Fears Brings Mother of Pearl to the Brunswick, But Not In the Way You Might Expect

Fears continues to expand their classic Brunswick collection with the release of two new references: one of which brings their beautiful copper salmon dial to the 40mm case, and another called Aurora, which subverts expectations around mother of pearl dials. The new watches follow the brand’s subtle yet distinctive design language, feeling familiar yet new at the same time. Mother of pearl likely elicits a very specific reaction, but Fears looks to change that with the new Aurora, placing it within more neutral territory, accessible to both masculine and feminine sensibilities. 

While I’m not sure that this will become a trend, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this material used in unexpected ways. Oris has found creative ways to bring this treatment to their Aquis, and even Formex has used it in their Essence 39. In both instances, the mother of pearl element is given an accent color, and it’s the same case with this new Brunswick from Fears. There are blue tones at work on multiple levels of the dial, creating a slight deviation between the outer and inner portions.

Mother of pearl is a dynamic material that shifts in appearance quite easily, from any angle, and in any light. It’s the perfect expression of a similar phenomenon, the aurora (borealis in the north, australis in the south), an ever changing interaction between the solar wind and the earth’s magnetosphere. Each brings a quality that’s difficult to capture in a moment, or describe in words. This is surely the case with the Brunswick Aurora, which takes on different personalities depending on the light and the viewing angle, though in person it’s far more subtle an effect than I typically associate with the material. 

The center portion of the dial is ground a touch shallower than the edge of the dial, giving each section a distinct personality, and providing a bit of contrast along the way. The dial is set with a 40mm cushion case that the Brunswick is known for. It’s soft yet assertive, and most importantly, wears amazingly well, even at its 40mm size. Inside resides the tried and true ETA 2824 in top grade form providing 40 hours of reserve, and bringing a distinct utility to the otherwise subtle affair. 

The Brunswick Aurora will be a regular production model, and is priced from £3,208.34. The Brunswick Salmon is priced from £2,958.34, and both models are available on a bracelet for a small premium. More from Fears.