Bremont, a relatively young but fiercely ambitious British watchmaker, has carved a distinct niche for itself since its founding in 2002. Driven by a passion for aviation, adventure, and robust engineering, the company has consistently produced timepieces designed not just to tell time, but to withstand the rigors of exploration and demanding environments. The new Altitude Perpetual Calendar GMT stands as a testament to this spirit, representing a significant step into the realm of high complications while retaining the brand's core identity. Limited to a mere 50 pieces globally, this watch signifies the pinnacle of Bremont's Altitude Collection.
The story of
Bremont is intertwined with aviation and a commitment to British engineering principles. Founded by brothers Nick and Giles English, the brand emerged from a shared passion for flying vintage aircraft and mechanical devices. This heritage informs their design philosophy, which emphasizes durability, legibility, and reliability under pressure. Bremont’s mantra, ‘Take It Further,’ reflects this dedication to creating purposeful tool watches capable of performing reliably whether deep beneath the waves, high on mountain peaks, or navigating the skies. Their commitment is further solidified by the opening of 'The Wing' in 2021, a state-of-the-art 35,000 sq. ft manufacturing facility nestled in England's Chiltern valley, bringing more of their meticulous watchmaking process in-house.
Courtesy of Bremont
The Altitude Collection itself is an evolution, drawing inspiration from Bremont's successful MB (Martin-Baker) series of aviation watches, known for their extreme durability. The collection aims to deliver finely crafted timepieces for Air, Land, and Sea, blending contemporary British design sensibilities with the ruggedness required for adventure. Within this framework, the Altitude Perpetual Calendar GMT Mono-pusher occupies the highest echelon. It introduces complex classical watchmaking functions into a family previously defined by its robust, pilot-focused DNA, creating a unique blend of sophisticated mechanics and tool-watch resilience.
Integrating two major horological complications – a perpetual calendar and a GMT function – into a single timepiece presents significant challenges, especially when the goal is to maintain a sporty character, everyday usability, and visual clarity inherent to an aviation-inspired collection. Bremont's design team tackled this head-on. The objective was clear: create a watch that presented complex information intuitively without appearing cluttered or delicate, preserving the robust feel and distinct look of the Altitude range. The result is an ingeniously arranged display that balances a wealth of data with exceptional readability.
Housing these intricate mechanics is a 42mm case crafted from lightweight Grade 2 titanium. This material choice immediately signals the watch's modern, technical aspirations, offering strength and corrosion resistance without the heft of steel. The case utilizes Bremont's signature three-piece "Trip-Tick" construction, a design hallmark that allows for distinct finishing on different case sections. Here, the main body boasts a combination of satin and polished surfaces, providing visual depth and highlighting the case architecture. The overall dimensions – 42mm diameter, 49.62mm lug-to-lug, and a relatively slim 12.65mm thickness – ensure wearability despite the complex movement within.
A defining visual characteristic is the "Air Force Blue" PVD coating applied to the central case barrel. This specific shade, also known as 'blu aviazione' in Italy, is deeply rooted in aviation history, reminiscent of the uniforms worn by Britain's Royal Air Force. Its brushed finish provides a striking contrast against the natural satin and polished titanium of the bezel and case back. This thoughtful use of color reinforces the watch's aviation theme while adding a layer of visual sophistication, making the Trip-Tick construction even more apparent and appreciated.
Courtesy of Bremont
The dial serves as the primary interface for the watch's complex functions, presented in the same captivating 'Air Force Blue' with a vertical brushing technique that catches the light beautifully. This finish evokes a sense of mid-century design while providing a rich backdrop for the indications. Applied numerals and indices, generously filled with white Super-LumiNova® (which emits a blue glow in low light), ensure legibility day or night. The overall layout manages to incorporate multiple subdials and indicators without feeling crowded, a testament to careful design consideration. A contrasting black chapter ring frames the dial, enhancing clarity.
