Fears unveils its 2026 Spring novelties, including their first pilots’ watch in 180 years
Tom Austin- Top British microbrand Fears has announced its 2026 Spring Novelties, among them are the brand’s first pilot watches in 180 years.
- The new Brunswick 40 “Filton” explores the classic aviator’s watch through a distinctly contemporary lens, with two military-inspired dials.
- The Redcliff collection gains some stunning pastel dials, while the Brunswick Jump Hour gets treated to a charming new “China blue” colourway.
Fears has kicked off the 2026 release season with a bang, unveiling 6 new watches in total, comprising 3 models that have received extensive attention to the dials. First of all, the 40mm Brunswick has been selected to become Fears’ first pilot’s watch in 180 years, taking the pleasantly sized and classically shaped case and adding a fully fledged, military-aviator-inspired dial in not one, but two colour choices.
Secondly, the perfectly sized 39.5mm Redcliff collection has been in desperate need of some dial variation for a while, and for 2026, Fears has delivered. The Redcliff has received three new dials in extremely un-Fears-like pastel colourways, opening the range to a much wider, potentially younger audience. Lastly, a Fears flagship, the Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour, has been treated to a gorgeously delicate, pottery-inspired “China Blue” dial. Let’s take a deeper dive into what’s arrived.
Fears Brunswick 40 Filton
If you think Fears, you immediately think of the cushion-shaped case of the Brunswick. After arguably saving the brand in 2020, it has become a Fears staple, and the 40mm version was introduced in 2024 to size things up slightly, while retaining the dressy factor Fears is synonymous with. That is, until you consider that, actually, that cushion shape is in fact somewhat reminiscent of several military pilots’ and divers’ watches of old. And so, for 2026, the Brunswick 40 Filton has arrived: a military-esque pilot’s watch with purpose, named after the town next to Bristol that was home to the historic Bristol Aeroplane Company and where the British components for Concorde were made.
The Filton arrives in the 40mm cushion-shaped Brunswick case, finished in 316L stainless steel, with a well-sized 46.5mm lug-to-lug and very pleasant 11.9mm thickness. It has just enough heft and size to be considered tool-like, but not so big that it can be called oversized. There’s a screw-down crown, and the option of a solid or open caseback, which doesn’t affect the useful 150 metres of water resistance.
The real difference for the Filton is the dial, which comes in two variations: the first is Raven Black, with a deep black sunburst central section, contrasted by a raised outer dial with circular grooving and a matte finish. The second dial is the military-esque Squadron Green. Both dials are surrounded by white matte-painted hour markers filled with Grade A BGW9 Super-LumiNova for some bold luminosity, alongside bold white print and bright, wide hands. And for that final, military-style touch, the seconds hand on the green model is finished in a contrasting yellow.
Another big change for the Filton is the movement. You’ll notice that at 6 o’clock, there’s an unusual addition of a date window, which indicates a movement change. Inside the Brunswick Filton is the Soigné VB La Joux-Perret G100 automatic, offering a substantial 68 hour power reserve while beating at 28,800 Vph. The movement is a fair upgrade over the previous model’s ETA movement, with Côtes de Genève finishing, blued screws, and a custom-decorated rotor featuring the ‘Bristol Flower’.
Fears Brunswick 40 Filton pricing and availability
The Fears Brunswick 40 Filton is available now from the Time+Tide shop. Price: £3,350 (strap) £3,550 (bracelet)
| Brand | Fears |
| Model | Brunswick 40 Filton |
| Case Dimensions | 40mm x 38mm (D) x 11.9mm (T) x 46.5mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | 316L stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 150 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire, optional sapphire caseback |
| Dial | Raven Black or Squadron Green |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Bracelet | Chocolate brown buffalo leather, or an optional 5-link stainless steel bracelet |
| Movement | La Joux-Perret G100, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 68 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | Available now |
| Price | £3,350 (strap) £3,550 (bracelet) |
Fears Redcliff Pastel Collection
The Redcliff 39.5 is probably Fears’ most everyday-style, entry-level watch; traditional in nature, with a more conventional circular design that broadens Fears’ appeal to those who don’t tend to go for their famous cushion-case watches. Aside from a special-edition “confetti” dial that appeared a couple of years ago, the dial options for the Redcliff are pretty restrained. There’s a textured black affair that launched last year, but aside from that, there’s plain silver, and that’s it. Until now, that is.
