREMONT LAUNCHES LIMITED EDITION WATERMAN WATCH
BENNETT WINCH GENTLEMAN’S LUGGAGE
CHESTER BARRIE RE-LAUNCH THEIR SAVILE ROW STORE
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF RALPH LAUREN
MOST BEAUTIFUL WINTER WEDDING SHOES
MIU MIU CHELSEA REOPENS WITH CUSTOMISATION SERVICE
LOUIS VUITTON COLLABORATION WITH JEFF KOONS
Edward Lumley is Editor-in-Chief for Of Wealth & Life and a Freelance Men’s Fashion Writer. Edward has written for publications such as FashionBeans, Harrods and a variety of online outlets specialising in Men’s fashion for the past eight years. Follow Edward on Instagram.
