Spotlight On: Bremont Altitude MBI
In the world of luxury watches, exclusivity is often measured by production numbers. Limited editions may be restricted to a few hundred pieces, while special collaborations can command years-long waiting lists. But Bremont created something even more exclusive: A watch that is not for sale.
Known as the MBI, this remarkable timepiece is reserved exclusively for pilots and aircrew whose lives were saved by ejecting from an aircraft equipped with a Martin-Baker ejection seat. This watch is awarded.
A Partnership Born from Aviation Excellence
The story begins with Martin-Baker, the British aviation company responsible for supplying approximately 70% of the world’s air forces with fighter ejection seat technology. Since its founding, the company has become synonymous with pilot safety, developing life-saving systems that have helped more than 7,700 aircrew survive emergency situations.
In 2007, Martin-Baker approached Bremont with a unique challenge: Create the definitive aviation watch.
This wasn’t simply a licensing agreement or a branding exercise. Martin-Baker wanted a watch that reflected the same engineering principles that define its ejection seats. Precision, durability, reliability, and performance under extreme conditions. To achieve that goal, the watch would need to withstand the same rigorous testing program applied to Martin-Baker’s life-saving equipment.
Two years later, the Bremont MBI was born.
The Most Exclusive Club in Watchmaking
The MBI remains one of the most exclusive watches in the world because it is available only to members of the Martin-Baker Tie Club, a unique fraternity made up of pilots and crew members who have successfully ejected from an aircraft using a Martin-Baker seat.
Every MBI is personalized for its owner. The watch features a distinctive red aluminum barrel that immediately sets it apart from any retail model. Each piece can be engraved with a custom inscription of up to ten characters—typically a call sign, name, or the significant date—and includes the recipient’s official Martin-Baker Tie Club membership number.
Beneath its deeply personal details lies a serious tool watch. The MBI features Bremont’s BE-36AE automatic chronometer movement with a 38-hour power reserve, housed within a 43mm hardened stainless steel Trip-Tick® case. It also incorporates an anti-magnetic Faraday cage, an anti-shock movement mount, and 100 meters of water resistance. Owners receive both a calfskin leather strap and a canvas NATO strap.
For those fortunate enough to receive one, the watch serves as a lasting reminder of a day they likely never expected, and will surely never forget.
A Symbol of Survival
The significance of the MBI becomes especially clear when considering the circumstances that qualify someone to receive one.
Military aviation remains inherently dangerous, even with modern technology. In one widely reported incident, four crew members were forced to eject after two Boeing EA-18G Growlers collided during an air show in Idaho. Spectators watched in horror as the aircraft crashed, but all four aviators successfully escaped using their Martin-Baker ejection seats.
Stories like these highlight the extraordinary role Martin-Baker technology plays in saving lives. For those who have experienced an emergency ejection, the MBI is far more than a luxury watch. It is a symbol of survival, resilience, and a second chance.
The Bremont MBII: Inspired by the Original
Fortunately for watch enthusiasts, Bremont didn’t keep the entire Martin-Baker story locked away behind Tie Club membership.
To bring this legendary partnership to a wider audience, Bremont introduced the MBII, a watch inspired by the exclusive MBI but now available to the public.
The Bremont Altitude MBII captures much of what makes the original so compelling. Like the MBI, it features a robust 43mm case and aviation-focused design language, but substitutes the MBI’s exclusive red barrel for a striking orange barrel that gives the watch its own distinctive trait.
The version available at Feldmar Watch Company features a black dial with highly legible hands and hour markers coated in Super-LumiNova™, along with practical day and date displays. A domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal protects the dial, while Bremont’s automatic chronometer-certified movement delivers reliable performance with a 38-hour power reserve.
Built for versatility, the MBII offers 100 meters of water resistance and comes paired with both a calf leather strap and a Temple Island rubber strap, making it equally at home in everyday wear or outdoor adventures.
An Aviation Legend on the Wrist
The MBI may be one of the few watches in the world that money simply cannot buy. Yet its story is a testament to what makes Bremont unique among modern watchmakers: a commitment to creating purpose-built timepieces with genuine connections to aviation, engineering, and real-world performance.
While most of us will never qualify for membership in the Martin-Baker Tie Club, the Bremont MBII offers an opportunity to wear a watch inspired by one of the most fascinating partnerships in modern horology. It’s a connection to a legacy of innovation, precision, and survival—one that continues to resonate with pilots, collectors, and watch enthusiasts around the world.
Discover this and other amazing watches from Feldmar. Browse our online store or stop into our flagship location.
About The Author: Lindsay Lillig
