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Bremont has undergone a drastic brand transformation in the last year or so, moving away from what many would consider their rather reserved British design language to something more daring and youthful. The Terra Nova could really be considered the focal point of this transition, a design nobody was expecting, with its oval cushion case, large stylized Arabic numerals, and sub-dials rivaling the contrast found on some of the most die-hard chronographs on the market.
During one of the busiest watch release times of the year, Bremont has quietly unveiled two new variants of the Terra Nova in collaboration with renowned climber, explorer, and photographer Jimmy Chin. One with a full 18ct rose gold case limited to only 15 pieces, and one with rose gold accents limited to 100 pieces. The design of these watches is also inspired by military pocket watches from the 20th century, giving the watch a nostalgic exterior appearance but with the capabilities one would expect from a feature packed tool watch.
While I found the Terra Nova Power Reserve to be a rather polarizing design when I had a chance to go hands-on with one earlier this year, I feel that this chronograph version brings a level of organization to the dial and case not found on the other variants – with the full gold and gold accented appearance highlighting these aspects in a positive way. Bremont decided on the BE-50AV caliber to power this watch, which is actually based on the ETA 7750 and heavily modified to fit the specs desired as well as some artistic flourishes – after all, the movement is visible through the exhibition display window. The movement selection is perhaps a slight hindrance for those looking to spend over $30,950 on the full gold variant (the two-tone edition is $7,750). Although, unlike the full steel variant released a few months back, instead of having a globe etched into the caseback you now have a Teton mountain range glacier imprinted on the crystal – a distinguishing touch.
This is a very niche watch offering, and while many of us within the community may not have been begging for a limited release such as this one, Bremont is hoping that this watch will reach into the minds of true explorers and draw them in for a closer look. To that point, I was notified about this release through my brother who doesn’t collect watches, but who is an avid rock climber – a little sign of Bremont’s new brand ethos could be at work here.
This is a very wearable chronograph for those with wrists larger than 6.5 inches, it measures in with a case size of 42.5mm, and a 14.8mm thickness. Not the smallest package by any regards, but that’s to be expected with most modern chronographs these days, especially with ETA based movements. The watch is also touting a 100 meter water resistance rating, quite commendable once again for a chronograph with non screw-down pushers. The gold will also add some weight to either variant, but I think many of us will be willing to put up with the added weight in exchange for the old school retro accents. Bremont
