Fears Experimental 01 & Brunswick 40 ‘Odyssey Edition’
Fears reveals Experimental 01 watch for British rowing world record attempt & launches commerative limited-edition Odyssey timepiece.
The Fears Watch Company has revealed Experimental 01, its most technically focused watch to date, and purpose-built for the British world record attempt, a Great British Odyssey.
This unique timepiece is announced alongside the ‘Odyssey Edition’, a special limited-edition version of the Fears Brunswick 40. Limited to 100 pieces, the Brunswick 40 ‘Odyssey Edition’ takes design cues from Experimental 01 and includes special features to commemorate this world record attempt. A portion of the sale of each ‘Odyssey Edition’ will be donated to James’ Place, the charity partner of a Great British Odyssey that saves the lives of men in suicidal crisis.
Experimental 01 and A Great British Odyssey
A Great British Odyssey will see ultra endurance athlete, Angus Collins, attempt to be the first person ever to solo row, unsupported, around mainland Great Britain. As the official timekeeping partner to this challenge, Fears has designed and manufactured a special version of its robust Brunswick 40mm wrist watch with eight enhancements all fashioned to aid Angus on his row.
The Fears Experimental 01 is the first tool watch created by the company since the 1970s, engineered to be put through the most extreme of conditions. This watch is the toughest that Fears has made to date and demonstrates the technical prowess of the company in its engineering. The Experimental 01 and its components have been through several months of advanced testing to ensure the watch will perform while on Angus’ wrist.
To create the Experimental 01, the inhouse Fears Design and Engineering team built a new specification based on the architecture of the Fears Brunswick 40, that was launched in October 2022. The cushion case shape of the Brunswick carries the unmistakable aesthetic of Fears design whilst its construction makes it the most robust watch to come from Fears. Sharing dimensions in line with the 40mm Brunswick, Experimental 01 has eight key enhancements to its specification, created to assist Angus on his world record attempt.
- Fixed bar attachment – laser welded onto the lugs ensuring there is no weak point where spring bars might fail due to extreme level of wrist movement during the row.
- Satinised case finish – reduces the risk of sun reflecting off polished surfaces into Angus’ eyes while rowing causing discomfort and most dangerous, distraction.
- 30 ATM water resistance – upgraded water resistance to ensure no risk of water ingress while the watch is subjected to constant contact with salt water up to 18 hours a day.
- Glare resistant dial – special anti-glare ‘orange peel’ texture with matte varnish used on the dial to reduce the risk of glare while worn outdoors and in direct sunlight.
- Grade X2 Super-LumiNova® – Hands and appliques hand-filled with superior Grade X2 Super-LumiNova® for the highest afterglow strength and longevity, reducing the need to use precious electrical resource on the boat to read the time.
- Ultra contrast dials and hands – ensure quick and easy time telling at a glance while watch is in motion on the wrist.
- MN™ Elasticated Strap – for improved comfort when being worn 24/7 with constant wrist movement and water resistant.
- Fears Precision Time Testing – movement undergone precision testing to ensure enhanced reliability and accuracy, with 0/+1 second a day accuracy:
- A batch of 25 fresh top-grade G101 movements were selected, with each tested over several days to determine the five most accurate movements.
- These five movements were then carefully regulated over a week to increase their accuracy across all positions.
- A special ‘Precision Time Testing’ dial was then fitted to the five movements, displaying only the minutes and seconds.
- These ‘Precision Time Testing’ movements underwent several weeks of testing in different pressures and temperatures with careful regulation.
- Once all five movements reached the required accuracy they were fitted to ‘mule’ watches and worn constantly by members of the Fears Team with detailed daily recording of each watch to determine each movement’s accuracy while undertaking a variety of activities.
The Experimental 01 is an innovative new watch and as such learnings gathered from its wearing during the Challenge will influence future Fears product development.
Brunswick 40 ‘Odyssey Edition’
To commemorate a Great British Odyssey, Fears are releasing a special 100-piece limited edition inspired by Experimental 01’s technically focused design. The new watch, called the Brunswick 40 ‘Odyssey Edition’ takes its design cues from Experimental 01 with a portion of the sale of each watch being donated to James’ Place.
