Having attended Watches & Wonders for the first time this year in Geneva and found themselves in a very prominent position near the entrance of the prestigious event, this was perhaps a not-so-subtle sign of big things to come. With Bremont now in the hands of CEO Davide Cerrato, you’d be naïve not to anticipate that there might be some changes within the Henley-on-Thames based company, but it seems the announcement of a near-total rebrand wasn’t quite what fans had in mind.
The New Bremont Wayfinder Logo. Credit: Bremont.
Armed with an entirely redesigned logo, as well as a new font and two new collections, Bremont are now led by the ‘Wayfinder’, but more than a few fans feel the brand has lost its direction entirely. We made our way into some online forums and it’s safe to say opinion has been divided over Bremont’s new strategy, or lack of one. Arguing that Bremont’s new identity takes away from “what made a Bremont a Bremont”, more than a few contributors felt that this could even be “the beginning of the end” for the brand, who were first established in 2002.
Inspired by the historic aircrafts of days gone by, Bremont originally focused on the craft of pilot watches and after an impressive five-year research period, the two brothers working at the helm of the company released their first collection in 2007. Fast forward to 2024 though, and Bremont, alongside their new CEO, are making it clear that that focus has expanded. In recognition of the brand’s “evolution from the world of aviation to a new brand architecture embodying Land, Sea, and Air”, from now on each release will fit neatly into one of those three categories, with the aim of giving customers more clarity.
As part of the re-branding of Bremont, newly redesigned watches were unveiled for the first time at the event in Geneva. Bremont led the way with the Terra Nova Collection, complete with four new models including their flagship 40.5 Turning Bezel Power Reserve, the 40.5 Date, the Chronograph and the 38. Inspired by early 20th century military pocket watches, the Terra Nova collection introduces the new evolution of Bremont field watches, proudly bearing the Wayfinder logo.
Davide Cerrato, CEO. Credit: Bremont.
Replacing Bremont’s original Terra Nova Collection, the new Terra Nova models have been designed to capture the hallmarks of their predecessors, rugged elegance, practicality, simplicity, and essential functionality, with a newly designed modern edge.
Davide Cerrato, CEO, comments:
“With Terra Nova we have focused on designing and creating a perfect field watch. Meticulously researching and referencing early 20th century military pocket watches to bring a true sense of provenance in the visual and functional language. This is then reinterpreted for the 21st century with the launch of this elegant and contemporary design. We believe that with Terra Nova begins a new chapter for Bremont which will see the collection become an iconic reference for the brand for many years to come.”
The Supermarine collection has also had a makeover, with Bremont introducing a new generation of the diving watch series. Significant upgrades have been made to ensure the timepieces can continue to exceed expectations whilst delivering on performance, as well as value. The Supermarine 300m and 300m Date have been entirely redesigned to feature a sleeker case shape and bracelet, both crafted in 904L steel.
Supermarine 300 Date. Credit: Bremont.
Davide Cerrato, CEO, comments:
“We have evolved the Supermarine to really raise the bar of this iconic collection. We wanted to create something truly distinctive and truly qualitative. The new design presents a powerful and capable diving watch, we feel Supermarine re-writes the code for the premium watch segment, building on the Supermarine collection as an enduring classic.”
The reception to these new collections and their place within the Bremont catalogue has certainly been mixed, but credit where credit’s due, nobody can accuse them of doing things by halves. All too often rebrands roll out in phases and, certainly in the beginning, we’re delivered half-formed collections and are left waiting to see the bigger picture. Bremont, on the other hand, have cut no corners here and have presented entire collections straight off the bat, showing us out-right exactly what their vision for the future is.
Whilst the old models haven’t disappeared just yet, a quick look at Bremont’s website finds them relegated to a sub-category, namely ‘Bremont Icons’. There are models hidden away here that have yet to be re-branded, particularly the newly monikered Altitude line, which is made up of Bremont’s aviation-inspired models such as the Fury and MB Viper, which are, as yet, untouched, and still bedecked with Bremont’s traditional logo and designs. For now, we’re left wondering if these are soon to be made over, or perhaps, as seems to be a common concern amongst fans, due to be forgotten about entirely.
Bremont Terra Nova 40.5 Date. Credit: Bremont.
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Personally, I’ve not seen enough yet to decide which side of the fence I sit on, so for now, am remaining neutral. I commend Cerrato, though, for going against the grain and making his mark on Bremont recognizable from the outset. It was never going to be easy, and it’s inevitable that when making big changes, you are going to face the wrath of one or two unhappy customers. Could the team at Bremont have done more to appease the masses? Maybe. But it doesn’t seem to me that that was ever Davide Cerrato’s focus, and let’s not forget, we are yet to find out exactly what his next move is. Who knows, there's still time yet and phase two of the rebrand might be exactly what we’re looking for.
As always, you can let me know in the comments what your thoughts are. Whether you’re a die-hard fan adapting to Bremont’s new look or a curious bystander, merely trying to find out what on earth all the fuss is about, I’m all ears…
