2020 Fears Brunswick Blue Discontinued BS23800A
Ref: BS23800A

Specification

Points of Mention

This watch is sold with its original Fears bespoke wooden presentation box and paperwork. The watch comes paired on its original Fears strap with its signed buckle. The watch is from September 2020 and is sold in worn but great condition as you can see, worn a handful of times at most. The watch comes with our 12-Months Warranty.

The Watch

The year was 1846 and a young watchmaker named Edwin Fear established a workshop and showroom in his own name at 33-35 Redcliff Street in Bristol. The company ‘Edwin Fear’ that he created became more and more successful and eventually, in 1866 needed to expand to their second premises, on Bristol Bridge, which served as Fears headquarters until the 1940s. During this period, the company had three different Managing Directors. Following the passing of Edwin in 1877 the business was handed down to his son, Amos Daniel Fear, who in 1908 saw the company become a limited company whilst also changing its operating name from ‘Edwin Fear’ to ’Fears Limited’. Amos also safely navigated the company through the First World War,1914-1918, after which he established an export department, called ‘Fears (Export) Limited’ at No. 14 Brunswick Square in Bristol. In late 1945, following the War, Fears moved to new premises in Clifton, Bristol, just in time to celebrate the company’s centenary in 1946 with a new watch collection. Fears continued to thrive through the post-war years until it sadly closed its doors in 1976. It was not until 40 years later in 2016 when an aspiring young apprentice watchmaker at Rolex in London, Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, who is the great-great-great-grandson of Edwin Fear, re-launched his family’s company at the SalonQP watch show on 3rd November 2016. Keeping the name ‘Fears’ he released their first wristwatch in the twenty-first century, the Redcliff. Rolling with the success from the Redcliff in 2017 they released their second wristwatch, The Brunswick, named after Brunswick Square in Bristol.

Here, you can purchase a 2020 Fears Brunswick Blue BS23800A, which is now discontinued and no longer being produced. Made in small batches each piece has a unique serial number engraved between the lugs at 12 o’clock. This number can identify the watch's history from its master database. The inspiration for the case for this watch comes from a Fears watch originally made in 1924. Manufactured in Germany, its wonderfully curvaceous 38mm case is made from 316L stainless steel. The case has only one flat surface, its rear sapphire crystal. The finish and depth of polishing are quite exquisite and showcase the skill and attention to detail of the German manufacturers. To facilitate daily winding the watch features a traditional “onion” shaped crown, this being made in Switzerland. On the dial, numerals expertly applied by hand, capture and play with the light as you gently wind the crown to begin your day. A domed sapphire crystal sits above an incredible Fears Blue dial. The blue, at first glance, appears two-tone but it's when you tilt the watch that you capture its true beauty of tri-tone. Made in Germany by one of the world's finest dial makers, they use 56 production processes to achieve this spectacular dial. It is made up of 3 layers and two surface finishes combined with a galvanic blue coating. The ring of the dial on which the numerals sit is hand-brushed meaning the surface is unique to each watch. Truly a masterclass in dial manufacture. Hand-applied numerals and pips marking the hours are machined from brass and polished to a mirror finish. They then receive a Rhodium coating to give a brilliant shine. This same Rhodium coating is given to the elegant skeletal “Fears” Hands which are all finished by their expert in-house watchmakers in the UK creating depth and finishing that has rarely been seen on mass-produced, stamped hands. Watch hand production and construction is a practice performed by only a handful of British watch brands. Inside we have a hand-wound ETA 7001, 17 jewels, 18,000 beats per hour. First introduced in the 1970s it quickly gained a reputation for being reliable. Its slim design incorporates an Incabloc shock system. Each movement is serviced and hand-finished here in Britain, applying Côtes de Genève striping and Rhodium plating. Once re-assembled and thoroughly tested it receives its “Golden Pipette” which is handmade and applied to the bridge. Each watch is individually checked by Nicholas before it leaves the premises. Fitted on a 20 mm handmade Fears Blue Bristol leather strap. Its calf leather is vegetable tanned in one of Britain's oldest tanneries in Bristol- Thomas Ware & Sons. The accompanying stainless steel pin buckle carries the final flourish of an engraving of the Fears pipette logo.

Personal Note