2020 Fears Brunswick Polar White BS23800A
Ref: BS23800A

Points of Mention

This watch is sold as "Watch Only" and therefore comes with no Fears box or Fears paperwork. . The watch comes paired with an original Fears handmade Fears Pebble Grey Goats leather strap, its Goats leather is handcrafted in the Madras region of India complete with its signed buckle. The watch is from Circa. October 2020 and is sold in worn condition but in overall fair condition, as you can see. The watch comes with our 12-Months Warranty.

The Watch

Here we have our first “Watch Only” Fears Brunswick Polar White BS23800A 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 comes from a Fears watch made in 1924 and its 38mm curvaceous case is made from 316L stainless steel in Germany. The case has only one flat surface, its rear sapphire crystal, the depth of the polishing shines through the craftsmanship of the polisher. On the right-hand side sits a traditional onion crown Made in Switzerland, ridges are expertly printed to capture the light as you gently wind the crown to begin your day. The domed sapphire crystal sits above a hand-polished polar white lacquered dial, expertly made in Germany by one of the world's finest dial makers. An outer minute track encircles the dial, multiple layers of black are applied to the finished dial using a numeral set used by Fears in 1946. At 6 o’clock a subsidiary second, the distinctive “Fears” hands are thermally blued by a flame, by their in-house expert watchmaker in the UK, this traditional method of hardening steel is unique to each watch, a practice only a handful of British watch brands actually do. On the reverse a flat sapphire crystal, inside we have a hand-wound ETA 7001, 17 jewels, beating at a leisurely 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. The Watch comes fitted on a 20mm handmade Fears Pebble Grey Goats leather strap, its Goats leather is handcrafted in the Madras region of India, and the stainless steel buckle pin has the pipette logo engraved on it.

Personal Note

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. 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 of the Redcliff in 2017 they released their second wristwatch, The Brunswick, named after Brunswick Square in Bristol.