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The legacy Bremont MBII is a distinctive 43 mm aviation watch built around a rugged case, internal rotating bezel and Bremont’s Martin-Baker partnership. Its appeal is less about an exclusive movement than the combination of functional protection features, aviation styling and a story tied to ejection-seat testing. Bremont says this MBII has retired from its catalogue, so buyers should distinguish it from the newer 42 mm Altitude MBII Meteor and verify the generation and condition of any example they find.
What makes the Bremont MBII different?
The MBII is the public-facing watch in Bremont’s Martin-Baker line. The red-barrel MBI is reserved for pilots who have ejected from a Martin-Baker seat; the MBII gives other buyers a way into the partnership. Bremont describes Martin-Baker as a British aviation company supplying ejection-seat technology to air forces around the world. Its claim that Martin-Baker serves 70% of the world’s air forces is Bremont’s own characterization, not an independently verified market statistic. Bremont’s Martin-Baker account
The relationship has a practical foundation as well as a narrative one. Bremont says Martin-Baker approached the company in 2007 to develop a watch that could undergo the same rigorous testing programme as its ejection seats; the MB line followed two years later. These are manufacturer-reported origins and test claims, not independent certification of every watch sold.
What Bremont says the prototypes endured
Bremont’s account of the MB testing programme includes live ejection trials, MFOS crashworthy tests, extreme temperatures, vibration, altitude and aircraft-carrier-deck exposure. Its historical testing description gives specific conditions:
#1 Best Overall
- MOVEMENT Modified calibre 13 ¼''' BE-54AE automatic chronometer, 25 jewels, Glucydur balance, Anachron balance spring, Nivaflex 1 mainspring, 28,800bph, 42 hour power reserve, GMT functionality. Bremont Boeing skeletonised decorated rotor.
- FUNCTIONS Hour, minute, second hands. Chronograph small counters with seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hours and 24H GMT hand with date at 4.5H.
- CASE Boeing aviation-grade Ti 6-4 titanium with bi-directional rotating bezel with Super-LumiNova. Bremont Trip-Tick construction with scratch resistant DLC treated case barrel. Case diameter 43mm, lug width 22mm.
- DIAL Metal dial with Super-LumiNova coated hands and numerals.
- Chronometer rated to ISO 3159 standard.
- An altitude chamber simulating 100,000 feet for 60 minutes.
- A four-hour vibration test said to represent aircraft vibration across a 30-year lifespan.
- Temperature endurance from −40°C to +40°C.
- Salt and humidity exposure modelled on a six-month carrier tour, followed by 96 hours of drying.
These figures describe Bremont’s stated prototype-test conditions. They should not be read as evidence that each production watch was individually subjected to every test. Bremont’s testing account
Legacy Bremont MBII specifications
The specifications below refer to the retired legacy MBII, not the newer Altitude-generation watch. Bremont’s Australian product page lists the following, while Hodinkee’s 2020 hands-on report independently describes the core case dimensions and construction. Bremont’s Australian MBII product page · Hodinkee’s 2020 review
| Specification | Legacy MBII |
|---|---|
| Case diameter | 43 mm |
| Lug width | 22 mm |
| Water resistance | 100 m / 10 ATM |
| Movement | Modified BE-36AE automatic chronometer, 26 jewels |
| Movement basis | Decorated version based on the ETA 2836-2, according to Hodinkee’s 2020 review |
| Chronometer wording | ISO 3159-rated; do not describe it as COSC-certified |
| Power reserve | 38 hours, as reported by Hodinkee in 2020 |
| Case construction | Hardened stainless steel or DLC Trip-Tick case, with a knurled aluminium barrel |
| Bezel | Internal bi-directional Roto-Click bezel, operated by the 4 o’clock crown |
| Protection | Patented anti-shock movement mount; closed-back models include an inner soft-iron Faraday cage |
| Crystal | Domed, scratch-resistant, anti-reflective sapphire |
| Listed dial options | Black, white or blue |
The twin crowns make the bezel’s operation part of the watch’s physical character: the 4 o’clock crown controls the internal ring, rather than an exposed external bezel. The Trip-Tick case combines a hardened outer case with the coloured, knurled barrel that gives the MBII much of its recognisable profile. Its anti-shock mount and, on closed-back versions, soft-iron inner cage are concrete protection features; the aviation styling itself should not be mistaken for a specialized instrument function.
Rank #2
- Modified calibre 13 1/4"' BE-50AE automatic chronometer, 28 jewels, Glucydur balance, Anachron balance spring, Nivaflex 1 mainspring, 28,800 bph, 42-hour power reserve, Bremont Boeing moulded and skeletonised decorated rotor.
- FUNCTIONS Hour/minute/second, date at 4.5H, chronograph small counters with seconds and 30 minutes.
- CASE Custom 465 Stainless Steel Bremont Trip-Tick construction with scratch resistant DLC treated case barrel. Case diameter 43mm, lug width 22mm.
- Metal dial with Super-LumiNova coated hands and numerals.
- Chronometer rated to ISO 3159 standard.
