Bremont and Bamford are back with a second collaboration between the British brands — the Bremont Bamford Aurora Limited Edition. This is a follow-up to 2022’s black and blue California dial Bremont S500 Bamford Special Edition and is inspired by the Aurora Borealis, which is reported to be stronger in 2024 than the previous 20 years. As a self-proclaimed space nerd and lover of glow-in-the-dark anything, this atmospheric inspiration is just the kind of fun and quirky update that I was thrilled to hear about and have a chance to take a closer look at.
Many of the key design cues follow last year’s collaboration, but the blacked-out tactical styling is dialed back a touch in lieu of the electric green hues of the northern lights. The Bremont Bamford Aurora LE uses the familiar and popular Supermarine GMT as its base. This classic Bremont “Trip-Tick” case measures 43mm in diameter, 50.8mm lug-to-lug, and a hefty 16.5mm thick. However, it simultaneously wears larger and smaller than its dimensions suggest. Firstly the unorthodox-shaped crown guard on the 3 o’clock side of the case adds an extra 1.5mm to the diameter, while the black DLC coating to the stainless steel case helps slim the watch slightly. A mix of brushed and polished finishing throughout accents the case contours while hiding some of the bulk in the process.
The watch is a bit larger than I would normally wear on my 6.5” wrist, but it is not unwieldy in any sense. While certainly thick with a domed sapphire crystal, part of the thickness is maintaining a 500-meter water resistance rating. Additionally, an automatic helium escape valve is tucked flush at 9 o’clock on the mid-case and stands out without a matching DLC finish.
The ever-divisive California-style sandwich dial returns with Roman numerals on the top half and Arabic numerals on the bottom. A stencil-inspired font is used on the lower numerals, allowing the interior portions of the numbers to remain firmly in place. This font is carried over to the (also luminous) sapphire bezel. The primary surface of the dial is a finely-grained matte black with semi-gloss raised boundaries around the index apertures. This is a nice touch especially under magnification because sandwich dials often reveal the base metal (usually brass) the dial is made from. The index apertures give way to a vibrant green layer of Super-LumiNova underneath, and it’s incredibly legible and nearly glowing in broad daylight. Bamford did not skimp out on the lume on this one.
The hands get a similar treatment to the dial with a mix of matte black and vibrant green luminous material, except for the second hand. This hand receives glossy green paint with black striping, leaning into its arrow motif.
Behind a solid caseback beats the Bremont Modified Calibre 11, essentially a customized and upgraded ETA 2893 automatic GMT. It is chronometer-certified, antimagnetic, and has a power reserve of 50 hours. While some may scoff, I’m happily accepting the use of more common movements to ensure servicing costs remain low in the long run.
The Bremont Bamford Aurora comes mounted on a 22mm hybrid fabric and leather strap with matching stitching and a simple brushed black DLC pin buckle closure. The strap is a bit stiff but manages the 115g watch head weight well. Given the price point of this collaboration, I would have liked to see a bracelet option, as it is already priced at $100 more than the non-limited edition on a bracelet.
After the rapid sale of the previous 250-piece collaboration, I figured it was only a matter of time until we would be seeing the British pair return with another collaboration. While the aurora inspiration and color scheme appeal to me more than the previous one, I wish the new model were something completely different rather than a colorful riff on its predecessor. Taking into account Bamford’s history of pushing the limits of customization, I expect we will see more boundaries pushed if the collaborations continue.
The Bremont Bamford Aurora Limited Edition Watch is limited to 500 pieces and priced at $5,450 USD. This is priced a bit higher than the previous collaboration (albeit with additional features) and about $500 more than the standard Supermarine GMT, so I do not find the price egregious considering the additional finishing, techniques, and limited nature. All in all, it is a fun collaboration that applies its inspiration well while not being too on-the-nose. You can learn more about Bremont and Bamford at the brands’ respective websites.