Dominating the 12 o'clock position is the GMT indicator, cleverly executed as a rotating domed disc featuring a globe motif – a visual cue previously seen on Bremont's Terra Nova Dual-Time Tourbillon. As this globe turns once every 24 hours, an arrow points to the corresponding hour on a fixed ring divided into day and night sections, allowing the wearer to track a second time zone intuitively. This global display adds a dynamic and visually engaging element to the dial, perfectly aligning with the watch's adventurous spirit.
The perpetual calendar functions are distributed across the subdials at 3 and 6 o'clock. At the 6 o'clock position, a simple pointer hand indicates the current date against a circumferential index marked 1-31. This subdial features concentric circular lines (CD lines) and a contrasting black outer ring for clear differentiation. The 3 o'clock subdial presents the month and leap year cycle in a particularly ingenious manner. It employs a four-bladed propeller-style hand, where three blades have white tips and one has a red tip.
The 3 o'clock subdial is divided into four sectors, representing the four years of the leap year cycle. The first sector also contains markings for the twelve months. The red-tipped propeller blade points to the current year within the four-year cycle (1, 2, 3, or L for Leap Year). Simultaneously, whichever of the four blades is currently sweeping through the first sector indicates the present month. This multi-functional hand advances almost imperceptibly, making 172 micro-jumps across the entire four-year cycle – a tiny shift of just under 2.1 degrees every eight days, ensuring the display remains accurate without sudden jumps.
Courtesy of Bremont
Completing the dial's functional quartet is the running seconds subdial located at 9 o'clock. This display features a two-blade 'propeller' hand sweeping across a sector-style track. The subdial itself has a blue satin finish with CD lines, and at its center sits the Bremont 'Wayfinder' logo, adding another subtle nod to exploration and navigation. The use of propeller-style hands for both the seconds and the month/leap year adds a cohesive, aviation-themed design language across the dial.
Despite the mechanical complexity beneath the dial, operating the Altitude Perpetual Calendar GMT is designed to be straightforward. The GMT function is adjusted using a mono-pusher integrated directly into the winding crown; each press advances the GMT indicator arrow forward in one-hour increments. Adjusting the calendar functions is handled by two discreet correctors recessed into the case flank at 2 o'clock (for the date) and 4 o'clock (for the month and leap year). This system maintains a clean case profile, avoiding the multiple protruding pushers often seen on perpetual calendars, and allows for easy adjustments when necessary using the provided tool.
Bringing this combination of functions to life required significant technical expertise. Bremont collaborated with two highly respected names in Swiss watchmaking: Agenhor, the renowned Geneva-based complications specialist, and Sellita, a leading movement manufacturer. This partnership leverages Swiss horological mastery to realize Bremont's specific vision for a robust and practical high-complication timepiece.
Agenhor, founded in 1996 by the visionary Jean-Marc Wiederrecht and now steered by his sons Laurent and Nicolas, is celebrated for its innovative and complex movement modules, often featured in watches from prestigious independent and established brands. For Bremont, Agenhor developed a bespoke, slim, and highly efficient module that seamlessly integrates the perpetual calendar and GMT functions. A key part of the brief, as emphasized by Bremont CEO Davide Cerrato, was ensuring this module met the Altitude Collection's demanding standards for robustness and reliability, suitable for an "everyday watch, not a delicate item that lives in the safe."
Courtesy of Bremont
The foundation for Agenhor's module is the manually wound calibre AMT6900, sourced from Sellita's top-tier, custom-build AMT (Atelier Manufacture Technique) program. This base movement is crafted to high standards of precision and finishing. Visible through a potential display back (though the description specifies a decorated titanium case back), the baseplate and bridges exhibit a graceful symmetry and a 'soleillage courbe' (curved sunray) finish. This contrasts effectively with polished screw heads and wheels featuring both snailed and polished finishes. The Bremont 'Wayfinder' logo is laser-engraved onto the ratchet wheel, adding a brand-specific touch. The entire movement, including the Agenhor module, measures just 6.8mm thick, contributing significantly to the watch's wearable overall thickness of 12.65mm. Further finishing includes Côtes de Genève stripes and an engraved Bremont logo treated with ruthenium for a modern look.
