Businessweek
Bremont’s New Headquarters Brings Watchmaking Back to Britain
The English brothers are realizing a dream 20 years in the making.
Clockwise from top: Bremont’s S302, Supermarine chrono black, Argonaut Azure, and Jaguar E-Type 60th anniversary watch.
Photographer: Christina Poku for Bloomberg Businessweek
Although Switzerland reigns supreme in watchmaking, that hasn’t always been the case.
“In the 17th and 18th centuries, pretty much every concept that you find in a modern Swiss watch was developed primarily in England,” says watchmaker Robert Loomes, chairman of the British Horological Institute. Even the Swiss lever escapement—which makes the ticking sound in mechanical watches and clocks—isn’t Swiss: It was created in London around 1750 by Thomas Mudge.