Bremont Martin Baker II (MB II)-- Not So Fast : A Review

[Rolexiva]

Consider me among those diseased by an appreciation for high-quality watches and who cherish the chance for alternatives to the Rolex line, to include watches from innovative, up and coming manufactures. If Google Trends is any measure, Bremont, to include the MB II, is an up and coming brand and model, and reviews tend to gush merit over this particular watch.

Hardened steel casing, quality ticks to the timer bezel, significantly robust leather and nylon straps, modified out-of-house movement, shock absorber and anti-magnetic qualities at a likely attractive price point with reported durability tests for cockpit seat ejection-- give the impression of an ultimate utility watch while brandishing some color that ekes quality.

The problem is that the Martin Baker II (MB II) does not quite nail it. Perhaps at the currently listed price point of $5200 USD this is okay. Let me explain.

The dial has too many colors and markers in all the wrong places distracting the effort to tell the time. The yellow lasso at the beginning of the second hand draws attention away from the end of the second hand, which arguably is the more important end of this needle (!). The red triangle above the center of the watch draws the eye too inward rather than towards the outside of the dial, where again, time is to be told. Where one would think Arabic numerals at every hour mark would enhance the pilot watch tendency for exactitude, the eye gets slightly lost when tracing the hour and minute hand among those digits. Yes, the multiple layers of AR coating reduce glare and improve general legibility. In less than a fully lit room, like a watch store, something to all the colors, print, and numbers cause the time to less than stand out. Categorized as a pilot watch, the MB II dial design is more tribute to those pilots who have departed their aircraft by way of a Martin Baker ejection seat than a design exuding legibility and utility that are general hallmarks of the pilot watch category.

These criticisms of the dial aside, the day and date windows are nicely finished; indicative of an overall effort to deliver a quality product. I appreciate the depth of the dial, provided mostly through the bezel timer sloping down to the dial. This characteristic comes across less in photos.

Meanwhile, the MB II case definitely exudes quality and durability.

The case finish and its hardness provide a welcome and distinctive mix I have not found through other manufacturers. I don’t have the data in front of me, but other reviews have cited numbers suggesting the metal hardness on the MB II exceeds that of the current Rolex sport line. The significance is that the case will be super scratch resistant. Meanwhile, the matte brushed finish is very welcome in a market flooded with shiny, polished steel.

Connecting into the movement, the two crowns are well sized to adjust the time/date and bezel timer. Turning either suggests strong attention to quality—very little to no play in other words.

Around the wrist, the leather strap is decent and the nylon strap resembles what I have seen of modern military spec straps. As a general comparison, the quality and resiliency of the MB II nylon strap is far beyond the standard NATO strap. Going back to the leather strap, a deployment buckle / clasp would be a welcome enhancement. It would reduce wear that occurs at the buckling point and would improve the daily wearability of the MB II. I understand this clasp is available as a separate purchase.

What is not available for around the wrist is a bracelet option for the MB II. This is a problem in aesthetics and function. On one hand the hardness and construction of the case, the anti-magnetic shield, and shock absorber ring surrounding the movement suggest an indestructible watch set for use across a range of climates and shock conditions. Going back to this Martin Baker ejection seat linkage, a pilot would not have a choice as to what climate to eject into--- cold, wet, a stinking jungle, or straight into the ocean. A leather or nylon strap soaks up moisture and in hot climates gets funky pretty quickly. Cold may be fine as long as all stays dry: a hopeful rather than likely situation. A bracelet is needed for the MB II to be more acceptable for outside use on a long term basis. A bracelet would also complement the durability characteristics of the case. The MB II as a package is otherwise a desk watch symbolic only of the conditions the case and innards are designed to endure.

A set of sports shoes I used for a season came with a slogan printed on the inside of the tongue that said: “Feet that feel good fly.” I think this slogan applies to watches, particularly watches like the MB II that draw associations with predicaments like ejecting from a supersonic aircraft (!). The watch’s band/bracelet/combination therefore needs to be super comfortable. For the brief time I had the MB II, the comfort on the wrist was not there. At the end of the long sleeve, the MB II does not fit well either-- whether it be sweater, dress shirt, or (maybe-- not sure) a flight suit. I’ll leave it to watch experts to explain how to improve the wear comfort of the MB II.

Knowing that I know nothing of movements, I will only say that given the power reserve is just 38 hours is understandable at the current suggested price point. Another ten hours would be nice.

Handle this watch and see it in person and you know it is a very solid build with appreciable attention to detail. All the published specifications strongly suggest a very durable watch. Yet durability can be built into many things and not necessarily provide the most desired functionality as a total package. The dial legibility, lack of a bracelet, and wear comfort issues keep this MB II from truly being an exceptional watch that I would retain.