The resulting mechanical movement, designated BHC9192-MH, is hand-wound and comprises 19 jewels. It features a Glucydur balance wheel, known for its stability across temperature variations, contributing to the movement's accuracy target of -4 to +4 seconds per day. When fully wound, it provides a solid 50-hour power reserve, ensuring reliable performance even if not worn for a couple of days. This intricate engine is built for longevity and consistent performance over decades.
Protecting the detailed dial is a Glass Box sapphire crystal. This type of crystal extends slightly above the bezel, providing excellent scratch resistance and a touch of vintage character. An anti-reflective coating is applied to minimize glare and maximize legibility in various lighting conditions. Complementing its robust build, the watch boasts a water resistance rating of 10 ATM, equivalent to 100 meters. While not a dedicated dive watch, this level of water resistance ensures it can handle swimming, snorkeling, and general exposure to the elements without issue, reinforcing its credentials as a practical, everyday high complication.
Understanding that versatility is key for a watch intended for regular wear, Bremont supplies the Altitude Perpetual Calendar GMT with two distinct strap options. Included is a full titanium bracelet featuring a quick-release system, matching the case material for a cohesive, sporty look. Additionally, a high-quality blue leather strap with a patina finish and its own quick-release mechanism is provided. This allows the owner to easily switch between the robust feel of the bracelet and the slightly dressier, warmer aesthetic of the leather strap, adapting the watch to different occasions without needing tools.
As a highly exclusive offering, the Altitude Perpetual Calendar GMT is strictly limited to just 50 pieces worldwide. Each watch comes presented in a special limited edition wooden box, accompanied by an internal document holder for its papers and a unique, coin-designed corrector tool specifically for adjusting the calendar functions via the recessed case pushers. This presentation underscores the rarity and special nature of the timepiece.
Courtesy of Bremont
The Bremont Altitude Perpetual Calendar GMT successfully merges the demanding worlds of high horology and rugged tool-watch design. It presents an extremely rare combination of complications – the perpetual calendar and GMT – within a framework inspired by aviation and built for durability and daily use. The collaboration with Agenhor and Sellita ensures a high level of mechanical sophistication and finishing, while the distinctive 'Air Force Blue' colorway and Trip-Tick titanium case provide a strong visual identity rooted in Bremont's brand DNA. It's a watch conceived for enthusiasts who appreciate complex mechanics but demand resilience and practicality.
This highly specialized and limited timepiece is available directly from Bremont. Priced at £33,500.00, each watch is hand-built to order, reflecting the intricate nature of its assembly and the exclusivity of the offering. Prospective buyers should anticipate an estimated dispatch time of 10 to 12 weeks from placing their order, a timeframe indicative of the meticulous craftsmanship involved in creating each of these 50 examples.
Case: 42mm Grade 2 titanium Trip-Tick construction; Satin and polished finish with brushed 'Air Force Blue' PVD coated case barrel; 49.62mm length, 12.65mm depth, 22mm lug width; Push-in mono-pusher crown, correctors at 2 and 4 o'clock; Decorated titanium case back; 100m (10 ATM) water resistance.
Movement: Mechanical BHC9192-MH hand-wound calibre; Base Sellita AMT6900 with bespoke perpetual calendar/GMT module by Agenhor; 19 Jewels, Glucydur balance wheel, 50-hour power reserve, -4/+4 seconds per day accuracy; Features 'soleillage courbe', Côte de Genève finishes.
Dial: Brushed 'Air Force Blue' Galvanic metal; Applied numerals and indexes with white Super-LumiNova® (Blue emission); GMT Globe with 24hr Day/Night sub-dial ring at 12; Month/Leap year sub-dial at 3; Date sub-dial at 6; Running small seconds at 9; Glass Box anti-reflective sapphire crystal.
Strap: Includes both a quick-release titanium bracelet and a quick-release blue patina leather strap.
Price: £33,500.00
Reference Number: ALT42-PER-TI-BL-B
Notes: Highly exclusive limited edition of 50 pieces; Combines Perpetual Calendar and GMT complications with a mono-pusher adjustment for the GMT; Module exclusively developed with Agenhor; Hand built to order.