The dial of this new watch shares its layout, special texture and design with Experimental 01 but has an elevated elegance, including diamond polished applied numerals and hands, coated in Fears Blue PVD. These hand-riveted numerals and hands are filled with X1-grade Super-LumiNova® with a cool blue emission colour when charged.
The Brunswick 40 ‘Odyssey Edition’ is housed in the classic Brunswick 40 case with both polished and brushed finishes and is joined by two straps; the first a custom Delugs textured dark blue FKM rubber strap with waterproof rubber lining and fastened with a new Fears x Delugs leaf-spring deployant clasp. The second strap is an exact replica of the custom MN™ elasticated strap made by Erika’s Originals that was created and fitted to Experimental 01.
Each Brunswick 40 ‘Odyssey Edition’ is fitted with a commemorative case back featuring a detailed engraving of the British mainland and the route Angus will row during the world record attempt. Each case back displays the edition number from one to 100 which matches the owners’ card that accompanies each watch and is signed by both Angus Collins and Fears’ (4th) Managing Director, Nicholas Bowman-Scargill.
Quotes
Commenting on the creation of Experimental 01 and the launch of the Brunswick 40 ‘Odyssey Edition’, Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, (4th) Managing Director of the Fears Watch Company, says, "I was honoured when Fears was asked to become the official timekeeping partner of a Great British Odyssey, a true British adventure for the 21st Century. What Angus is attempting to do during the Challenge will no doubt capture the minds and imaginations of so many, whilst the Mission of raising £250,000 for James’ Place will literally save lives.
Since we started working on creating Experimental 01 I’ve been overjoyed by the passion for this project by all the members of the Fears Team and also our partners who manufacture our components. Building Experimental 01 pushed us to use our watchmaking knowhow and apply it to the most technically focused watch we’ve ever made. I couldn’t be happier to be supporting Angus by presenting him with this very special watch for his row.
The Mission side of Great British Odyssey means a lot to me personally as sadly having lost friends to suicide I have an acute understanding in the importance of the work that organisations like James’ Place do. This is why we have created a commemorative limitededition version of our Brunswick 40 to support them with a portion of the sale of each watch being donated to James’ Place.”
Commenting on the Experimental 01 watch as the official timekeeping partner to a Great British Odyssey, Angus Collins, skipper and founder of a Great British Odyssey, says,"I’m incredibly proud to be supported by Fears Watches on A Great British Odyssey. As someone who has always loved watches, I see a deep connection between time and adventure—each second ticking by as a reminder of the journey we’re on. Fears’ commitment to precision engineering, elegant design, and rugged durability makes them an ideal partner for this expedition. It was important to me that this campaign champion British craftsmanship, and with Fears, we’re showcasing the very best of what Britain has to offer.”
Commenting on the release of the Fears Experimental 01 and the Great British Odyssey, Andrew McUtchen, founder of Time+Tide Watches says, “At Time+Tide, we believe that storytelling is the magic ingredient to better connect watches to wearers. And Angus has one hell of a story. Supporting his record attempt is about more than the challenge itself. While that alone is newsworthy, it’s his intention to use the moment to open up conversations around men’s mental health that really hooked us. I’m proud that our Discovery Studio will host the launch, and I'm proud to do it alongside a brand like Fears, who represent the kind of British grit that's on show here, and who balance it with the very best of British elegance in their remarkable watches.”
The Fears Experimental 01 will be presented to Angus at a special event hosted by Time+Tide at their London Discovery Studio on the 15th May.
The Fears Brunswick 40 ‘Odyssey Edition’ will go on sale on the 15th May, at the Fears Boutique in Bristol and via the Fears Authorised Stockist global network, retailing for £3,550 inc. VAT (£2,958.34 ex. VAT). The Brunswick 40 ‘Odyssey Edition’ will start shipping from July 2025 once Angus completes the challenge. It is limited to 100 pieces worldwide.
