The Bremont U-2 can withstand some of the toughest conditios on the planet.
The luxury British watch brand, Bremont, has always been inspired by a passion for flying and aviation. They began making beautifully crafted pilot’s watches in 2002 and still to this day, each and every Bremont timepiece is inspired by a love of historic aircraft. In 2010 however, they managed to create a piece that reached new heights and has gone where no wristwatch has been before: The Bremont U-2.
The Bremont U-2
Although each of their watches are designed to withstand conditions that explorers and pilots are put through and are tested to extremes beyond the demands normally placed on a conventional wristwatch, Bremont took the U-2 to the next level. It has therefore been able to prove itself as a pilot’s timepiece that is able to go that one step further (well, a few thousand meters further as a matter of fact).
Based on the Bremont Martin-Baker watch, the U-2 was originally designed for the elite Spy Plane Squadron of California, who also tested the piece hands-on. The U-2 plane that it is named after is a high-altitude aircraft that is operated by the US Air Force and was also previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency. The pilots of the U-2 are some of the highest fliers in the entire world and they regularly operate at around 70,000 feet in the air for up to 12 hours at a time. Any wristwatch taking on the challenge of these heights, therefore, needs to be anti-magnetic, shockproof and able to withstand an inordinate amount of air pressure for prolonged periods of time.
Bremont’s U-2 has one of the most impressive specs that a wristwatch could posses. During testing it was taken up to an incredible 100,000 feet above the ground just to prove its ability to go above and beyond any other pilot’s watch. It was also put through its paces at a temperature of -40⁰c in both the laboratory and out on mission – meaning there is virtually nothing that could possibly stop this watch from ticking. The extent of testing has given the U-2 some of the most impressive figures that an aviator timepiece has ever seen.
Not only is it an incredibly impressive piece, but it’s got a smart and classic look that allows it to become a good quality luxury watch that just so happens to be able to reach a hundred thousand feet in the air. It combines a classic Bremont design yet still it exudes a physical toughness that reflects the watch’s ability to tackle and survive extreme conditions. It features a very simple, legible dial with bright luminescent markings and a date display at 3 o’clock. The U-2 also comes with either a stainless steel case or DLC (diamond like carbon) that is thousands of times harder to scratch than steel, making it one of the most durable watches ever made. Considering its design, features and amazing ability to go to the extremes, it is not difficult to see why the Bremont U-2 has been one of the most talked about watches over the last 4 years.
Article by Rebecca Meekings.
