2020 Fears Brunswick Midas Polar White Discontinued
Ref: BS23801
Specification
Lugs : 20mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box & Papers : Box & Papers
Case Material : Fears Dual-Gold
Warranty : 12-Months Warranty
Points of Mention
This watch is sold with its original Fears bespoke wooden presentation box and paperwork. The watch comes paired with its original Fears strap with its signed buckle. The watch is from May 2020 and is sold in worn but great condition as you can see from the photographs, fresh from a replate with Fears. The watch comes with our 12-Months Warranty.
For more photos see here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NDJvenGHnyq4nraufs30XEPVch8B7SMT?usp=drive_link
4K YouTube video, skip to 4:48 - https://youtu.be/tB9h6Pexg9E
The Watch
Here you have the opportunity to purchase a 2020 Fears Brunswick Midas Polar White which is now Discontinued and no longer being produced. This Brunswick is made with only 10 pieces produced each year across 2 models when it was in production, each piece has a unique serial number engraved between the 20mm 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 The inspiration for the case for this watch comes from a Fears watch originally made in 1924. The case starts life as a solid block of marine-grade Phosphor Bronze, the finish and depth of polishing are quite exquisite and showcase the skill and attention to detail of the watchmakers, the polished Bronze has a “Dual-Gold” coating; the first is a layer of 18ct rose gold then a layer of 9ct yellow gold, the two layers of differing golds create a unique warm yellow-gold colour to the watch. The curvaceous flanks lead to a lug-to-lug length of 43mm and a case thickness of 11.5mm for a comfortable cushion fit, and to facilitate daily winding the watch features a traditional “onion” shaped crown, coated in the same "Dual-Gold", this being made in Switzerland. A domed sapphire crystal sits above an incredible Midas White dial which is a hand-polished white lacquer, expertly made in Germany by one of the world’s best dial makers. After the layers of white lacquer are applied and hand-polished, multiple layers of crisp black ink bring the dial to life using a numeral set used by Fears in 1946. This effect is complemented by the concentric circle finishing on the sunken sub-seconds, at 6 o’clock. Truly a masterclass in dial manufacture. Each set of hands is subtly skeletonised before being coated in “Dual Gold”, they are all finished by their expert in-house watchmakers in the UK creating depth and finishing rarely seen on mass-produced, stamped hands. Watch hand production and construction is a practice performed by only a handful of British watch brands. On the reverse, we have a solid stainless steel case back with a spun circular-grained finish, inside we have a hand-wound ETA 7001, 17 jewels, and 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, and 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 20mm handmade Fears Bristol Brown leather strap, its calf leather is vegetable-tanned in one of Britain's oldest tanneries in Bristol- Thomas Ware & Sons, the accompanying “Dual-Gold” buckle pin buckle carries the final flourish of an engraving of the Fears pipette logo. The Brunswick Midas Polar White is presented in a bespoke wooden box, crafted in Britain from English Ash, which is stained Fears Blue, lined in genuine cream suede, the watch sits proudly on a special cushion.
Personal Note
The Brunswick has quickly become the classic Fears watch and rightfully so, the design is fantastic and it wears perfectly on the wrist. This "Midas" model with its "Dual-Gold" finish provides a unique warm tone to the gold that is often seen on vintage gold watches and not modern gold watches, paired with the Polar White dial it is spectacular. I wouldn't hesitate on this one, especially as it is fresh from a re-plate with Fears and looking as good as new.
The Brand
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. Through 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 sadly closing 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 of the Redcliff in 2017 they released their second wristwatch, The Brunswick, named after Brunswick Square in Bristol.