Bremont’s 2023 MB Viper and Vulcan are limited-edition pilot’s watches built around different aviation stories. The 43.5 mm MB Viper is a three-hand automatic whose design grew from Bremont’s account of testing an ENG-series movement in Martin-Baker ejection-seat simulations. The 42 mm Vulcan is a monopusher chronograph commemorating the Avro Vulcan B-1 bomber. Their specifications and launch prices below describe the 2023 releases, not current availability or market value.
What are the Bremont MB Viper and Vulcan?
The MB Viper is the more experimental-looking of the pair: a white-dial, three-hand automatic in a titanium case with an orange anodised aluminium middle. Its name nods to the F-16 “Viper” context, while its development story centers on Martin-Baker ejection-seat testing.
The Vulcan takes a more direct historical route. It is a monopusher chronograph inspired by the Avro Vulcan B-1, the Royal Air Force high-altitude bomber. Its black dial carries bomber-related details, including “Avro B-1 1952” text and a nuclear symbol in the 30-minute counter.
How the MB Viper’s Martin-Baker testing story is described
Bremont’s May 26, 2023 account says the Viper began as a test instrument intended to put its ENG300 movement series through conditions comparable to Martin-Baker fighter ejection-seat testing. The company says the instrument evolved from a minimal case with a shock-isolating mount to a configuration fixed to an ejection manikin. Bremont reports that the movement, housed in its rubberised Anti-Shock mount, maintained time through the tests.
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- Silver-Tone Stainless Steel
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- 200 Meters Water Resistant and 5 Year Limited Warranty
This is Bremont’s description of its testing, not an independent laboratory audit. The release model carries an ENG352 movement; the test-instrument story concerns the development and evaluation of the ENG300 series.
Bremont co-founder Nick English framed the relationship in the company’s announcement: “When Martin-Baker first approached us in Bremont’s very early days, it wasn’t a branding exercise, it was with a vision of creating the definitive aviation watch.” That is the company’s account of the collaboration, rather than independent evidence for a comparative claim about the watch industry.
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- Silver-tone watch featuring left-handed crown and black dial with 1/20-second chronograph function, slide-rotating inner bezel, and date window
- 45.5 mm stainless steel case with mineral dial window
- Quartz movement with analog display
- Stainless steel band featuring fold-over push-button clasp with safety
- Water resistant to 100 m (330 ft): In general, suitable for swimming and snorkeling, but not scuba diving
MB Viper specifications and design
- Case: 43.5 mm matte DLC Grade 5 titanium, with an anodised 6082 aluminium middle and exhibition caseback.
- Movement: Bremont ENG352 automatic, with a silicon escape wheel, free-sprung hairspring and inertia-weight timed balance, and KIF shock protection.
- Power reserve: 65 hours, as specified by Bremont.
- Dial: White, with green-emission Super-LumiNova on the hour markers and hand tips. Bremont says the chevron hands are inspired by ejection-seat pull handles.
- Reported additional details: Fratello’s May 10, 2023 release-day report gives a weight of 58 grams and water resistance of 100 m.
- Straps and edition: Two supplied canvas straps, orange and black; Bremont announced a 300-piece limited run.
Vulcan specifications and historical details
- Case: 42 mm hardened stainless steel, with sapphire crystal and 100 m water resistance, according to Monochrome Watches’ May 22, 2023 feature.
- Movement: Monochrome identifies it as a modified BE-51AE based on the Sellita SW510 MP. It is automatic and chronometer-certified, runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, and has a stated 56-hour power reserve.
- Chronograph: A single pusher at 2 o’clock starts, stops and resets the chronograph. The black dial has running seconds at 9 o’clock and a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock.
- Dial and edition details: The 30-minute counter incorporates a nuclear symbol, and the dial is marked “Avro B-1 1952.” The 250-piece edition was supplied with RAF-blue and Vulcan-inspired camouflage sailcloth straps, plus cufflinks incorporating aluminium from the Avro Vulcan XH558 airframe.
MB Viper vs. Vulcan: the differences at a glance
| Feature | MB Viper | Vulcan |
|---|---|---|
| Main function | Three-hand automatic | Monopusher chronograph with date |
| Movement and stated reserve | Bremont ENG352; 65 hours (Bremont, 2023) | Modified BE-51AE based on Sellita SW510 MP; 56 hours (Monochrome Watches, 2023) |
| Case | 43.5 mm Grade 5 titanium with orange anodised aluminium middle | 42 mm hardened stainless steel |
| Aviation reference | Martin-Baker ejection-seat testing and F-16 “Viper” naming context | Avro Vulcan B-1 bomber |
| Edition at launch | 300 pieces (Bremont, 2023) | 250 pieces (Fratello and Monochrome Watches, 2023) |
| Supplied straps | Orange and black canvas | RAF-blue and Vulcan-inspired camouflage sailcloth |
| Reported UK launch price | £5,495 (Fratello, 2023) | £4,295 (Fratello, 2023) |
The Viper’s defining contrast is its three-hand simplicity against a striking orange-and-black case construction, backed by the ejection-testing origin story. The Vulcan adds chronograph operation and more explicit bomber-history details. The difference is therefore not just size or movement: each watch puts a different aviation reference at the center of its design.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the watches cost at launch
The reported 2023 launch prices varied by market. Fratello reported UK prices of £5,495 for the MB Viper and £4,295 for the Vulcan. WatchPro USA reported US launch prices of $8,995 and $4,795, respectively. Those are historical launch figures, not current retail or resale quotes; no current stock or secondary-market pricing is established here.
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- 1/5 Second Chronograph measures up to 60 minutes, 12/24 hour time, tachymeter, and date
- 100 Meters Water resistant and 5 year limited warrenty
Sources and reporting
- Bremont Watch Company, “Bremont & Martin-Baker bring their concept test watch to life,” May 26, 2023
- Henry Black, Fratello, “Hot Take: The New Bremont MB Viper And Vulcan Pilot’s Watches,” May 10, 2023
- Denis Peshkov, Monochrome Watches, “The New Bremont Vulcan Limited Edition Monopusher Chronograph,” May 22, 2023
- Rob Corder, WatchPro USA, “Sky-high style: Introducing the Bremont MB Viper and Vulcain pilot timepieces,” May 11, 2023
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
