The Elliot Brown Beachmaster was inspired by the Royal Marines and engineered for those for whom ‘beach master’ is a real job, writes Mike Gormley.
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It’s a long time since I covered an Elliot Brown watch. The last was the Holton Professional, back in October 2020, which was accepted into the UK MoD as an issue watch for certain specialised users. This Beachmaster watch is a purpose-built Elliot Brown for those that operate on the beaches; and, of course, many others who like and need a hard-wearing professional-looking timepiece which can tell them when ‘Now!’ is the time.
I met Ian Elliot, co-founder of EB, at a trade event a good few years ago in the early years of the brand and have maintained contact ever since. I quickly gained an appreciation for the ethos of this small company who are based on the beachfront on a tributary of Poole Harbour, appropriately very close to a Royal Marines base. I immediately appreciated their designs and engineering capability and especially the enthusiasm for perfection in engineering. It shows as soon as you get one of their timepieces in your hand. It feels good and feels right and feels solid.
Since those early days EB now have an extensive range, moving on from when I first got to know them when they had just two models with some colour and strap options. Quite different now, but very similar, in that they concentrate on a very high level of engineering and finish, giving the end user something that will last and endure the rough and tumble of the lives that the expected owners are likely to have. For a start, the basic body of the watch is machined from a solid piece of 316L stainless steel and this includes the strap bars. The strap is secured by screw in pins. The back of the watch is made in a similar way and is fastened by six hexagonal bolts which compress the seal.
These are not ‘dress’ watches but user timepieces, evolved to do a job in as tough an environment as the operators have to carry on their lives in. This said, an EB will definitely not look out of place when the owner is dressed up and looking smart in mess dress or a business suit. Since my early Elliot Brown watches there have been many other variations added to the line-up; perhaps not specifically new models but changes in look and colours offered along with a whole variety of strap options; often subtly and specifically adapted to the select group of end users and some bespoke with logos and insignia often subtly placed.
So, moving on to the now. Not long ago I came to know about the Beachmaster which immediately took me back to interesting times in interesting places where the beach master was someone to take notice of. As many readers will know, the beachmaster’s job is mostly undertaken in the harshest of environments, so a watch bearing this name should have to be able to deal with this as well and be well-suited to the task. Timing will often be crucial. A means to note critical times on the time piece is not only handy, but important. For me it is a case of showing me the high and low tide times when I am planning to be out on the water and ensuring I don’t get caught out as the tide drops on returning to our local harbour.
This watch has several subtle but very useful features. The rotating bezel is a feature I love and has great ‘feel’ for its 120 clicks to give a 360 degree rotation; this can only go one way so you may inadvertently be early, but critically, never late! The principal marker is large and red, and Super-LumiNova markings assist vision at night.
The Beachmaster has another internal bezel operated by a ‘hob nailed knurled crown’ knob, so crucially unlikely to be inadvertently moved. This feature, or ‘complication’ in watch speak, is truly Elliot Brown and in fact carries its own patent. This can be moved in either direction for ease of setting and adjustment on the go. This works the same way as the outer bezel but has an H (for H-hour and another reference to this watch’s amphibious assault background) and other timer markings. The inner bezel also has subtle detents with notable ‘clicks’ to aid the user to get it just right and to help keep it set. There is a danger that this can become a ‘doodle device’ in quiet moments but NOT around H-hour on an op! The scale gives 30-minute segments up to 12 hours ahead and also countdown over the next 12 hours. This can be used with both the minute hand and the 24-hour hand. Another very relevant somewhat subtle aesthetic feature is the Amphibious Assault Wave logo dating back to the WW2 D-Day Landings, which appears on both the face and the back of this watch.
The second ‘hob nailed knurled crown’, which can be screwed in to fully lock and make it watertight, as it penetrates deeper into the works of the watch, is to make time adjustments to the hands. This for both the principal hands and also, and independently, the dual pointer hand. This can be to show the 24 hour mode but also can independently show dual zone time; perhaps Zulu and Local.
The strap is made from durable black textured rubber which feels good and in EB tradition of making their designs appropriate, it has a rope design embossed on the inner surface to improve grip. The basic rubber strap has a metal closure which opens sufficiently to pass over the hand but not fall off. The strap can be adjusted by use of pins and if this is not enough there are marked segments so you can cut off 5mm sections from either side as required.
The Beachmaster I have is powered by a battery and is said to last up to three years; I can’t verify this as not had it long enough. Watch this space in a few years perhaps? Others in the range are automatic with Sellita SW330-2 movement. The movement of the watch is Swiss made quartz high performance. This is protected by a shock absorbent mounting. The Beachmaster is, of course, waterproof and capable of going down to 1000 feet or 300 metres. Not tested by me, but each watch is individually tested after assembly to make sure it is compliant.
The base colour of my trials sample is an appropriate matt black although the model is the NIVO and therefore indicates it also has some very useful colouring to make it easier to read and in my view, look good. There is also the aptly named Blackout version, but there are others in the range if you don’t need to be quite so discrete. With an Elliot Brown you have a lot of well thought out and specifically model-appropriate features. All the feature graphics on this watch have a meaning and relevance to the target end user. Arguably the best of the EB Range to date in my view.
[images © Mike or Jean Gormley unless noted]
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