As the 35th America’s Cup rolls into the final month of its third year – by the end of June 2017 the competition will finally have a winner – Bremont introduces its third set of watches styled in honor of the world’s oldest international sporting trophy.
To commemorate Bremont becoming the official timing partner of Oracle Team USA (and therefore the entire competition, which the defender organizes), the brand launched the AC I, the AC II and the Oracle Team USA series with Oracle I and Oracle II in late 2015.
Next, the brand announced the AC Regatta and the AC 32 Ladies Chronometer at Baselworld 2016. See live photos of the AC Regatta at You Are There: Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series In Toulon With Official Timer Bremont.
And now the London-based brand announces the final two timepieces in honor of the 35th America’s Cup.
Bremont AC-R-II
The America’s Cup official watch
As Oracle Team USA won the 34th America’s Cup in San Francisco, it was up to this team to defend its title in 2017. The “defender” is also in charge of organizing and putting on the entire America’s Cup event, so this means that partners of Oracle Team USA are official partners of the “event authority” by default.
Over the last two years throughout the preliminary Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series, British watch brand Bremont was the timing partner for defending champion Oracle Team USA, and as such it also became the timing partner for the whole America’s Cup. Bremont thus became the very first British timing partner for the America’s Cup.
Bremont was on a two-year contract as official timekeeper, after which the contract would either be renegotiated or issued to another brand when the start of the final rounds of the Cup in Bermuda began in May 2017. And indeed, the contract was given to Panerai for the final rounds (see Panerai Sails Into The 35th America’s Cup With Oracle Team USA . . . And More).
“Having been the first luxury brand on board for this 35th America’s Cup and now in our third year of the partnership, we’re looking forward to seeing how the event concludes in June 2017,” Giles English said to me on the occasion of the brand’s very first Basel on the Thames Townhouse event, where Bremont unveiled two new watches in honor of the America’s Cup: the red gold-encased AC35 and the brand’s third regatta timer, the AC-R-11.
However, Bremont has been given permission to continue making official America’s Cup watches alongside Panerai, so let’s take a look at the last pair of official timekeepers by Bremont for the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda.
AC35 and AC-R-II
While they are classic line extensions, the AC35 and AC-R-II remain very attractive models to end this fruitful collaboration.
The regatta timers with their innovative countdown technology are among the most attractive sports watches that Bremont has issued in its relatively young career. Having a countdown function handy is important to sailors (and spectators) for the obvious reason: you want to be as close as possible to the line when the race starts.
Bremont AC-R-II
The AC-R-II is a chronograph with incorporated countdown timer designed to be both tough and legible, which makes it a great companion at sea. Its sporty character came naturally as this watch is based on the tough-as-nails ALT1-Z with its Trip-Tick case, a hearty construction offering high levels of shock protection and water resistance.
Bremont AC-R-II lume shot
A comfortable rubber strap provides the finishing touch, while extreme lume on the numerals and hands light the way in adverse lighting conditions.
Bremont AC35
The AC35 model is an elegant counterpart with its pink gold case and black dial lightly embossed with the Auld Mug, the legendary America’s Cup trophy made by Garrard of London, which adds a fine and quite interesting texture to the watch.
Bremont AC35
Beautiful touches to the timepiece, whose look was inspired by deck watches, include the blued steel hands tipped with Super-LumiNova, the words “America’s Cup Bermuda” placed above the date window at 6 o’clock, and the off-center placement of the subsidiary seconds at 9 o’clock.
View through the display back of the Bremont AC35
The AC35’s Swiss-based movement contains many parts – in particular within the automatic winding assembly – that were made in-house at Bremont’s facility in Henley-on-Thames.
To see the entire Bremont America’s Cup collection, please visit www.bremont.com/range/americas-cup-collection.
Quick Facts Bremont AC35
Case: 43 x 14.1 mm, pink gold
Movement: automatic Caliber BWC/01 (base La Joux-Perret 6901), official C.O.S.C. chronometer certification
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; date
Limitation: 35 pieces
Price: £16,995 / $22,495
Quick Facts Bremont AC-R-II
Case: 43 x 16.2 mm, hardened stainless steel, Trip-Tick three-part construction, bi-directional patented Roto-Click inner bezel operated by crown at 8 o’clock
Movement: automatic Caliber BE-54AE (base ETA Valjoux 7754), official C.O.S.C. chronometer certification
Functions: hours, minutes, hacking seconds; date, chronograph
Limitation: 135 pieces
Price: £4,895 / $6,495
