2021 Fears Brunswick Brown 175th Anniversary Limited to 5
Ref: BS23800A
Specification
Lugs : 20mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box & Papers : Box & Papers
Case Material : Stainless Steel
Warranty : 12-Months Warranty
Points of Mention
This watch is sold with its original Fears bespoke wooden presentation box, swing tags and paperwork. The watch comes paired with two 20mm straps, a rich chocolate brown bund strap handmade in Belgium from European Buffalo nubuck, a brown Regular NATO strap with seat belt weave, the accompanying stainless steel pin buckle carries the final flourish of an engraving of the Fears pipette logo. The brown in the case back has been removed by Fears. The watch is from February 2021 and is sold in worn but great condition, as you can see. The watch comes with our 12-Months Warranty.
For more photos see here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19JrS1Y-yJRppiGAlfct29kWFAQdII6WV?usp=drive_link
4K YouTube video, skip to 11:51 - https://youtu.be/I2xWLseGRqc
The Watch
Here we have a 2021 Fears Brunswick Brown 175th Anniversary, hand-built in Britain with a limited run of just five pieces; this is number one of five. A unique serial number is engraved between the lugs at 12 o’clock; this number can identify the watch's history from its master database. The inspiration for this watch case comes from a Fears watch originally made in 1924. Manufactured in Germany, its wonderfully curvaceous 38mm case is made from 316L stainless steel, and the finish and depth of polishing are quite exquisite. A lug-to-lug length of 42mm and a case thickness of 11.8mm ensures a comfortable fit on your wrist, and 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 Brunswick Brown dial; the Burnt Ochre dial undergoes an extraordinary 59 production processes to achieve its multi-tone colour; the dial is made up of a galvanic coating of Rhodium and a clear lacquer, which has a bespoke shade of brown pigment. The ring of the dial on which the numerals sit is hand-brushed, meaning the surface is unique to each watch, which is 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 hand-painted cream enamel coating; this same hand-painted cream enamel 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. On the reverse, we have a case back with the 175th Anniversary logo, laser engraved; the number out of 5 is also engraved at the bottom. 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, and 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 with two 20mm straps, a rich chocolate brown Bund strap handmade in Belgium from European Buffalo nubuck, and a brown Regular NATO strap with seat belt weave; the accompanying stainless steel pin buckle carries the final flourish of an engraving of the Fears pipette logo. The Brunswick Brown is presented in a bespoke wooden box, crafted in Britain from English Ash, which is stained Fears Blue and lined in genuine cream suede; the watch sits proudly on a special cushion.
Personal Note
Easily one of the rarest Fears that has been produced outside of the "Fears Custom" department, only 5 in total and they originally sold out immediately, which will come as no surprise when you see the watch in person. Brown is one of the most surprisingly versatile colours on a watch, this watch really does shock anyone who tries it on or owns it and it will inevitably end up changing your view on what colours work and don't on watches. I wouldn't hesitate on this incredible watch if you are interested!
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, he needed to expand to its 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, 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.