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Bremont Bronze Argonaut 42mm Mens Watch
Ref. ARGONAUT-BZ-BK-R-S
The Argonaut is Bremont's official military dive watch, made in partnership with the Ministry of Defence — and the company holds the distinction of being the only watchmaker permitted to use the signs and insignia of all three British armed services. The name itself carries naval weight, having appeared on commissioned ships for close to two and a half centuries, and the black dial draws a direct line back to the 'Dirty Dozen' watches built for the British Army during the Second World War. Bronze is the right material here rather than an aesthetic choice: CuSn8, an alloy hardened with 8% tin, is the same family of metal that naval engineering has trusted for corrosion resistance in saltwater environments for generations. It also means the case will develop a patina entirely its own — no two will age identically. At 13.0mm thick, the watch sits lower on the wrist than its 300m rating might lead you to expect, and the black sailcloth strap keeps the whole thing feeling purposeful rather than decorative. The BE-92AV movement is chronometer-rated, which in a tool watch context means its accuracy has been independently certified to a tighter standard than the movement is simply assumed to keep.
- Reference
- ARGONAUT-BZ-BK-R-S
- Brand
- Bremont
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case material
- Bronze
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Bronze
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Bidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- BE-92AV
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 300m
- Bracelet / strap
- Fabric strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- 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 5 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (2,028), Automatic Watches (1,479), Sports Watches (679), Dive Watches (488) and Brown Dial Watches (74).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch built to be worn hard and got wet.
Strengths
- 300m water resistance, rated for actual diving
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 38-hour reserve means winding it after a day off
Bremont Bronze Argonaut alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | ARGONAUT-BZ-BK-R-S | L37954599 | 782 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,650 | £3,550 | £3,860 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 300m | 300m | 300m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Fabric strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 38 hours | 72 hours | 42 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 300m it is rated for swimming, snorkelling and recreational 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.
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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