New silver-cased Fears Jump Hour Edwardian Edition to be sold exclusively at British Watchmakers’ Day in March
Zach Blass- Though it’s being announced now, Fears’ new Jump Hour Edwardian Edition will be sold exclusively at British Watchmakers’ Day on March 8, 2025.
- It’s limited to 10 pieces, with five reserved for each session of the day.
- This marks the second sterling silver-cased watch from Fears in 100 years, and notably has a diamond-set crown.
The resurgence of British watchmaking is not only a source of national pride for those in the United Kingdom, but it has also brought excitement to the global watch community. Many of the best British watch brands are value-driven, and work in the entry-level segment of the watch marketplace. Among sought-after brands such as Christopher Ward and Studio Underd0g, Fears is another British brand that has won the worldwide collecting community over with its supplier transparency, classic design, and fair pricing. It’s also a brand with a rich heritage, founded in Bristol in 1846 by Edwin Fear, later closed in 1976, and brought back into the mix in 2016 thanks to former Rolex apprentice Nicholas Bowman-Scargill. He proudly wears the badge of Fears “Re-Founder”, considering he is the great-great-great-grandson of Edwin Fear. There are many regular-production watches you should definitely explore (and not just because Time+Tide is an authorised dealer of Fears), but today the brand announces an exciting limited edition that will be made available strictly during British Watchmakers’ Day: the Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour Edwardian Edition.
Fans of Fears will be familiar with the Fears’ Brunswick lineup, a range I would describe as its most prominent. The Brunswick cushion case is delivered in both 38mm and 40mm sizes, but an exciting Jump Hour variant would later follow suit with a marginally larger case. Measuring 40.5mm in diameter, 12.8mm thick including its domed sapphire crystal, and 47mm lug-to-lug, its size caters to the majority of tastes and wrists with a modern, yet compact presence most will enjoy. This Edwardian Edition is not only special due to its rarity, but also because it is the second-ever Fears watch in 100 years to be cased in 925 sterling silver – a successor to the limited edition presented at the 2024 edition of British Watchmakers’ Day. The case is hallmarked by the London Assay Office (Fears openly reveals the case is made in Hong Kong and hallmarked in London), and the cherry on top is that Fears has a tastefully set diamond in the crown, a customary signature of Fears with all of its precious metal watches.
The Edwardian Edition gets its name from its white-lacquered dial that takes inspiration from Edwardian-era pocket watches in the brand’s archives. It contrasts the black sunburst and coral lacquer regular-production models with a vintage-inspired typeface for both the crisp white dial and the jumping-hours disc. The jumping hours display is made possible thanks to fellow British watchmaker Christopher Ward, as a Sellita SW 200 38-hour automatic is married with Christopher Ward’s JJ01 module. The standard steel versions of this watch come in at £4,250, an attractive price for a quality, mechanical jump hour. This very special ten-piece limited edition, despite its small run of sterling silver cases with a flawless diamond-set crown, has been priced at £5,450.
As an American who is unlikely to be present for the festivities, I’m envious of the ten individuals who will have the chance to purchase this watch. In the spirit of transparency, this is a watch I would love to own and wear, despite not usually being fond of jumping hour displays. Having said that, I could not see myself justifying the purchase with a white porcelain Credor Eichi II in the collection holding the space of a crisp white dress watch. All of my collector discipline and logic say “bad Zach” when dreaming of this watch in my possession. But the fact the temptation even exists speaks volumes. If you are one of the lucky ten to purchase this watch come March 8th 2025, definitely shoot me a DM (@zach.blass), and I will never be happier to have salt rubbed in my wound. Shame on you (but also very smart of you), Mr Bowman-Scargill, for making this a limited edition.
Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour Edwardian Edition pricing and availability
The Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour Edwardian Edition will be available for purchase exclusively on British Watchmakers’ Day (March 8, 2025) in person. Five watches will be offered in the morning session and five watches in the afternoon session, all on a first-come, first-serve basis. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the British Watchmaking Alliance. Price: £5,450 (~US$6,800, incl. VAT)
| Brand | Fears |
| Model | Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour Edwardian Edition |
| Reference | BS240.506 |
| Case Dimensions | 40.5mm (D) x 12.8mm (T) x 47mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | 925 sterling silver, diamond-set crown |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Domed sapphire crystal |
| Dial | Porcelain white lacquer dial |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Strap | Maple red Alcantara leather, 925 sterling silver pin buckle |
| Movement | Christopher Ward JJ01 jumping hour module, Sellita SW200 base, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 38 hours |
| Functions | Jumping hours, minutes |
| Availability | Limited to 10 pieces, sold exclusively on British Watchmakers’ Day |
| Price | £5,450 incl. VAT |