Bronze, an old material that keeps coming back – the Pembroke from Shoreham

Stainless steel is definitely the best material for watches, is strong and easier to machine than titanium, a bit heavier but we like that, it shines like white gold but is cheaper (we also like that) and is corrosion resistance, practically, there is not a single use case for another material that can tick as many boxes as steel and then, this is a hobby that is known for being irrational, hence bronze made a comeback in the last 10 years. Copper is the oldest metal in the world, and we combined it with tin to produce our lovely bronze, simple but it really shines, at least for a while. Bronze is a soft material, and it also tarnishes, so why did we start to use it in watches? Let us remember that this is luxury industry, and it wants only the best for the sake of it. Well, the truth is that this reddish-brown alloy has a trick under its sleeve, it ages in a unique pattern as you expose it with the elements, as the marketing geniuses at Tudor call it: ‘’Bronze is a living metal’’. At first, I rolled my eyes like everyone but even if you don’t like how it will look after a couple of months, you must admit that it is different, no one will mistake a bronze watch with a Rolex Date Just. All of this brings us to the Pembroke from Shoreham, a bronze field watch that is ready to do anything, easy to wear due to its size but with presence, the Pembroke has one of the most beautiful dials I’ve seen at this price range. As part of the British Watch and Clockmakers alliance, Shoreham benefits from the knowhow of other British companies, we are looking into to cover them more and more because for me, here is where the real value lies, no big marketing budgets, they let the product speak for itself, let’s begin.

The specifications

At 39mm you already know that the Pembroke is a great piece to wear daily, it fits my 6.25-inch wrist to perfection, the lug-to-lug spam is 50mm with might scare some but fear not, it gives good presence without going to far. The CuSn8 case has some lovely details like bevelled edges on the lugs which really give an air of sophistication, an onion crown that looks straight from a pilots watch and the dial, the dial is for me the star of the show. A chocolate almost red gradient surface adorned with California aged markers, you don’t have to look at the picture to imagine something warm, something delicious. The pointy hands extend to the edge of the chapter ring and the gilt lettering completes the face of the Pembroke. A date window is placed at 3, it contrasts nicely, and it mirrors the marker at 9, all seems in place. Powering the watch, we have a reliable Seiko NH35A with a custom rotor, just what you need for an everyday adventure, available to see from the case back.

On the wrist

The watch has a couple of tricks on its sleeve or in this case the box. The Pembroke comes with not 2 but 3 straps with quick release, easy to change the whole look of the watch, a green Panerai style padded leather piece to look more dressier, a chestnut rubber strap for those summer days, but my favourite is the canvas beige, it is so comfortable and pairs so well with the watch that I must get one of these for myself. The watch is extremely legible as the contrast is good, the markers have SuperLuminova applied and glow nicely when the dark comes around, and the date window disappear when you don’t need it. The Shoreham is a watch that feels good when you travel, it’s an adventure piece.

Conclusions:

I really enjoyed my time with the Pembrooke, it was a breath of freshness in this complicated world of watches, easy to wear and no compromises. The bronze case feels warm and pairs nicely with anything you want to wear, sure it feels like a tool watch but that rose tone really shines when a more causal occasion is required, make sure you follow Shoreham, I am sure the upcoming offers will have details as beautiful as this Pembrooke has.

More information at www.shorehamwatches.com

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