The new Fears Redcliff 39.5mm Watches

The new Fears Redcliffe watches reintroduce the sporty, classic and round profile that fans have been missing since 2020.

It was the first watch in 40 years.

It marked the reopening of the British brand, Fears.

It was the Redcliffe Quartz.

Back in 2016, Nicholas Bowman-Scargill relaunched his family’s watchmaking business, Fears - one of the oldest in Britain. He did it with the Redcliffe Quartz watch. Fans loved the appeal of the Redcliffe and its easy-to-wear design. Then, in 2020, Fears discontinued the model, all except for the Edwin Edition – a limited edition quartz model that launched just last year to celebrate the birthday of the company’s founder. Since the discontinuation of the line, Fears collectors have been left without the simple round, sporty concept that they had all come to know and love. A complete fan favourite. That was, until now.

The difference here is that the new Fears Redcliffe watches are now outfitted with an automatic movement as opposed to the former quartz movement. The engine, developed and supplied by La Joux-Perret, fits into a 39.5mm stainless steel case in four different colours. To enjoy this classic sporty timepiece, you get to choose from Cherry Red, Raven Black, Pewter Grey, and Mallard Green. If the names of those colours aren’t appealing enough, we should perhaps delve into some more features.

There Was Nothing Else Like the Redcliff

The decision to discontinue the Redcliff watch back in 2020 was a big deal. It left the band’s catalogue with no alternative to the classic rounded case design. For a modern luxury watchmaker, that’s practically unheard of. I mean, you could choose from the cushion-shaped Brunswick watch, available in a 38mm or 40mm diameter, or you could elect the Garrick as your daily beater, but that was no ordinary straight-forward watch either. It featured a large opening at 6 o’clock, revealing the mechanism’s free spring balance from within the case. So, as you can imagine, the release of the new Redcliffe family of watches by Fears to mark Spring 2024 has been eagerly anticipated, to say the least.

Redcliffe Modifications

The new Fears Redcliffe 39.5mm watch reimagines the classic collectable in the sportiest version of itself yet. Its idea, however, didn’t come overnight. Shortly after the world went into lockdown, Fears decided to relocate its headquarters to Bristol – the same location where it had been founded 175 years earlier. Here, the redesigning of the Redcliffe began. It went through two entire makeovers until its final design was settled on this year. One of the main differences in the case design is its growth from a former 38mm diameter to a slightly larger 39.5mm.

What we could see from its initial launch last week and by admiring the press shots made available by the brand, was that the design has mass appeal. It’s also likely to be worn easily. Another slight alteration to the design is that it now bears a slightly wider bezel. Oh, and one last thing, instead of the entire case being polished, Fears specialists have executed the main body in a fully brushed finish as well as the lugs. This donates a sportier look to the timepiece.

The Other Details

The new Fears Redcliff 39.5mm watches measure a height of 9.95mm on the wrist and have been equipped with a water-resistant rating of 150 meters. If you didn’t already know, this is the same water resistance given to the popular Brunswick 40 line bringing them all up to speed. The new models also come with a two-piece nylon strap in black and grey. The strap is lined with Alcantara leather and attaches to the wrist with a stainless steel pin buckle fastening. In addition to this, each model also comes with a three-link stainless steel bracelet with links finished in a mix of brushed and polished effects. A fold-over clasp with a micro-adjustment mechanism makes these watches super user-friendly. One of the nicest and most secretive of details in these watches is the red and green Bristol flower decoration adorned to the surface of the inside of the clasp.

Upon an overall inspection of the watch, it becomes clear that this is Fear’s boldest step towards “sporty” yet. The newly redesigned Fears Redcliffe 39mm watch is slim and classic and just makes sense. The Pewter Grey, Cherry Red and Raven Black are the three core models. The Pewter Grey has a vertical brushed dial finish. Pops of colour also afford some contrast to its design. These features aren’t shared with the sunburst Cherry Red and Raven Black models. The grey dial features an electric blue second hand and black gold hour and minute hands to match the indices. All three models, however, share a grooved chapter ring and all have colour-matched date windows at 3 o’clock. Fears designers have replaced the pipette-shaped hour markers, instead equipping the dial with traditional baton markers. That said, the designs keep the recognisable Fears hands.

The fourth release from this slew of new Redcliff models comes in the form of two non-limited iterations. The first is a Mallard Green model with an indigo two-piece strap. The second is an Onyx model with a stone dial that gives the timepiece a dressier look. The watch also features a polished case finish, elevating the design further.

Inside the new Fears Redcliffe 39.5mm watch is the Swiss automatic La Joux-Perret G100 Calibre. It replaces the former quartz movement with 28,800 oscillations per hour and a power reserve, once fully wound, of 68 hours. Although the movement has decorative striping and blued screws, the engine is concealed behind a closed caseback. In addition to this, the movement also features a Bristol flower-decorated custom rotor that matches the inside of the bracelet clasp.

Once you have the chance to handle the new Redcliffe 39.5mm watch from Fears, you can fully appreciate the niche changes the brand has implemented into this already-popular mode.  It’s great to have the watch back in the brand’s catalogue, and the sports accents only add further appeal to the design. Get this watch now by contacting our Jura Watches sales team on 01335 453453 or email us at help@jurawatches.co.uk.