People can support a Great British Odyssey’s mission by donating to James’ Place at www.justgiving.com/page/gbodyssey.
A Great British Odyssey
A Great British Odyssey will see ultra endurance athlete and mental health advocate, Angus Collins, rowing unsupported around mainland Great Britain whilst using his platform to raise over £250k for the men’s mental health charity, James’ Place.
This 2000mile journey will see Angus rowing up to 18 hours a day, every day for up to 60 days. Despite several attempts, no one has successfully completed this challenge, but with Angus’ past successes in ocean rowing, boat building and weather routing, Angus believes that he has the right tools become the first person to complete this seemingly impossible challenge.
Technical specifications
Fears Experimental 01
Reference: BS24000A-EXP01
Case
- Material: 316L Stainless steel
- Dimensions: 40mm x 40mm cushionshaped
- Thickness: 11.06 mm to top of domed sapphire glass
- Glass: Sapphire crystal (curved) with ARdur® Swiss anti-reflective coating on inside and outside
- Screw down, signed crown.
- Closed caseback. Fixed bars. Satinised finish.
- Water-resistant to 30 ATM (300 metres)
Dial and hands
- Challenger White EXP01 in two sections. Antiglare finish in white with matte lacquer.
- Black and Red printing. Bevelled, applied chapter ring.
- Edwin numbers and Indices CNC-milled, painted matte black and hand applied.
- Appliques filled with Grade X2 Super-LumiNova®.
- ‘Fears’ hands – filled with Grade X2 Super- LumiNova®.
- Painted matte-black with matching seconds hand.
Movement
- Top-grade La Joux-Perret G101, automatic winding
- Number of jewels: 24
- Frequency: 28,800 vph (4Hz)
- Power reserve of 68 hours
- Finished with Côtes de Genève, Rhodium plating and blued screws.
- Custom decorated rotor featuring the ‘Bristol Flower’.
- Fears Precision Time Testing with accuracy to 0/+1 seconds per day.
Functions/Indications
- Hours, minutes, seconds
Strap and buckle
- Orange custom MN™ Strap by Erika’s
- Originals in elasticated textile with satinised engraved hardwear.
MSRP: Not for sale
Technical specifications
Fears Brunswick 40 ‘Odyssey Edition’
Reference: BS24000A
Limited edition of 100 pieces
Case
- Material: 316L Stainless steel
- Dimensions: 40mm x 40mm cushionshaped
- Thickness: 11.06 mm to top of domed sapphire glass
- Glass: Sapphire crystal (curved) with ARdur® Swiss anti-reflective coating on inside and outside
- Screw down, signed crown.
- Closed caseback. Fixed bars.
- Engraved closed caseback
- Water-resistant to 15 ATM (150 metres)
Dial and hands
- Challenger White in two sections. Anti-glare finish in white with matte lacquer.
- Black and Red printing. Bevelled, applied chapter ring.
- Edwin numbers and Indices CNC-milled, PVD coated in Fears Blue and hand applied.
- Appliques filled with Grade X1 Super-LumiNova®.
- ‘Fears’ hands – filled with Grade X2 Super-LumiNova®.
- PVD coated in Fears Blue with matching seconds hand.
Movement
- Top-grade La Joux-Perret G101, automatic winding
- Number of jewels: 24
- Frequency: 28,800 vph (4Hz)
- Power reserve of 68 hours
- Finished with Côtes de Genève, Rhodium plating and blued screws.
- Custom decorated rotor featuring the ‘Bristol Flower’.
- Fears Precision Time Testing with accuracy to 0/+1 seconds per day.
Functions/Indications
- Hours, minutes, seconds
Strap and buckle
- Orange custom MN™ Strap by Erika’s
- Originals in elasticated textile with satinised engraved hardwear.
- Fears Blue in textured FKM rubber with 20mm to 16mm taper in width.
- Fitted with 316L stainless steel leafspring deployant clasp. Easy-release springbars fitted.
MSRP
- GBP 3'550 (incl. taxes)
- GBP 2'958.34 (excl. taxes)
For more information, please visit fearswatches.com
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