Back in 2009, Bremont released a compact, 43mm dive watch with an impressive 500 meters of water resistance. The Supermarine S500 was an instant hit, and in 2013, Bremont followed up with the ultra-waterproof S2000, with an almost unheard-of 2,000-meter water resistance. In 2017, they released the S300 a 300-meter watch that maintains the same slim design with a cleaner, sleeker look.
The S300’s understated design is very British and refined-looking for a dive watch, and that instantly caught my attention.
The Movement
The S300 is powered by the caliber BE-92AE, which is a modified chronometer that’s based on the ETA 2836-2. It’s an automatic movement, and ticks at a brisk 28,800 BPH. The power reserve is 38 hours, so not fantastic, but enough to get you through a day and a half of non-use without the need to hand wind it.
Accuracy is about average for an automatic movement, at +/- 10-12 seconds per day. We should note that this movement is equipped to drive a day and date complication, but the S300 keeps things simple with only a date complication.
The S300 Dial
The dial on the S300 comes in several colors, but the one I was privileged to review came with a beautiful sunburst blue dial.
All versions of the dial are made from tinted, polished nickel that highlights beautifully in the sun without creating too much glare. In keeping with its more refined look, the S300’s dial features only a single complication: a date window at the 3 o’clock position. Other than that, the brand logo and the depth rating are the only thing interrupting the clean, smooth dial.
There are two sets of numerals. The larger, inner set marks the hours at the 12 o’clock, 6 o’clock, and 9 o’clock positions, while the other hours are designated by large, fat hash marks. On the outside of the dial, you’ll find a finer scale with tiny hashes that mark off the minutes, with small numerals at the 5-minute marks.
The shiny nickel hands have a wide, skeletonized design, with white lume paint inside the outer frame. The second hand is long and fine, with red paint around a small lume circle near the tip. The numerals, the hashes, and even the date window are also marked with lume paint, for easy visibility in dark conditions.
The Crystal and Case
The S300’s case has a diameter of 40mm, and is correspondingly slim at only 13mm.
This gives it enough size to have a minimal amount of wrist presence, but that’s not the S300’s purpose. It’s made to be slim and discreet (similar to the Airco Mach 1 and 2 we reviewed in the past), yet still attractive enough that people who know a thing or two about watches will take notice. The case is constructed from stainless steel, so it’s sturdy as well as attractive, and the lugs have a long, extended design that lends the S300 somewhat of a vertical profile.
On top of the case, a ceramic uni-directional rotating bezel is laser etched with a 60-minute scale. The finish on the bezel is plated to match your dial, with the same color background and numerals.
A screw-down crown at the 3 o’clock position is used to set and wind your watch, and it won’t accidentally snag and get pulled out. The back also has a screw-in design, which is part of Bremont’s effort to make the Supermarine S300 as water-resistant as possible. It’s rated for up to 300 meters of depth, so while it’s not technically a dive watch, it’s not going to fail it just about any reasonable underwater depth.
The S300’s 13mm thickness includes a domed crystal, which is constructed from scratch-resistant sapphire. It’s coated with an anti-reflective finish inside and out, keeping glare to a minimum. The domed shape can slightly distort the dial when you view it from an extreme angle, but it’s a very attractive look, and the view remains normal from any non-distorted angle.
Strap and Buckle
The Supermarine S300 includes a rubber strap that matches the color of the dial.
In the case of the blue S300 I reviewed, the strap was a deep blue that Bremont calls Blue Temple Island. It’s a perfect match for the dull (non-highlighted) portion of the dial. This color further highlights the brightest portions of the dial, and makes the hands, numerals and bezels really pop.
The Inspiration
The entire Supermarine line is designed as a tribute to 1930s British aircraft manufacturer Supermarine.
If that name sounds familiar, it’s because that’s the company that designed and built the first Spitfire fighter, which went on to defeat the Nazis in the Battle of Britain, and became one of the most iconic aircraft in history.
While the earlier Supermarine S500 watch had a busier dial and a chunkier bezel, it’s appropriate that Bremont named the more slimmed down version the S300, since the very first, minimalist Spitfire prototype was called the Type 300.
To have a look at all of Bremonts’ offerings you can visit their official website here.
Why do many reviewers ignore whether the indices are applied or painted? For me applied indices should be 3-D. That’s my preference. Comparing the S300 dial to a Submariner makes the S300’s indices look painted even though they may not be. I would have liked this watch as an interim (if it had raised applied indices) until my AD calls me to pick up my 226570 Explorer II.
Just a brief note. The BE-92ae movement is based on the ETA2892 and not the day date ETA2836. The link in the article actually directs to the BE-36ae.
Thank you.