Fears And Andrew Morgan Team Up For A Very Different Brunswick Jump Hour
There are some watch collaborations that make perfect sense on paper. Then there are the ones that make you stop, stare at the pictures and wonder whether someone has quietly slipped something rather more experimental into the tea at Fears HQ.
The latest falls firmly into the second category.
Fears has teamed up with watch industry personality and former Watchfinder presenter Andrew Morgan to create a particularly distinctive version of its Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour. Called the Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour Ultimus, it takes one of Fears’ most recognisable modern designs and gives it a decidedly more futuristic personality.
And yes, it is quite a departure from the restrained British elegance we normally associate with Fears.
The Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour has already become something of a signature piece for the Bristol based brand. Originally developed from the Alliance 01 created with Christopher Ward, the watch combines the classic cushion shaped Brunswick case with a rather more unusual jumping hour display.
Rather than having a conventional hour hand, the hour is displayed through a window at 12 o’clock, while a single minute hand does all the remaining time telling. It is one of those complications that is mechanically more interesting than it initially appears, because making an hour disc jump cleanly into position every 60 minutes requires considerably more engineering than simply sticking another hand on the dial.
The Ultimus takes that familiar formula and pushes it somewhere considerably more contemporary.
A Brunswick With Attitude
The basic architecture remains unmistakably Brunswick. The 40.5mm cushion shaped stainless steel case retains the flowing curves that have become one of Fears’ design signatures, with polished and brushed surfaces creating the contrast that gives the case considerably more visual depth than its relatively simple silhouette might suggest.
But this is where the traditional Fears aesthetic starts to take a back seat.
The dial is the real talking point. Rather than the restrained silver, plum or blue combinations seen on previous Brunswick Jump Hour models, the Ultimus embraces a much more modern aesthetic, with the emphasis firmly placed on visibility, contrast and the theatrical nature of the jumping hour complication.
It is the sort of watch that feels designed to be noticed rather than quietly appreciated from across a boardroom table.
That is quite a departure for Fears, a brand which has generally built its reputation around understated British elegance. Yet the underlying Brunswick design is strong enough to carry the change in personality surprisingly well.
The Jump Hour Takes Centre Stage
The jumping hour remains the star of the show.
At 12 o’clock, the hour disc changes instantaneously as each new hour arrives, while the single minute hand sweeps around the dial in traditional fashion. It gives the watch a semi digital appearance without sacrificing the mechanical charm that makes traditional watchmaking so appealing.
Fears uses the Christopher Ward JJ01 jump hour module sitting on top of a Sellita SW200 automatic movement. The combination was originally developed for the Fears and Christopher Ward Alliance 01 and has since become an important part of the Brunswick Jump Hour story.
The SW200 is hardly an exotic movement in itself, but the addition of the JJ01 module transforms what would otherwise be a very familiar automatic calibre into something considerably more interesting. Fears also regulates the movement to Chronometer grade, adding another layer of appeal for anyone who appreciates the mechanical side of things.
It is a clever reminder that you do not necessarily need a completely bespoke movement to create an interesting watch. Sometimes it is about taking a proven platform and doing something clever with it.
Andrew Morgan Meets Fears
The involvement of Andrew Morgan is arguably the most intriguing part of the whole project.
Morgan is well known to British watch enthusiasts, having previously been one of the recognisable faces of Watchfinder before launching Andrew Morgan Watches. His content has always had a particular enthusiasm for watches that offer something different, particularly at the more accessible end of the market.
That makes the collaboration with Fears rather fitting.
The Brunswick Jump Hour has always been an unusual proposition. It is not a conventional dress watch, nor is it trying to be a sports watch. It occupies that increasingly interesting middle ground where traditional watchmaking meets contemporary design.
The Ultimus simply turns that dial up another few notches.
And judging by the reaction already appearing online, it is certainly not going to be a watch that everyone agrees on. Some collectors have praised its bold design, while others have been considerably less convinced. Which, frankly, is usually a good sign.
A watch that generates absolutely no opinion is probably not doing very much.
Specifications
• Case: 40.5mm stainless steel cushion shaped case
• Lug to lug: Approximately 47mm
• Lug width: 20mm
• Crystal: Domed sapphire crystal with anti reflective coating
• Water resistance: 100 metres
• Movement: Sellita SW200 automatic with Christopher Ward JJ01 jump hour module
• Power reserve: Approximately 38 hours
• Functions: Jumping hours and minutes
• Display: Jumping hour aperture at 12 o’clock with central minute hand
• Strap: Fears supplied strap
• Production: Limited collaboration edition
• Price: £4,450
Is This The Future Of Fears?
What makes the Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour Ultimus particularly interesting is not necessarily the specification sheet. We have seen the case, movement and jumping hour complication before.
It is the direction Fears has taken the design that matters.
The company has spent much of its modern existence carefully rebuilding its reputation around classic British watchmaking, restrained design and historical influences. The Brunswick itself is a perfect example of that approach, taking inspiration from a 1920s Fears cushion cased watch and giving it a modern interpretation.
The Ultimus demonstrates that Fears is not afraid to step outside that comfort zone.
At £4,450, it is certainly not cheap. There is plenty of competition around this price point, particularly from independent and smaller brands that are increasingly offering genuinely interesting complications and unusual designs.
But the Fears proposition is different. You are buying a British designed and hand built watch from a company with genuine historical roots, combined with a mechanical complication that is still relatively unusual at this level.
Whether the Ultimus is beautiful is likely to depend heavily on your taste.
Whether it is interesting is much easier to answer.
It absolutely is.
Winding Things Up
The Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour has always been one of the more unconventional watches in the brand's collection, and the Ultimus takes that idea and runs with it.
The collaboration with Andrew Morgan feels like a natural meeting of minds too. Both Fears and Morgan have an appreciation for watches that do not simply follow the crowd, and the result is something that certainly refuses to blend into the background.
At £4,450, however, the Ultimus sits firmly in serious watch territory. That makes the question less about whether it is a good watch and more about whether you would choose something this distinctive over a more traditional luxury piece at the same money.
And that is probably exactly what Fears and Andrew Morgan wanted us to be debating.
