An English brand best known for its aviator watches, Bremont has just announced Davide Cerrato will take the helm as chief executive officer. An industry veteran with a background in design, Mr Cerrato will also join Bremont’s board. His career include stints at Panerai and Montblanc (and more recently, a brief tenure at HYT), as well as Tudor, where he played a key role in the brand’s stylistic reboot.

Founded by brothers Nick and Giles English in 2002, Bremont has been run by the siblings since its founding. The appointment of Mr Cerrato is the latest development in the evolution two decade-old brand, which recently raised money from investors including hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, valuing the firm at over £100 million.

And just last year, Bremont inaugurated a 35,000 ft² facility in Henley-on-Thames, an hour’s drive west of London, known as The Wing after its swooping form. Taken together, these developments clearly reflect the brand’s ambitions to be a global name in premium sports watches.

A veteran in the cockpit

Bremont got its start as a maker of watches aimed at aviators and soon gained a following for its association with various military fighter units. Amongst its best known watches is a wristwatch developed in cooperation with Martin Baker, the leading maker of ejection seats for fighter aircraft.

While the brand’s focus on aviation-inspired timepieces has been the foundations of its success, the appointment of Mr Cerrato will likely bring changes to its aesthetic direction, given the incoming chief executive’s focus on design.

The Wing in Henley-on-Thames. Image – Bremont

Mr Cerrato’s most notable past successes involved creating a strong aesthetic direction with a heavy dose of vintage inspiration. He did that at Tudor with the original Black Bay and Monte Carlo, and then at Montblanc with the 1858 and Minerva lines. Bremont’s catalogue currently spans a variety of styles and themes in terms of design – something that Mr Cerrato will likely streamline and redesign.