In a year laden with significance, Fears once again reminds collectors why the Bristol company occupies a quietly compelling corner of British watchmaking.
Celebrating 180 years since its original founding and a decade since its modern revival, Fears unveils the Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour ‘Celestial’ which is a strictly limited edition of 75 pieces that looks skyward for inspiration. Making its debut at INHORGENTA Munich, the ‘Celestial’ signals not only an important anniversary moment, but also Fears’ growing confidence and visibility within the European retail landscape.
At the heart of the Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour ‘Celestial’ lies a dial conceived as a single, cohesive composition rather than a collection of parts. The result is a poetic interpretation of a clear night sky anchored by a luminous full moon.
The outer dial ring is crafted from deep blue aventurine glass, its suspended metallic particles catching the light with a subtle, star-like shimmer as the watch moves on the wrist. At the centre sits a disc of high-grade white mother-of-pearl, chosen for its natural opalescence and organic variation. Together, the two materials create a striking visual narrative, moon and stars rendered in miniature, that defines the watch at first glance.
Time is displayed via a jump-hour aperture at 12 o’clock, a signature feature of the Brunswick Jump Hour. The hour disc introduces an important first for the modern Fears catalogue: bespoke Breguet-style numerals developed in-house by horological designer Lee Yuen-Rapati. With softly curved forms, open counters, and restrained flourishes, the typography brings classical refinement while remaining clean, legible, and well balanced within the dial architecture.
Surrounding the dial is a silver-printed minute track arranged in a radial layout that subtly references celestial charts. Infused with fine metallic particles, it adds depth and structure without distracting from the aventurine and mother-of-pearl pairing. A single rhodium-plated minute hand, finished with contrasting polished and brushed surfaces, glides across the dial, providing clarity against both textures.
“We created the ‘Celestial’ as a way of capturing the impressive beauty and romance of a clear night sky, when in the calm of the wilderness, the stars seemed impossibly bright like the sky is filled with diamonds. I was keen to incorporate the new Breguet numeral set on this watch as the classical shapes work perfectly with the ‘celestial mapping’ minute markers.”
Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, (4th) Managing Director, Fears
The “Fears England” signature is positioned in the lower half of the dial, a considered adjustment that accommodates the jump-hour display while preserving visual harmony.
Completing the watch is a Fears Blue Barenia leather strap, finished with folded edges and additional padding tailored to the Jump Hour case. The underside is lined with Fears Blue Alcantara for comfort, and the strap is secured with the brand’s bespoke cypher pin buckle.
With the Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour ‘Celestial’, Fears delivers a quietly confident limited edition, one that blends mechanical curiosity, material richness, and narrative design. For collectors who appreciate thoughtful dial work and meaningful anniversaries, this is a night sky well worth studying.
Technical Specifications:
Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour ‘Celestial’
| CASE | 316L Stainless Steel, 40.5mm x 40.5mm cushion-shaped (depth 12.8mm to top of domed sapphire glass). 47mm lug to lug. Onion shaped crown, engraved with Fears cypher. Open caseback. 10 ATM (100 m) water resistant.Made in Hong Kong |
| LUG WIDTH | 20mm |
| MOVEMENT | Christopher Ward JJ01 jumping hour module with Sellita SW200 base, automatic winding. 25 jewels, 28,000vph (4Hz) and 38 hr power reserve. Custom decorated rotor featuring the ‘Bristol Flower’. Made in Switzerland |
| GLASS | Sapphire Crystal front and back, with ARdur® Swiss anti-reflective coating on inside and outside. Crystal made in Hong KongAnti-reflective coating applied in Switzerland |
| DIAL | ‘Astral Blue’ aventurine glass outer section with a white Mother-of-Pearl inner dial. Silver printed minute track and Fears logo. White rotating hour disc with bespoke Breguet-style numerals. Made in Germany |
| HANDS | Fears’ shaped hand – solid, dual bevelled, diamond polished and brushed, Rhodium-plated.Made in Switzerland |
| FUNCTIONS | Time with jumping hour in window at 12 o’clock minutes. |
| WARRANTY | 2 Year guarantee from date of purchase |
| STRAPS | Fears Blue barenia leather with folded edges, lined in Fears Blue Alcantara ®. Fitted with Fears Cypher bespoke pin buckle. Handmade. Made in Belgium |
| BRACELET | 5-link bracelet in 316L stainless steel, dual finishing with polished and brushed elements. Removable full and half links. Butterfly clasp with push-button release. Quick-release spring bars. Made in Hong Kong |
| SERIAL NUMBER | Individually numbered, sequentially |
| MODEL REFERENCE | BS240.500A |
| LIMITED EDITION | Limited to 75 pieces |
| RETAIL PRICE | On a strap £4350 inc. VAT (£3,625 ex. VAT) On a bracelet £4550 inc. VAT ( £3,791.67 ex. VAT) |
For more information please visit Fears Watch Company