Bremont S502 Jet first impressions Review

Here’s my latest Bremont acquisition. Before we even get into it, I totally understand some people’s contentions with the brand. RRP is high and up until recently they weren’t using their own in house movement. There have also been questions regarding the validity of their brand story, amongst other things. With all that said, I think they are also doing some very interesting things with regards to watch making in the UK. Without further ado, let’s get into it.

First impressions on this is that the watch feels really well built and sturdy in the hands. The finish is as you would expect especially for the price. The unidirectional bezel has 120 positive clicks and no play to it which is very satisfying to operate and to listen to. The rubber strap that I chose to get it on is supple and comfortable, I’ve been wearing this daily now for 4 days and so far so good.

The case is fairly big, 43mm diameter and 16.5mm height. 22mm lug to lug. It’s by no means a small watch. You won’t be getting this under a dress shirt, nor would you want to. It’s definitely more of a tool watch.

The movement is a Modified calibre 11 1/4’’’ BE-93-2AV Chronometer rated. This is essentially a modified ETA movement which I know is a problem for some. No biggie to me. The 42 hour power reserve is a bit lower than I would like however. I can’t justify yet another watch winder so one of my automatics has to sit idle. This means that when I swap in my G-Shock for a couple of days, I’ve got to set everything up again when I come back. The very first world nature of this problem is not lost on me. The movement is housed in an anti shock mount, so no need to be too fragile around it. This is a big bonus for me because I don’t like being too careful around material things. 500m of water resistance is more than enough to put on and forget. Comes with a date window and a GMT hand which I often use, plus I’m a sucker for functionality so this all adds to the package for me.

Aesthetically, I think it’s a great looking watch but it could divide opinions. As a first impression, I think Bremont have gotten the entirety of this package right. They put the timing markers on the unidirectional bezel which seems correct to me, as opposed to having the GMT hour markers on there - which they’ve done on some of their other dive watches, baffling. The black and tan colour palette is a fitting combination and the ceramic matte black dial is lumed, to my liking.

“Tested beyond endurance” is Bremont’s tag line and overall I feel like this watch does a fantastic job at capturing that part of Bremont’s brand and ethos. It’s a very well designed, aesthetic and robust timepiece that is functional and can withstand some actual use. I personally am drawn to this.

I will be doing a lengthier review of this for anyone interested over on my YouTube channel once is has seen more wear.

Any questions or comments, please get involved. I’d love to hear your thoughts.