Revitalized British brand Fears has made many waves in the independent watch scene in recent years, building a reputation for vintage-inspired timepieces backed by robust modern movements, and distinctive styling. Now, Fears releases their first pilot’s watch in 180 years, alongside several new iterations of core collection favorites, to round out a slate of spring novelties that carry forward the brand’s unique combination of youthful innovation and historically-informed aesthetics.
First up is that pilot watch: named for Filton, a town neighboring the Fears homebase in Bristol that is largely known for housing the Bristol Aeroplane Company, the Brunswick 40 ‘Filton’ aims to capture the adventurous air of early flight. The Filton sits within the Brunswick 40mm line, giving it a recognizable silhouette with added functionality. A date window at 6 o’clock introduces the complication to the Brunswick 40 line for the first time, and the Raven Black sunburst and Squadron Green gradient dial options evoke cockpit instruments and vintage squadron markings respectively. Applied numerals in Fears’ own ‘Edwin’ typeface hammer home the early 20th century look, with a triangle at 12 o’clock to promote legibility. Sword pipette hands round out the design, with the Raven Black model also featuring a “ghost effect’ with matching black hand centers. Inside, a reliable La Joux-Perret G100 automatic caliber movement beats away, and the Filton sits on a chocolate brown buffalo leather strap with contrast ivory stitching, that gives it a sporty but vintage look to match the aesthetics of the watch itself.
Next, the Redcliff 39.5 ‘Pastel Collection’ adds some fresh color to one of Fears’ most popular lines. Three new matte-lacquer pastel dials are available: Sherbet Yellow, Soft Peach, and Pale Lilac, all of which are appropriately vibrant and reminiscent of spring. With no date complication for symmetry, the Redcliff Pastel watches all feature applied batons coated in matte white varnish, and a complementing chapter ring with luminous white numerals. Luminous pipette hands sweep the dial, adding a necessary bit of contrast to the pastel colorways, ensuring that legibility isn’t lost with the new colors. A La Joux-Perret G101 automatic caliber movement provides a 68-hour power reserve, and the color-matched Alcantara strap or available three-link bracelet make the Pastel Collection pieces appropriately sporty and wearable.
Lastly, the Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour line (one of Fears’ most popular and boundary-pushing collections) gets a new addition in the form of a ‘China Blue’ variant. Like last summer’s ‘Barleycorn Plum’ edition, the China Blue features a three-dimensional barleycorn pattern on the outer dial, this time coated in pure bright white silver, and a matte lacquer disc in the center dial, inspired by Stoke-on-Trent pottery. The gentle China Blue shade of that disc is all-new, and gives the watch a more subtle look than other Jump Hour variants; this is furthered by the minimalist aesthetic that Fears fans have come to expect from the collection, with its single sweeping rhodium-plated hand and jump hour display at 12.
Like their other Jump Hour pieces, the China Blue is powered by a Christopher Ward JJ01 jump hour module on a Sellita SW200 base, which allows for an instantaneous hour jump every sixty minutes. As is custom, the curved profile of the 40.5mm polished steel case makes the China Blue look luxurious on the wrist, and the exhibition case back showcases the decorated movement, complete with a blue Fears rotor and Bristolflower motif. The China Blue comes on either a storm grey Alcantara strap, or a five-link steel bracelet.
As we’ve come to expect from the British brand over the course of their revitalization, the new Fears novelties stand out aesthetically, while providing robust and reliable mechanical bases and eminently wearable dimensions. The pieces mentioned above can be purchased from the Fears Boutique in Bristol, via the Fears website, or at authorized Fears stockists worldwide. Fears
Elodie Townsend
2026-04-27 14:00:00