For the third year in a row, Fears will introduce a limited edition watch to be sold exclusively at British Watchmakers’ Day, which this year occurs on March 7. It continues a theme established in 2024 of using 925 Sterling Silver for the case material, a flourish that feels special and, somehow, quintessentially British. This year’s limited edition piece, the Brunswick 40 1846 Edition, debuts a new case design as well as a special lacquer dial made just for this year’s LE. It’s also an anniversary piece, as this year marks the 180th anniversary of brand founder Edwin Fear opening his first watchmaking workshop in Bristol in 1846.
This Brunswick 40 case is polished on all sides, taking full advantage of the natural lustre of 925 sterling silver. It’s also engraved with the initials of Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, the brand’s managing director, which is a nod to a tradition started with the first silver pocket watch made by Edwin Fear. Additionally, like previous British Watchmakers’ Day editions in silver, the crown is set with a single diamond to note that the case is constructed from a precious metal.
Diving into the specs, it’s worth noting that the case of this Brunswick 40 is very slightly thinner than the standard issue version. Per the spec sheet, this LE measures in at 11.1mm tall, while the typical Brunswick 40 is 11.9mm in height. That difference, you won’t be surprised to learn, likely comes down to the use of a manually wound movement in this limited edition, the Le Joux-Perret G121M. This caliber has a 60 hour power reserve and is a new offering from LJP, and features an architecture that allows the running seconds to be positioned further away from the dial’s center. On this particular watch, I think that results in a balanced look, and also enables Fears to enlarge the subsidiary seconds dial itself.
The dial is described by the brand as hand-finished and built on a multi-layer construction, with the inspiration being the original pocket watch designed by Edwin Fear in 1846. The enamel-like lacquer finish is meant to have real depth and what Fears describes as “quiet proportion.” This is the rare Fears watch to feature Roman numerals, and the spade handset has been heat blued, both choices that fall in line with the traditional pocket watch inspiration.
I expect that we’ll start to see a bunch of announcements similar to this one ahead of British Watchmakers’ Day, as brands are highly incentivized to create limited editions to sell at the event. Last year’s Jump Hour was a real hit, and one of my personal favorite watches at the show. That edition sold out in full before the end of the day (I distinctly remember being at the Fears table when one of the last two was being sold, and let me tell you, it was hard not to pull the trigger in that moment) and with interest in British Watchmakers’ Day only growing in the last twelve months, it seems reasonable to expect that this watch will be just as sought after.
A total of 25 pieces will be produced, and they’ll be available to purchase and take home at the British Watchmakers’ Day event on March 7. The retail price is £4,350, including VAT. Fears
Zach Kazan
2026-01-23 14:00:00