Bremont’s latest creation, formally known as the Altitude MB Meteor Felix the Cat, is a blacked-out take on the brand’s signature Pilot’s watch, featuring the large-eyed, pointy-eared Felix, that wonderful, wonderful cat.

Bremont Altitude MB Meteor Felix the Cat

It should come as no surprise that lovers of fine watchmaking have a penchant for quirky little cartoon guys on their dials, but the relationship between the British tool-watch brand and the venerable Felix, who was created in 1919, makes a surprising amount of sense. But to get there, we need to talk about the United States Navy.

Specifically, we need to talk about VF-3, a carrier-based fighter squadron that fought at the Battle of Midway in the Pacific, which used Felix the Cat as a squadron mascot — an iconographic legacy that continues today with VFA-31, known as the Tomcatters. Operating under the callsign ‘Felix’, and with a distinctive black-and-yellow insignia of a running Felix the Cat, carrying a suitably cartoonish bomb with a lit fuse. As is so often the case with military aviation symbols, the visual strength of the symbol is matched only by the historical significance of the planes and pilots that have flown with Felix on their shoulders.

A black-and-yellow insignia of a running Felix the Cat, carrying a suitably cartoonish bomb with a lit fuse

Bremont aficionados should be able to guess where the story goes next. Bremont is an incredibly popular choice when it comes to squadron watches — thanks in no small part to the brand’s credibility with actual pilots. So it’s no huge surprise that Bremont’s Military and Special Projects division has worked with the Tomcatters to create a squadron watch — a quick Google will reveal a very cool MBIII with the Fighting 31 Felix insignia on the dial. Of course, short of becoming a military aviator, getting your hands on a squadron watch is a tough ask, which is where the Altitude MB Meteor Felix the Cat bridges the gap.

The black titanium case and matching vertically brushed dial

The black and yellow colour scheme of this MB Meteor, with a black titanium case and matching vertically brushed dial, forms the perfect backdrop, and the white numerals, with bright yellow minute hash marks, make sure this isn’t one of those blacked-out watches that is impossible to read. it’s also impossbile to miss — but that’s mostly due to Felix at the bottom of the dial, a clear homage to the Tomcatters insignia, this version has swapped out his ordinance, and is instead making off with the applied six, a bit of design that is both whimsical and a nice nod to the military jargon of ‘watching your six’, or having your back. There’s no doubt that this 42mm watch will have the wearer’s back, thanks to 100M of water resistance, the solid BB14-AH movement and Bremont’s famous anti-shock mount and Trip-Tick case construction.

An open case-back with Felix the Cat-inspired decoration revealing the BB14-AH movement

Marrying the worlds of horology and cartoons can be a delicate line to walk, and can be risky. But when done well, it can result in some real magic, and I think that’s what Bremont has done here. Not only is it a watch with plenty of charm and a dash of whimsy, but it’s also one that is authentically on-brand for Bremont, and it has strong military ties.

Bremont Altitude MB Meteor Felix the Cat on the wrist

Tech Specs: Bremont Altitude MB Meteor Felix the Cat

Movement BB14-AH, automatic with 68 hours of power reserve
Functions Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Case Black DLC_coated titanium, 42 x 12.23mm, water-resistant to 100M
Dial Black
Strap Black DLC-coated titanium bracelet or black rubber and leather
Price and availability  USD 6850 on bracelet, 6450 on strap, limited to 500 pieces