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Bremont Airco Mach 1 40mm Stainless Steel
Ref. AIRCO-M1-BK-B
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Stepping up in Bremont's range
The Airco Mach 1 is Bremont's closest interpretation of the classic Type A pilot's watch — the large-numeral, high-contrast format that aircrew relied on before cockpit instrumentation took over the job. Bremont does not reproduce it straight, though. The small triangle on the seconds hand mirrors the one at twelve, the orange seconds hand and the tipped minute hand pull the eye exactly where it needs to go, and the crown is shaped differently from the conical norm. These are deliberate departures, and they give the watch its own logic rather than the feel of a period recreation. The case is Bremont's own hardened steel, which resists marking better than standard 316L, and at 12.5mm it wears closer to the wrist than the depth rating might suggest. The sapphire caseback opens onto the BE-92AE — an ETA 2892 base reworked with a Bremont rotor and submitted for COSC certification, which means it is tested to tighter tolerances than the base movement alone would guarantee. The stop-seconds function lets you set the time against a reference precisely, which matters on a watch of this type rather more than it would on a dress piece.
- Reference
- AIRCO-M1-BK-B
- Brand
- Bremont
- Collection
- Airco
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case thickness
- 12.5mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- ETA 2892
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Condition
- Pre-owned
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 38 hours
Learn more about Bremont
Nick and Giles English founded Bremont in 2002, four years after their father died in a plane crash that Nick survived. All three had restored and flown vintage aircraft together, and the brand that emerged is inseparable from that. The name comes from Antoine Bremont, a French farmer who sheltered the brothers after an emergency landing.
Bremont set out to rebuild British watchmaking, which had effectively ended in the twentieth century. The early watches used Swiss movements in British-designed cases, with the Trip-Tick three-part case construction and a hardened outer barrel treated to over 2000 Vickers.
The military and aviation work is real rather than thematic. Bremont holds contracts with squadrons across the RAF, the US Air Force, and other services, producing issued watches for specific units, and has made watches for Martin-Baker ejection seat survivors — tested to the ejection forces themselves.
The company has also built watches incorporating material from historical objects: oak and copper from HMS Victory, aluminium from the Wright Flyer, and steel from Bletchley Park.
The manufacturing ambition advanced with the opening of a facility in Henley and the release of the ENG300 series in 2021, the first Bremont movement designed and largely made in England. Production is in the low tens of thousands annually.
- 2002
- Nick and Giles English found Bremont.
- 2007
- The first watches ship with the Trip-Tick case.
- 2009
- The Martin-Baker collaboration begins.
- 2021
- The ENG300 becomes the first English-made Bremont calibre.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (2,611), Back in Stock (2,028), Automatic Watches (1,479), Leather Strap Watches (835), Dress Watches (450) and Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (257).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- 40mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 38-hour reserve means winding it after a day off
- Leather does not suit regular contact with water
Bremont Airco Mach 1 alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | AIRCO-M1-BK-B | M28503-0003 | 01 400 7778 7153-07 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,950 | £3,050 | £2,750 |
| Case size | 40mm | 41mm | 39mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Titanium bracelet |
| Power reserve | 38 hours | 38 hours | 120 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 38 hours fully wound — so it will usually stop if you leave it off overnight.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 40mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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