Bōken breaches its barriers with its new British watch, the Breacher Collection
Tom Austin- Bōken has announced its new Breacher collection, a tool watch designed with real watch enthusiasts in mind.
- 3 variations are available: a time-only configuration in steel, or a GMT model in either steel or black DLC.
- A no-nonsense tool watch, the Breacher features a stripped-back look with subtle details.
Microbrands usually offer a clear insight into their brand development compared to other, larger watch brands. Being relatively new, they tend to take greater steps forward, and it’s great to see these brands start to take off on their journeys. One such brand is Bōken, a British brand based in Reading. Their latest offering, the Breacher, is their first British-built watch, produced in collaboration with Horologium, a leader in British watchmaking. This is a huge step for the company, which coming off the back of some other great releases – and is timed to release on British Watchmaker’s Day this year.
Designed by not only Bōken founders Nacho Fernandez and Daniel Banks, but also with the assistance of the watch community, taking feedback from key figures in the space. The Breacher is filled with interesting details and offers a unique look in a crowded market. Three variants make up the collection: a stainless steel finished time-only piece; and two GMT versions, one in stainless steel and another “Black Ops GMT” model with a black DLC coating.
By now we know that not all tool watches need to look like tanks in order to be functional. It’s more to do with proportions and taking a no-frills approach. We’ve seen this from some of the most successful field watches, where they are capable watches, without making a fuss about it. The Breacher sits in this category, with a 39mm stainless steel case featuring brushed finishes with polished edges. There’s a sturdiness about the case, without looking bulky. That’s mainly down to its thickness, 11.2mm for the time only, and (counter-intuitively) only 10.8mm for the GMT variation. With a 46mm lug-to-lug measurement, it sits in the region of being perfectly functional and comfortable, without being too big or too small.
The case is finished with a simple brushed and polished bezel, clamping down a flat sapphire crystal which features an anti-reflective coating. Paired with the knurled crown and a screw-down exhibition case back, the watch boasts a 200-meter water resistance rating. All of these features combined put function first, and result in a great everyday wearer that can face up to pretty much anything.
The Breacher’s dial has a black matte-textured finish free of flashy reflections. Legibility is high on the agenda, with Rolex Explorer-style 3, 6 and 9-hour markers, minimal text and that ever-cool flash of red text. Nighttime visibility is provided by Super-LumiMova BGW9 block numerals and indices (something of a recent trend in the microbrand space). The GMT version features a slightly different lume in the GMT hand, with another flash of red on the tip. Another aspect of the GMT is the inner GMT chapter ring: while this doesn’t turn, it is not overly noticeable, finished in matte black and grey. I like the use of shades here, instead of shouting to the world you’re wearing a GMT watch decked out in bright colours.
The movement department is taken care of by Sellita, and I’m glad to see that Bōken went for the Swiss movement maker here, combining the best of British with a robust Swiss manufacturer. The time-only piece uses the automatic SW200 calibre, while the GMT versions carry the SW330 automatic caller GMT movement. The time-only manages a 38-hour power reserve, but the GMT is blessed with a bit more at 56 hours. Both variants are regulated by Horologium to an average of +2/-3 seconds per day, which again, is a great detail rarely seen in the microbrand space. The bracelet is the now-classic three-link type, which is brushed and well-finished. The clasp features a push-button release on either side and comes equipped with an integrated micro-adjustment system on the inner clasp. Again, these are more features than one would expect at this price level.
Taking the Bōken Breacher for all its features, you can tell that there has been involvement with the wider community with this release. It has practically every box ticked when it comes to the kinds of things you want from a practical, wearable and functional tool watch. It’s not too flashy, but has purpose and tells you exactly what you need to know, while looking cool and understated in the process. The details are a pastiche of the watches that have inspired it – but that’s no bad thing, as these features combined are the recipe for the ultimate tool watch. This effort from Bōken is a brilliant start, and even better knowing that it’s now part of the British watchmaking resurgence.
Bōken Breacher Collection pricing and availability
The Bōken Breacher Collection will be available directly from Bōken from March 6th, 2025. Price: £1,399 (Time Only), £1,799 (GMT), £1,999 (Black Ops GMT)
| Brand | Bōken |
| Model | Breacher |
| Case Dimensions | 39mm (D) x 11.2mm (T) (Time Only) 39mm (D) x 10.8mm (T) (GMT models) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 200 meters |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Textured black |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Bracelet | Stainless steel three-link bracelet with micro-adjustment clasp |
| Movement | Sellita SW200-1, automatic (Time Only) Sellita SW330-2, automatic (GMT models) |
| Power Reserve | 38 hours (Time Only) 56 hours (GMT models) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds Hours, minutes, seconds, GMT |
| Availability | Available from March 6th 2025 |
| Price | £1,399 (Time Only) £1,799 (GMT) £1,999 (Black Ops GMT) |