Jewellery & Watch News
Bremont puts their ENG300 movement to the test with the launch of their new MB Viper watch. The limited edition of 300 pieces is more than just a powerful-looking pilot’s instrument but is based upon a real prototype used to test out their new in-house ENG300 movement series using the same testing procedures as Martin-Baker’s fighter ejection seats.
Back in 2021, Bremont launched their first in-house assembled movement with the Calibre ENG300. The automatic winding movement marked a huge turning point for British watchmaking as a whole, built inside their state-of-the-art “The Wing” facility in Henley-on-Thames which remains the first of its kind in the UK since the 1960’s. The movement originally debuted within a collection of Bremont Longitude Limited Editions before later being released as part of a permanent line of watches known as the Bremont H1 Generation. This included the Bremont Supernova, the Bremont Audley and the Bremont Fury.
In turns out before all of this, Bremont set out to test the resilience of their ENG300 movement by enlisting aviation company Martin-Baker to subject the mechanism through the same gruelling tests they would expose their fighter ejection seats too. These tests are known as Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT) and involves live ejection testing, zoom temperature climb testing, extreme temperature endurance, high altitude testing and salt fog testing. To give the movement its best chance, Bremont developed a robust case with forged carbon fibre lugs and a patented anti-shock movement mount. This prototype allowed the ENG300 movement to pass Martin-Baker’s tests with flying colours. Now in honour of this original concept piece, Bremont has launched the MB Viper Limited Edition with all the same design features named after the F-16 Viper fighter aircraft where much of the testing took place.
Bremont Co-Founder Nick English comments on the launch of the Bremont MB Viper Limited Edition: “When Martin-Baker first approached us in Bremont’s very early days, it wasn’t a branding exercise, it was with a vision of creating the definitive aviation watch. The testing that they could offer was something previously untried or tested in this industry, it was entirely unparalleled. It’s truly remarkable what these 2 mechanical timepieces can actually withstand. For me it really is the ultimate pilot’s watch and it’s exciting to still be testing the boundaries of the possible with such an innovative and technically excellent British business at the centre of aeronautical and military engineering. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve created together, and interestingly, much of the Bremont MB Viper testing was carried out in conjunction with the Martin-Baker Mk18 seat in the Korean KFX Fighter ejection test programme. The Mk18 seat can also be found in other fighter aircraft like the F-16 ‘Viper’. This new limited edition is pioneering for Bremont with its use of the ENG352 movement, and it’s a timepiece we are incredibly proud of. It really is tested beyond endurance.”
The Bremont MB Viper watch is not your typical everyday dress watch, but a large, colourful instrument composed of a range of juxtaposing shapes and colours. Its case measures to 43.5mm in diameter and 10.8mm tall yet feels incredibly lightweight on the wrist thanks to the high-performance, aerospace materials that make up the case. The Trip-Tick case design includes the core matte DLC Grade 5 titanium case with protective carbon coating and an anodised 6082 aluminium case middle in bright orange. The case is secured in place by 4 corner Torx® screws and warrants a 100 metre water resistant rating helped by a screw down crown and screwed, hollowed case back.
Contrasting dramatically against the bright orange and black exterior, the dial of the Bremont MB Viper Limited Edition is done in white and sports two chevron-decorated hands for the hours and minutes. These stripes are typically seen on the seconds hands of Bremont’s MB watches, nodding to the ejection seat pull handles found on fighter ejection seats. The hour and minute hands are adorned with green emission Superluminova to match with the square hour markers and display time-only function with a non-luminous straight red seconds hand.
Powering the hours, minutes and seconds is the ENG352 self-winding movement equipped with the same patented anti-shock movement mount as the protype. It promises a 65 hour power reserve and can be admired through the exhibition case back. Completing the Bremont MB Viper watch is a choice of two straps, both delivered with every 300-piece limited edition. Dyed in black or orange, they are engineered from a soft canvas and close by black coated titanium pin buckles.
If you’d like to learn more about the new Bremont MB Viper watch and secure one of the 300 limited edition pieces for yourself, head over to the C W Sellors website here. Alternatively, get in touch with the team by calling 01335 453453 or send us a message at sales@cwsellors.com.
Specifications:
- Case Size: 43.5mm
- Case Material: Matte black DLC treated Grade 5 titanium with orange anodized aluminium case middle
- Bezel: Fixed, orange anodized aluminium
- Glass: Flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
- Crown: Screw in
- Case Back: Exhibition
- Water Resistance: 100 metres
- Movement: ENG352 automatic winding, in-house
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
- Power Reserve: 65 hours
- Jewels: 22
- Frequency: 25,200bph
- Dial: White with Superluminova hands and numerals
- Strap: Canvas in orange or black
- Buckle: Titanium pin
- RRP: £5,495
- Limited: 300 pieces
