Now, I know, for most of us watch folks, the idea of having just one watch to put on your wrist sounds like something akin to heresy, as we like to change up what we’re wearing to match changing whims. I’m not here to advocate for or against it (though, one day, I could see having just one to declutter, as well as obtain a grail), if you are, why not have a watch who’s name ties in with the goal?
The watch I think could meet that criteria (on name) is the Bremont Solo (solo = one, of course). Sure, you might dismiss it as a simple three-hander, but there’s more to the watch. For starters, it’s got a pretty slick movement in the modified BE-36AE automatic chronometer, which also has other niceties such as a Glucydur balance, anachron balance spring, and a Nivaflex mainspring.
That movement is mounted into what is likely one of the hardest steel cases you’ll run across (they harden it in the UK to a rating of about 2000 Vickers, making it 7x more scratch resistant than regular watches). This is a three-piece case construction, which means you can have a detail like a PVD case barrel sandwiched in the 43mm case.
Mirroring the flat sapphire crystal on the caseback, we have a domed sapphire crystal up front. This crystal is also treated, with nine layers of hardened anti-glare coating applied on both sides of the crystal. This should allow for a clear view of the metal dial (in silver or black), along with the raised (applied) numerals, lumed indices (at the cardinal points), and the nickel hands filled with SuperLuminova (C3 or BG W9 colors). This is a clean (almost spartan) dial, with the pilot influence showing up in the triangle at 12 o’clock.
Rounding out the rest of the specs, you have a 100m water resistance rating (good for a casual dip in the pool), and of course the COSC chronometer rating (the certificate is included, and will be tied to the serial number engraved in the case). Then again, those are the sorts of things you expect (certification on a high-end movement, excellent fit and finish on the case, legible dial) when you’re placing $4,100 down on the counter to get a watch.
If you’d like to see a hands-on review, Ariel Adams over at aBlogtoWatch has one for you here. Let me know in the comments – if the Bremont Solo couldn’t convince you to just have one watch, what watch could? And if you would jump at the Solo, let me know what you love so much about the piece. I’m curious to see how my views of the piece stack up with our readers. bremont.com
