Reviewing the Fears Brunswick Watch Collection

The Brunswick watch collection by Fears is a simple, beautiful and original design that is hand-built in small batches to bestow the feel of authenticity and exclusivity on the wrist.

Fears watch company is certainly not the only manufacturer to have succumbed to the damage and devastation caused during World War II. In fact, many manufacturers collapsed altogether, having had their premises repeatedly bombed during this time of disharmony. Yet, maybe Fears’ story differs dramatically in terms of its revival. After all, not every family-run watchmaking business can claim Rolex expertise in its blood, can it? It was the great-great-great-grandson of the company founder, Edwin Fear who decided to breathe life back into the company after years of laying idol.

Nicholas Bowman-Scargill had originally worked for Rolex in London and so a passion for watchmaking clearly ran in the family. Determined to rekindle the family business, he relaunched Fears in the year 2016 and since then, the company has been focusing closely on bringing back some inaugural models from the brand’s history, whilst also moving forward with the times. Some Fears watch collections are named after locations personal to the brand, such as Edwin Fear's workshop and showroom. Others like the Brunswick watch collection are named after quintessentially British landmarks, like Brunswick Square in Bristol.

To start with, if you haven’t familiarised yourself with the Fears Brunswick watch collection, the thing to note about this family is that it was the first to house mechanical movements. Several contemporary elements were implemented into the design of the first Brunswick watch when it launched in 2017, demonstrating Nicholas’ ability to apply his accomplished watchmaking skills to a technically sophisticated model. Brunswick watches by Fears are inspired by an original watch developed back in 1924, yet running deeper than aesthetics alone, the interior of the watch houses many examples of superior craftsmanship and accuracy. A top-grade ETA 7001 was fitted to the heart of the first Brunswick watch and, above all, it promised an impressive quality-to-price ratio. Since this first Brunswick watch, Fears has released several different coloured dial versions, as well as an unusual bronze case, coated with a double layer of gold.

Leaving quartz behind…

Since the success of the Fears Brunswick watch collection, the company has ceased production of its quartz-powered watches and focused solely on refining its mechanical wristwatches. Each timepiece from the series shares some key characteristics, such as a set of skeletonised hour and minute hands, a small second sub-dial at 6 o’clock, and its chemin de fer decoration which frames the watch’s dialscape. It is the addition of the period-style Arabic numerals around the hour track of a Brunswick watch, however, that really deploys a strong sense of vintage charm across each timepiece.

The Fears Brunswick PT

One of the most ambitious Fears watches to date could arguably be the Brunswick PT watch. Its 38mm case is cushion-shaped and crafted from platinum while its anthracite-coloured dial, executed with three surface finishes, bestows a very eye-catching two-toned finish. In this design, the central hands of this Brunswick watch are not openworked and the hour markers are platinum-plated to keep the lustrous accents of the model’s case fluent throughout the design. These indexes are also created in a different font, whilst diamond dot markers are made available in a more luxurious model for those who wish to opt for this alternative. It is these subtle differences that set the Brunswick PT watch apart from others within the collection.

Resorting back to traditional craftsmanship techniques, the case of the Brunswick PT watch is developed as a result of Fears’ collaborative effort with an award-winning goldsmith, Justin Richardson. The case takes over 100 hours to shape and polish, giving it a unique lustre. The handmade dial requires over 59 processes to achieve its unique look and incorporates a piece of real anthracite. Other complex art forms unfurl an impressive level of workmanship that can be appreciated in the design of the Brunswick PT watch, including its water-cut platinum hands, diamond-adorned platinum crown, and hand strewn strap joined by a traditional platinum pin buckle.

How do Brunswick watches compare with the Archival 1930 models?

As mentioned, if there is one thing Nicholas has been compelled to do since the relaunch of the brand, it is to keep some models as close in design to some original Fears watches as possible. Part of that mission includes timepieces that belong to the Archival 1930 collection – a model with a running second sub-dial at 6 o’clock and a model without one. The Fears Archival 1930 watch boasts like-for-like proportions to an original and is powered by old stock movement. It is the latter element that makes these models all the more desirable and collectable. Art Deco-inspired rectangular-shaped cases make a comeback from the 1930s and differ vastly from the rounded shape of the Brunswick. That said, that are desirable features to be enjoyed in both designs equally.

To help pay due respect to the brand’s archives in a more direct way, the release of the watch coincided with the 175th anniversary of the founding of Fears. Expertly machined from 316L stainless steel in Germany, both the crystal and case back have a matching curvature that follows the contours of the wrist perfectly. The tip of the winding crown used to wind the watch each day, is deeply engraved with the Fears ‘pipette’ logo, The diamond-polished hands are propelled around a polished and plated 18ct yellow gold dial base, layered with a real gold border and a matte Champagne finish with an 18ct yellow gold-plated finish. Inside the case of this Fears watch is an old-stock ETA movement that has never been used previously. It has undergone a full rebuild and reconditioning in the workshop while receiving an upgraded mainspring to improve reliability. Despite a high level of workmanship present in both the Brunswick and Archival 1930 watches, the latter are certainly more vintage-focussed compared to the more contemporary design of the Brunswick.

The simplicity of the time-only Fears Brunswick watches

In addition to the Brunswick PT watch, there’s also a selection of time-only Brunswick watches to be enjoyed. These can be admired here as part of our Jura watches online collection and include a salmon dial, white dial and silver dial. Each model features a central minute and hour hand that is skeletonised in design, and a round running second sub-dial at 6 o’clock. Two dual coated gold case iterations powered by manual-winding movements are fitted on a black leather strap and feature black or gold-coloured hands along with Arabic numeral hour markers for easy timekeeping.

If you would like more details on any of the Fears Brunswick watches we’ve featured in this introductory article, you can call our Jura Watches team on 01335 453453 or email us on help@jurawatches.co.uk.