The Fears Watch Company has announced the first watch in a new core family, called Arnos, that will sit alongside the existing Redcliff and Brunswick collections.
The new Fears Arnos Pewter Blue features a slim, elegant rectangular case, inspired by the tall, slim rectangular watches found in the Fears archive from the 1920s and 1930s. The new Arnos, which isn’t limited edition, houses a modern automatic movement and will be complemented by two straps commissioned especially from Delugs.
The Arnos continues the Fears tradition of naming their core watch families after historic locations in Bristol where the company had their premises. Named after Arnos Vale, the area of Bristol where the company’s headquarters are located today, the area is also home to the cemetery where both Edwin Fear (founder) and his son Amos Daniel Fear (2nd Managing Director) are buried.
As the third core family of watches to join the Fears collection, Arnos, will focus on modern Fears watches that have an angular case shape with this first piece reviving the traditional Fears rectangular silhouette. Taking inspiration from the rectangular watches in the Fears Archive dating from the 1920s and 30s, the new Arnos Pewter Blue is housed in a slim, elegant case. Both the crystal and case back feature an elegant curve, which allows the watch to sit perfectly comfortably on any size wrist.
“The launch of the new Arnos family and with it, the first Arnos Pewter Blue watch, is an important moment for Fears. This new family joins our core collection of Redcliff and Brunswick watches, each with their own distinctive shapes and identities. The Arnos gives us a new canvas with which we can express the elegance of the Fears design language. In 2021 when we celebrated the 175th anniversary of my great-great-great-grandfather, Edwin Fear, establishing Fears an important piece from our archive was revived. The 175-piece, limited edition, Archival 1930 was born and since then I’ve been keen to have a rectangular watch back in our core collection. Fears is fortunate to have such distinctively proportioned rectangular examples in its past catalogue, and this proved to be the perfect base for the first new Arnos watch. The idea for a blue circle within a grey rectangle came to me one weekend and our head designer, Lee Yuen-Rapati, then promptly brought the concept to life in the most striking of ways.
Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, (4th) Managing Director, Fears Watch Company
I believe the new Arnos Pewter Blue offers something fresh and different in the rectangular watch space, which usually strictly adheres to a set of very classical rules. It’s been a pleasure working with our trusted suppliers to bring this distinctive looking watch to life.”
The design of the new Arnos Pewter Blue builds upon Fears’ sophisticated design language taking it to a new level with a distinctive combination of a blue circle within a grey rectangle. The negative space of the rectangular ‘outer dial’ features a hobnail pattern cut by CNC machine at a precise angle and then coated in precious Rhodium. The sunken ‘inner dial’ is made from a separate section, which has been machine turned with a concentric pattern, cut into its surface before being coated in galvanic blue. The dial is then finished with contemporary styled roman numerals (the first time they’ve featured on a core model in the modern Fears era) printed in white.
Inside the beautifully hand-finished, Swiss-made case, is a top-grade Sellita SW1000 automatic movement with a Fears Blue decorated rotor featuring the flower of Bristol motif. Small but mighty, this modern movement features a 46 hour power reserve and has been customised for Fears to display just the Hours and Minutes.
Technical Specifications:
| CASE | 316L stainless steel, 33.5mm x 22.6mm rectangular-shaped, 40mm lug-to-lug, 8.40mm thickness. 20mm lug width. Curved front and back. 3ATM (30m) water resistance.Made in Switzerland |
| LUG WIDTH | 20mm |
| MOVEMENT | Sellita SW1000-1b, automatic winding, 18 jewels, 28,800vph (4Hz) and 46 hr power reserve. Top-Grade. Customised auto rotor featuring the flower of Bristol motif.Made in Switzerland |
| GLASS | Sapphire Crystal (curved) with ARdur® Swiss anti-reflective coating on inside and outside. Crystal made in SwitzerlandAnti-reflective coating applied in Switzerland |
| DIAL | Pewter Blue in two sections:‘Outer dial’ with hobnail pattern cut by CNC, Rhodium plated.‘Inner dial’ with circular cut pattern, galvanic blue coated. White printing.Dial made in Germany |
| HANDS | ‘Fears’ hands – solid, bevelled, diamond polished, coated in RhodiumMade in Germany |
| FUNCTIONS | Time, Hours and Minutes |
| WARRANTY | 2 Year guarantee from date of purchase |
| STRAPS | Taupe in premium Barenia leather, lined in Fears Blue calf leather. Fold over edge. Tonal hand stitching. Fitted with 316L stainless steel polished and brushed Fears Cypher bespoke pin buckle. Easy-release springbars fitted.Strap Hand Made in VietnamBuckle made in Hong KongFears Blue in smooth FKM rubber with 20mm to 16mm taper in width and taper in thickness. Cut to size. Fitted with curved 316L stainless steel leaf-spring deployant clasp with micro-adjust and engraved with Fears Cypher. Easy-release springbars fitted.Strap Made in ChinaClasp engraved in England |
| SERIAL NUMBER | Individually numbered, sequentially |
| MODEL REFERENCE | BS422.600 |
| RETAIL PRICE | £4,350 inc. VAT (£3,625 ex. VAT) |
For more information please visit Fears Watch Company