French watchmaker, Briston draws upon British heritage and sport to create its unusual designs. The company was founded in 2012 by Brice Janet who had enjoyed his time in Oxford and taken up interests in British sporting activities during his youth. He had also spent the previous 25 years of his life working for prestigious luxury watch brands as a skilled watchmaker. He began working for Richemont where he spent time specialising in Cartier watches before working for Baume & Mercier and Raymond Weil. He also became Vice President and specialise in Internstio Al Marketing for Zenith. To bring his vision to life however, Brice collaborated with several of his Swiss watchmaking friends and began creating sporty, chic watches with a quirky spirit.
Briston describes its designs as sporty, casual and elegant. The models take inspiration from Brice’s time spent in Oxford and his experience of British culture, namely from his enjoyment from boat racing, the country’s streamlined cricket pitches and the lifestyle of his polo playing friends. Another factor adding to the watch company’s uniqueness is its unusual use of materials like cellulose acetate combined with vibrant colours which strike a perfect balance between contemporary aesthetics and a resolutely casual dynamic.
Briston’s current catalogue of watches offers a range of different styles and materials. Popular timepieces include those from the Clubmaster Classic, Clubmaster Sport and Clubmaster Vintage collection, as well as the Chic, Lady and a Iconic lines from the same collection. The Briston Clubmaster Classic is home to a cambered square shaped case that proved remarkably popular during the 1920s. Watches from the Sport sub-category feature chronograph dials with a date aperture, along with a tachymeter scale around the inner bezel for measuring distance based on speed or speed based on travel time. Sharing a retro vibe is the Briston Clubmaster Vintage watch collection. An ultra resistant domed glass acts as a protective lens across the surface of the dial, offering an unobstructed view of the chronograph display.
Briston watches from the Clubmaster Chic collection offer a more elegant and timeless design. Their double layered dials are a distinctive design element of this sub-family. As expected, the Clubmaster Lady collection is destined for the feminine wrist and features watches with cabochon set cases and a comfortable NATO style strap. A select few automatic movements are used to power the Briston watches from the Clubmaster Iconic collection. An open window feature on the front of the dial grants a clear view of the mechanics of the watch, as well as a transparent caseback. The exhibition feature puts the Cotes de Geneve finishes of the movement on show through its sapphire glass.
Briston has also crafted a range of timepiece that suit the needs of a particular wearer. The Clubmaster Traveller category, for example, is geared towards the needs of those who frequently travel on business since it features a legible GMT feature for easy tracking of a second time zone. The Clubmaster Diver is equipped to accompany the wrist down to daring depths underwater with a unidirectional rotating bezel for measuring elapsed time.
Whether looking for a watch to assist with a specific need or requiring a timepiece for the office or a special occasion, Briston watches are developed from materials that, for their price point, offer affordable and accessible wristwatches that balance form with function. Many of Briston’s most popular watch designs can be viewed in our exemplary collection of Briston watches here at Jura watches, complete with full spec list details.