Bringing the Redcliff bang up to date is a set of three very on-trend pastel dials that certainly breathe new life into the collection, and will potentially draw in a much wider audience, who now, as the market suggests, prefer a splash of colour on their dials. Finished in Sherbet Yellow, Soft Peach, and Pale Lilac, the three dials freshen the whole watch up, elevating it from the entry level to a serious contender. The dials are clean, clutter-free and excellent for a male or female wrist on a summer’s day.
Finished in corrosion-resistant 316L stainless steel, the 39.5mm case is traditionally shaped and extremely comfortable to wear. At just 10.37mm thick and with a lug-to-lug of 47mm, it will easily fit a variety of wrists and offers a substantial 150 metres of water resistance, meaning it lives up to the daily-wearer look. Again, like the Brunswick, there’s a screw-down crown and the option of a solid or open caseback, covering the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement. This too offers a decent 68-hour power reserve and some lovely finishing, which, at this level, isn’t expected but is very nice to see.
Finally, the watches arrive on some specially selected Alcantara straps with white stitching, closed with Fears Cypher pin buckles. While each dial has been picked to pair well with the dial, these can be swapped out to fit the 3-link stainless steel bracelet, which raises the bar thanks to its polished and brushed elements. This is closed with a very neat foldover clasp that features plenty of micro-adjustment.
Fears Redcliff Pastel Collection
The Fears Redcliff Pastel Collection is available now, from the Time+Tide shop. Price: £2,750 (strap) £2,950 (bracelet)
| Brand | Fears |
| Model | Redcliff 39.5 Pastel Collection |
| Case Dimensions | 39.5mm (D) x 10.37mm (T) x 47mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | 316L stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 150 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire, optional sapphire caseback |
| Dial | Sherbet Yellow, Soft Peach, and Pale Lilac |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Bracelet | Alcantara straps with Fears Cypher pin buckle, or an optional 3-link stainless steel bracelet |
| Movement | La Joux-Perret G101, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 68 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Availability | Available now |
| Price | £2,750 (strap) £2,950 (bracelet) |
Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour “China Blue”
The Fears Brunswick Jump Hour not only represents a top-level catalogue model for the brand but is also quite a topical watch, given that Jump Hour complications are fairly high on trending lists right now. The unconventional time-telling display is quite captivating, and makes waiting for each hour change a bit of a mini-event. Additionally, Fears’ watch has a dressy nature, making it an event in itself to wear, and it not only represents something new and innovative but also has hints of the past, thanks to its classic styling. And now, for 2026, they’ve taken a delicate approach to dial updates, adding the China Blue dial.
The dial is as clean and simple as it gets, with what Fears calls a silver-white barleycorn-patterned outer section, paired with a “China Blue” matte lacquer-finished inner dial. These two colours are chosen to represent the traditional, iconic pottery from Stoke-on-Trent made by Wedgwood, an icon of British pottery, and I have to say, as I know this pottery fairly well (my grandmother’s house was filled with it), they have nailed these colours perfectly. It’s a delicate representation of the craft that goes into those items, with the powder blue evoking all kinds of memories. Additionally, there’s rhodium-plating across sections of the dial, paired with the large hour-marker aperture at 12, letting you know exactly what this watch is all about.
It’s housed in the slightly larger 40.5mm stainless steel Brunswick case, which is also slightly thicker than the others at 12.8mm thick, although it’s fair to say this still isn’t a chunky watch. Inside the case sits the Sellita SW200 base automatic movement, which has been modified to house a Christopher Ward JJ01 jumping-hour module, a clever addition to a widely used and solid automatic calibre. It offers 38 hours of power reserve, which is fair, considering the additional complication. Finally, the watch arrives either on a storm grey Alcantara strap with a pin buckle or the 5-link stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp.
Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour “China Blue” pricing & availability
The Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour China Blue is available now from the Time+Tide shop. Price: £4,250 (strap) £4,450 (bracelet)
| Brand | Fears |
| Model | Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour China Blue |
| Case Dimensions | 40.5mm (D) x 12.8mm (T) x 47mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | 316L stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Silverwhite Barleycorn pattern, and China Blue matte lacquer centre dial |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Bracelet | Grey Alcantara strap with Fears Cypher pin buckle, or an optional 5-link stainless steel bracelet |
| Movement | Sellita SW200, Christopher Ward JJ01 jumping hour module, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 38 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, jump hour |
| Availability | Available now |
| Price | £4,250 (strap) £4,450 (bracelet) |