How it wears and performs
At 43 mm wide with 22 mm lugs, the legacy MBII has a substantial footprint. Hodinkee’s reviewer described it as large on wrist but balanced, and found that the 2020 refresh wore almost identically to the outgoing model. That is one reviewer’s impression, not a guarantee of fit: wrist shape, strap choice and personal tolerance for a broad case all affect how it feels. Try one on if possible, especially if you usually wear smaller watches.
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The dial, hands and internal bezel make the MBII easy to read as an aviation-inspired tool watch, while the distinctive barrel and twin crowns give it a more unusual silhouette than a conventional three-hand field-style watch. In the 2020 update, Bremont changed the dial and hands, removed the day display and added a more shock-resistant automatic bridge while retaining the general 43 mm format and case architecture. The revised sword-style hour hand drew a favorable reaction from Hodinkee’s reviewer; preferences between dial colors and hand designs remain subjective.
Is the Bremont MBII worth it?
The MBII makes the most sense for someone who values its construction, design and Martin-Baker connection together. The Roto-Click bezel, anti-shock movement mount, and soft-iron cage on closed-back examples are specific functional features. The case and barrel, however, also do a lot of the work in making the watch visually distinctive. Its story is unusually concrete for a branded aviation watch, but the testing account comes from Bremont itself.
Rank #3
- MOVEMENT Modified calibre 13 ¼''' BE-54AE automatic chronometer, 25 jewels, Glucydur balance, Anachron balance spring, Nivaflex 1 mainspring, 28,800bph, 42 hour power reserve, GMT functionality. Bremont Boeing skeletonised decorated rotor.
- FUNCTIONS Hour, minute, second hands. Chronograph small counters with seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hours and 24H GMT hand with date at 4.5H.
- CASE Boeing aviation-grade Ti 6-4 titanium with bi-directional rotating bezel with Super-LumiNova. Bremont Trip-Tick construction with scratch resistant DLC treated case barrel. Case diameter 43mm, lug width 22mm.
- DIAL Metal dial with Super-LumiNova coated hands and numerals.
- Chronometer rated to ISO 3159 standard.
It is not primarily a movement-first purchase. Hodinkee describes the BE-36AE as a decorated ETA-derived automatic rather than an in-house calibre. That may be a sensible trade-off for a buyer prioritising the case architecture and the watch’s identity; it may be a drawback for someone whose main criterion is movement provenance. The supplied specifications establish its ISO 3159 chronometer rating, not COSC certification.
Hodinkee recorded a starting price of $4,995 in its May 2020 review. That is historical context only, not a current retail or resale quote. A fair present-day valuation cannot be inferred from that old figure.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchLegacy MBII vs. Altitude MBII Meteor: what changed?
Despite the shared MBII name, the newer Altitude MBII Meteor is a separate generation, not simply another dial variation of the retired watch. Bremont presents it as a 42 mm evolution with a redesigned Altitude-era case and movement. The legacy MBII’s specifications in this review should not be applied to the Meteor.
Rank #4
- As the official Timepiece partner of The Latin GRAMMY, Bulova has created the Latin GRAMMY Automatic watch, incorporating musical cues in its design.
- The distinct timepiece features an open heartbeat aperture and an exhibition case back, showcasing the fine 21-jewel Automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve.
- Rose gold-tone stainless steel case with a black dial that is textured to resemble the guiro instrument with guiro scraper-shaped markers. Signature Latin GRAMMY red accents on the dial. Rose gold-tone bracelet with black link details reminiscent of piano keys.
- Metalized Domed Sapphire Crystal
- 30M Water Resistant and 3 Year Limited Warranty
| Feature | Legacy MBII | Altitude MBII Meteor |
|---|---|---|
| Generation | Earlier MBII; Bremont says it has retired from the catalogue | Newer Altitude-era evolution |
| Case diameter | 43 mm | 42 mm |
| Case architecture | Trip-Tick construction with knurled aluminium barrel | Redesigned Altitude-era case; further comparable detail is not stated on the cited Bremont page |
| Movement | Modified BE-36AE, based on ETA 2836-2 according to Hodinkee’s 2020 review | Redesigned Altitude-era movement; further comparable detail is not stated on the cited Bremont page |
Bremont’s Altitude MBII Meteor page describes the newer watch as a 42 mm evolution. The shared name and Martin-Baker lineage do not make its case, movement or other specifications interchangeable with the legacy MBII.
Is the legacy Bremont MBII still available?
Bremont’s Australian product page carries a retirement notice for the legacy model. That establishes its catalogue status on that page, not whether a particular retailer still has stock. Dealer inventory, pre-owned supply and current pricing can change; check the exact reference and generation with the seller before committing.
- Confirm that the watch is the 43 mm legacy MBII rather than the Altitude MBII Meteor.
- Ask for the reference, condition details and service history.
- Check whether original papers, box and any additional straps are included.
- Review the seller’s return terms and have the watch’s condition assessed if the purchase is pre-owned.
Do not rely on the model name alone in a listing: verify the case dimensions and photographs against the generation you intend to buy. The cited sources do not establish current availability, a fair resale price or warranty terms for used examples.
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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.
