Giles English on slimming down Bremont's timepieces

Our new 40mm-diameter case was a direct response to customer requests that we'd had for a long time. The reason we haven't done it before now is because with our watches there are a number of factors we design around, for example the movement and depth. For our 500m diving watch we actually tested up to almost 1,400m, and so when you’re doing that your case has to be a lot thicker. You also need to account for the helium escape valve and all of the different technical aspects. But we wanted a diving watch that's a crossover; you could wear it as a sports watch but you could also wear it with your suit without adding extra bulk.

I think the reason our customers wanted a 40mm is because a lot of our demographic have been buying vintage over the years and are used to small watches. When we polled our database we got 5,000 responses back with "when are you going to do a 40 mm watch?" as the most common theme. As watch designers, we want something for everyone and we don't want someone to say "look, I really love the look of that watch but it's a little too big for me". And I think tastes have changed and the days of the 45mm standard watch are becoming rarer.

We’ve got three Supermarine Type 300s – '300' is obviously the 300-metre depth and 'Type 300' comes from the name of the first supermarine spitfire, which was called the Type 300 before they called it a spitfire. We also have our new AIRCO collection – a modern take on the classic aviation watch. The orange hand came from a military project we did and we changed the whole case shape for a slightly more classic look.

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What's really remarkable is the notable difference when it comes to the feel. Suddenly, if you're used to a 43mm watch when you hold the 40mm you can feel it, even though it's only 3mm difference.

The appeal of this style is the versatility and the fact that people can wear it in a more discrete way. With 45mm-plus you're making a massive statement and it's quite a frustrating thing to wear as it can get stuck on your sleeves, for example. I think the desire to make that big statement has gone away. If you're using it for a purpose then that's different, but for day-to-day wear people want a well-designed sports diver that can be worn with a suit or on the weekend. All of the collection is under £3,000. For that price you don’t get a much better watch out there on the market. And we know that.

GILES ENGLISH, along with his brother Nick, is the co-founder of Bremont, which is dedicated to bringing British watchmaking back to the fore; bremont.com