s the watch industry searches for new narratives capable of captivating collectors, Bremont is looking to space exploration. The British brand has partnered with Astrolab, whose FLIP rover is due to be deployed near the Moon’s South Pole as part of an upcoming lunar mission expected to take place by the end of the year. A Bremont Supernova Chronograph will travel with it – and remain on our satellite, some 384,400 kilometres from Earth.

According to Davide Cerrato, the project is a natural continuation of Bremont’s history, which was built around tool watches designed for the most extreme environments. Since taking the helm of the brand in 2023, the executive has also been shaping a broader strategy: maintaining an accessible position within the premium segment, investing for the long term thanks to Bremont’s independence, and focusing on meaningful projects rather than simply moving further upmarket.

Europa Star: A Bremont watch will be travelling aboard Astrolab’s rover, which is due to land near the Moon’s South Pole. How did this partnership come about?

Davide Cerrato: There was certainly an element of luck, but also a great deal of intuition. The Artemis mission was delayed, which created a window of opportunity. Since the beginning of the year, with initiatives such as the Jumping Hour and the return of Felix the Cat, we felt the time had come to inject some excitement and tell powerful stories. Today, that momentum is taking us into space.

When we met the Astrolab team a year ago, I immediately realised that we shared the same vision. They bring together veterans of NASA and major space companies around an ambitious goal: advancing humanity by laying the groundwork for a sustainable presence on the Moon. Part of their mission is to explore the lunar South Pole, where we know water exists in the form of ice. This is an essential resource, as it can provide drinking water, oxygen and hydrogen – the very building blocks of life and of future space missions.

On a personal level, what does this mission mean to you?

I was born in 1970. I grew up with the dream of space exploration. After Apollo, that enthusiasm faded, but today it is being rekindled. It is incredibly inspiring to be able to play a part in it, however modest our contribution may be.

The rover will be operated from Earth, with support from Astrobotic. It will function for one lunar day, equivalent to around fourteen Earth days of daylight. This will be followed by a fourteen-day lunar night, when temperatures become extremely low. We still do not know whether it will be able to restart after this period of hibernation. During its mission, it will collect scientific data, particularly on lunar dust, before remaining there… together with our watch, the Supernova Chronograph.

What does this represent for Bremont?

For Bremont, it is an extremely powerful symbol. British watchmaking was born to accompany great expeditions; today, we are accompanying a new form of exploration. Since its creation, Bremont has designed tool watches intended to function in the most demanding environments. This mission gives us the opportunity to demonstrate that philosophy under even more extreme conditions, with temperatures potentially ranging from below -200°C to above 200°C.

This watch is not a unique prototype. It is a model our customers will be able to buy. It features our five-part case architecture, with eight through-screws and a caseback with a highly futuristic design. We have also worked with particularly resilient materials, including 904L steel and a specially adapted Super-LumiNova. The project perfectly illustrates our determination to push the limits of durability.

After a long career in Swiss watchmaking, what made you want to cross the Channel and join Bremont?

What has always attracted me are companies with a strong identity and significant untapped potential. Watchmaking is an industry where history, product and emotion come together, but it is also a sector in which there is still room to bring a different perspective.

Bremont is precisely in that position. It is an independent brand with an authentic story, genuine technical legitimacy and a very strong British identity. We are still a challenger, and that is what makes the task so exciting. My role is to unlock that potential over the long term without losing what defines the brand’s DNA.

In your view, should Bremont follow the broader market trend towards moving upmarket, or should it instead seek to broaden its customer base?

I don’t think we have to choose between the two strategies. We can do both. We made an important decision: despite the economic environment, we have not increased our prices. The weakness of the dollar helps us, but above all we chose to invest in the brand by accepting lower margins rather than passing higher costs on to our customers.

Our new watch connected to the lunar mission represents the technological pinnacle of our collection, priced at £6,950 on a rubber strap and £7,200 on a steel bracelet. But the core of our range remains firmly positioned between £2,500 and £6,500. At the same time, the specialised-watch segment between £5,000 and £10,000 is particularly dynamic. With our four main product families, we are able to cover this entire market in a coherent way.

Being an independent watch company is a genuine advantage. With the support of Bill Ackman and our shareholders, we are able to invest with a long-term perspective. We can develop ambitious projects such as this partnership with Astrolab without being constrained by the need to deliver immediate results.