INTRODUCING: The Bremont Supermarine Descent II is a GMT diver with supermodel looks

D.C. Hannay

Every once in a while, a watch just grabs me right in the feels. And oh boy, does this watch get me. I’ve been a Bremont fan for some time, especially of the original Supermarine 500, an elegant yet bomb-proof diver, executed at an extremely high level of craftsmanship. If Bremont were looking for a focus group, I’m the definition of a target audience. And for this new North American-exclusive release, it’s almost as if I had made a list, and they just went down item by item, ticking off boxes. Overengineered titanium case? Check. GMT movement? Check. Handsome as all get out, with a design language all its own? You betcha. For my tastes, it’s virtually perfect. 

The new Supermarine Descent II carries the design of the original forward, adding some distinct new touches along the way. The original, first introduced in 2009, was an ultra-capable professional 500 metre diver, cased in stainless, Britain’s answer to anything in the category coming out of Switzerland. It had a number of unique features, starting with its ocean-proof, three-piece Trip-Tick case construction. The Supermarine Descent II expounds on that design, doing it one better with its aviation-grade Ti 6-4 titanium case, an evolution that makes it both lighter and stronger, while retaining the 500 metre water resistance.

The Descent II is further tricked out with a gorgeous bronze unidirectional bezel, featuring a sapphire insert. It just oozes class, and will no doubt patina to a warm glow with wear. From the top down, the lugs are confidently broad-shouldered, brushed on top, then taking on some sinuous curves along the polished sides. Moving to the centre of the three-piece case, you’ll find a contrasting DLC-treated barrel in full blackout mode, sporting an automatic helium release valve, and the signature Supermarine crown guard ramping up from 4 o’clock to its apex at 2, a Bremont touchstone created to protect the screwdown crown. And around back, you’ll find the military-tested, extra-thick sapphire exhibition caseback, framed in titanium. Does all this protection create a rather substantial height of 16.5 mm? It sure does, but it remains proportional to the diameter of 43 mm and 51 mm lug-to-lug, appropriate to the watch’s purpose. Furthermore, do I care? Not a whit. The entire package is supremely confidence-inspiring.

Let’s circle back around to that dial, impossibly inky and black, highlighted by its hands and applied indices wrapped in the warm embrace of bronze. It’s a suitably nautical look, and both hands and markers are filled with Swiss Super-LumiNova. And what’s this? A surprise pop of colour, from what can be described as a Wedgewood-esque blue on the GMT hand tip. All I can say is, if you’ve had your fill of Pepsi or Coke, this is a welcome refreshment. Not to bury the timezone-hopping lede, but yes, this watch has really catapulted itself to a top contender among travel watches. The whole package is just really well thought-out, with its numerals recalling an Explorer dial (but in a more contemporary font), and a discreet date window, elegantly framed in matching bronze. Supermodel looks wrapped around a deep-sea predator.

The subdued pale blue of the GMT hand extends to the strap, available in your preference of matching Harbour Blue or no-nonsense black rubber, and contour-integrated to the case. Given the choice, I’d have to go with this unique shade of blue, not as bright as a sky or royal, or as somber as navy. I’ve never come across a strap quite like it, and the vertically ribbed detail is distinctively understated. 

As stated before, the Supermarine Descent II is a 24-hour GMT, based on a modified Calibre 11 ½ BE-93-2AV automatic chronometer beating at 4Hz, with 25 jewels, anti-shock protection, and sporting a 42 hour reserve. It’s got some rather tasteful perlage finishing on view through the sapphire, punctuated by a constellation of blued screws. Accuracy should be quite good, as it’s chronometer-rated to ISO 3159 standards, or about -4/+6 seconds a day.

If you haven’t guessed by now, I’m positively smitten. The Bremont Supermarine Descent II is a devastatingly handsome timepiece, utterly capable in its intended environment, and in my opinion, it can stand toe-to-toe with the best Swiss contenders in the category.

Pricing and availability:

The Bremont Supermarine Descent II is priced at $4,495 and is exclusively available to the North American market from Bremont stores. Click here for more info