British brand Fears has a special Brunswick Platinum Jubilee model, which is imperial Roman purple, rather than red, white and blue. It’s expensive at £3450, but does feature a Swiss movement and is handmade in Bristol, England.
Here’s the word;
Though not a limited edition, the Brunswick ‘Jubilee Edition’ is only being made and sold during the Jubilee year of 2022. This watch makes a perfect souvenir of this special, once-in-a-lifetime occasion, we are currently selling watches for a batch which will be shipping on 14th June.
Graceful and complex, the curvaceous Brunswick is an exacting object to create. It takes its inspiration from a gentleman’s cushion case watch in the Fears archives, first made in 1924.
CASE
The Brunswick’s elegant 38mm cushion-shaped case has no flat surfaces, with even the solid case back having a gentle sweep. The case’s graceful curves are machined from 316L stainless steel in Germany, to a level usually reserved for precious metals. The depth of the polish showcases the sophistication of the machinery and the skill of the operator.
The Brunswick is manually wound each day using a traditional ‘onion’-shaped winding crown. Made in Switzerland, the crown’s grooves catch the light, adding a touch of radiance to the edge of the case.
DIAL
The Brunswick ‘Jubilee Edition’ features a Royal Purple dial, which perfectly replicates this historic colour closely associated with royalty. The regal tone is created using a special kind of lacquer with different drops of pigment added to achieve the exact desired tone.
Expertly made in Germany, the surface of the dial features a light-catching sunburst finish radiating from the centre. This finish works with the rich tones of the Royal Purple lacquer to make different segments of the dial shine lighter and darker. This effect is complemented by the concentric circle finishing on the sunken sub-seconds at 6 o’clock.
The numerals are applied to the dial by hand, after being diamond polished to a mirror shine and coated in Rhodium. Each numeral, with its bright silver colour, has the appearance of a small ingot of precious metal resting on the dial’s colourful surface. The numerals are realised in our custom ‘Edwin’ typeface, specially designed for Fears by a horological typographer and inspired by the many different typefaces the company has used throughout its history.
HANDS
The Brunswick’s distinctive ‘Fears’-shaped hands are precisely milled before being diamond-polished to a perfect shine. Each skeletonised hand is then carefully coated in layers of Rhodium to match the applied numerals. Highly legible even in low light conditions, they sparkle when the light catches them.
MOVEMENT
The Brunswick is powered by a Swiss made, manual winding ETA 7001 movement. This accurate movement was first designed in the 1970s, and its reliability has ensured its continuing popularity today. We service and finish each movement in Britain, with Côtes de Genève striping and Rhodium plating.
STRAP
Each Brunswick ‘Jubilee Edition’ comes with two straps as standard:
Royal Purple
Handmade from Bristol Leather, vegetable tanned in Royal Purple with contrasting Platinum-coloured stitching. This premium strap uses calf leather that has been made in Britain’s oldest vegetable tannery, Thomas Ware & Sons of Bristol. Lined in genuine Alcantara® dyed a deep shade of blue, this lining is supremely soft against the skin yet resistant against wear. The strap is fitted with a stainless steel pin buckle that is subtly engraved with our ‘Pipette’ logo.
Pewter Grey
Handmade from Barenia leather in Pewter Grey with dark grey stitching, this strap lends a more contemporary feel to the watch. The premium leather takes its name from the village of Barr in Alsace, from where it originates.
Traditionally used for saddles, this smooth calfskin leather requires a complex tanning process, known by only a small number of craftsmen. Lined in genuine Alcantara® dyed a deep shade of blue, this lining is supremely soft against the skin yet resistant against wear. The strap is fitted with a stainless steel pin buckle that is subtly engraved with our ‘Pipette’ logo.
The Brunswick is designed to fit all of the straps in our range, which you can easily fit yourself without tools.
INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED
Each watch we make carries a unique serial number. Engraved discreetly on the case back, this number helps to identify your watch and its history.
Verdict; You really think for £3500 you would get some lume in the hands. Poor value, looks dated, there are far better British watches at this price level, and below 2K.