Breitling Archives - Revolution Watch

Breitling and Charlize Theron celebrate the release of new Navitimer models in 36 and 32mm

Felix Scholz — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 03:00:51 +0000

Breitling and Charlize Theron celebrate the release of new Navitimer models in 36 and 32mm

News

Sep 7, 2023

A jewel-like take on the iconic design

The new Breitling Navitimer 36 and 32mm

Initially created in 1952 as a utilitarian tool for pilots, the Breitling Navitimer has, over the last 70 years, become one of the truly iconic watch designs. It’s also, like all icons, evolved beyond its original mandate into something more. The new Navitimer models in 36 and 32mm are a great example of this.

Breitling Navitimer 32_Ref. A77320D91K1A1

Breitling has just unveiled a swathe of new smaller-sized models made with women’s wrists in mind. To go along with the release, Breitling has enlisted the power of Charlize Theron in a brand new campaign — NAVITIMER – FOR THE JOURNEY — as part of an intimate series told by Breitling’s brand ambassadors in their own words. Theron, the face of the new Navitimer 36 and 32 models, explains, “My journey has been about learning that I’m braver than I think I am,” says Theron. “I don’t want to take a role that doesn’t keep me up at night or leave me sitting in my trailer panicked an hour before I have to go out and perform. That’s the beauty of this path I’m on: the unknown. It’s that one day you get a call that changes your whole life.”

The new Breitling Navitimer Automatic 36

Breitling Navitimer Automatic 36_Ref. A17327361L1P1

Breitling has released five versions of the new Navitimer Automatic 36, three in steel, one bi-metal and one in full gold. Size-wise, we’re obviously talking about a 36mm case, and it sits 11.42mm high on the wrist, and the movement in question is the Breitling Caliber 17, their version of the iconic 2824.

Breitling Navitimer Automatic 36_Ref. A17327361L1P1, Ref. A17327361L1A1

The steel models come in mint green, silver or anthracite options, with a matching strap option or the instantly recognisable seven-link bracelet that is synonymous with the Navitimer.

Breitling Navitimer Automatic 36_Ref. A17327211G1P1, Ref.A17327211G1A1

Breitling Navitimer Automatic 36_Ref. A17327381B1P1, Ref. A17327381B1A1

The two-tone model is (obviously) cased in steel and red gold — it’s offered on leather too, but really, you want this watch on the bi-metal bracelet. The bezel is also in red gold, and the dial is mother-of-pearl with lab-grown diamonds. Finally, the full gold model is cased in 18 k red gold, which is made with traceable gold from Swiss Better Gold Association accredited mines. The dial, like the two-tone, is mother-of-pearl and grown diamonds.

Breitling Navitimer Automatic 36_Ref. U17327211A1P1, Ref.U17327211A1U1

Breitling Navitimer 32_Ref. U77320E61A1U1_RGB

The new Breitling Navitimer Automatic 32

Much like the slightly larger 36, the new Navitimer Automatic 32 offers a stripped-back version of the classic chronograph. Here the slide rule has been omitted, a concession to the petite case dimensions. Additionally, this watch is powered by a quartz calibre. Aside from that, there are plenty of distinguishing Breitling features at play: the coin-edge bezel, the bracelet, the handset. In steel, we’re treated to three new variants, all with mother-of-pearl dials. One is plain white, but the standouts are the soft blue and dusky pink numbers. No matter which color you prefer, lab-grown diamonds will play a part.

Breitling Navitimer 32_Ref. A77320D91K1A1

Breitling Navitimer 32_Ref. A77320D91K1A1, Ref. A77320D91K1P1

Breitling Navitimer 32_Ref. A77320171C1P1, Ref. A77320171C1A1

There are also precious options: a two-tone model with a white dial offered on a bracelet or leather strap, as well as a solid gold number. As with the larger version, all the precious metal is Swiss Better Gold Association accredited.

Breitling Navitimer Automatic 36

Movement: Breitling Caliber 17, automatic

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds

Case: 36 x 11.42mm, steel

Dial: Mint green, silver or anthracite, White mother-of-pearl with lab-grown diamonds on bi-metal version

Strap: Steel bracelet, steel and gold bracelet (for the bi-metal watch) or color-matched alligator leather

Breitling Navitimer Automatic 36 Origins

Movement: Breitling Caliber 17, automatic

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds

Case: 36 x 11.42mm, red gold made with traceable gold from Swiss Better Gold Association accredited mines

Dial: White mother-of-pearl with lab-grown diamonds

Strap: 18 k red gold bracelet or brown alligator leather

Breitling Navitimer 32

Movement: Breitling Caliber 77, quartz

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds

Case: 32 x 8mm, stainless steel, one version in steel and red gold

Dial: Pink, white or light-blue mother-of-pearl with lab-grown diamonds

Strap: Steel bracelet, steel and gold bracelet (for the bi-metal watch) or color-matched alligator leather

Breitling Navitimer 32 Origins

Movement: Breitling Caliber 77, quartz

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds

Case: 32 x 8mm, red gold made with traceable gold from Swiss Better Gold Association accredited mines

Dial: White mother-of-pearl with lab-grown diamonds

Strap: 18 k red gold bracelet or brown alligator leather

News

By Andre Frois

Introducing Breitling Classic AVI collection, now in a 42mm case

May 30, 2023

Reference

By Felix Scholz

Breitling: A Perfect Premier

May 19, 2023 15 minutes

Breitling

By Felix Scholz

Breitling’s Top Time Classic Cars Are Ready to Race

Apr 26, 2023

Breitling

By Revolution

In Conversation with Georges Kern: The Success Story of Breitling

Apr 26, 2023

Ele Series

By Revolution

The Ele Series: Meeting Morgan King Part II

Apr 14, 2023

FEATURED FROM THE SHOP

Bell & Ross

Bell & Ross x Alessandro Palazzi x Revolution & The Rake Bellytanker Chronograph "Vesper"

$5,250.00

TECH SPECS

Movement	Self-winding caliber BR.CAL-301; 42-hour power reserve
Functions	Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph and date
Case	41mm; CuAI7Si2 bronze; water resistant to 100m
Dial	Sunray brushed with applied, gold-plated indices
Strap	Black calfskin; satin polished bronze folding clasp
Limited Edition	Limited edition of 50 pieces

The post Breitling and Charlize Theron celebrate the release of new Navitimer models in 36 and 32mm appeared first on Revolution Watch.

Introducing Breitling Classic AVI collection, now in a 42mm case

Andre Frois — Tue, 30 May 2023 09:00:03 +0000

Introducing Breitling Classic AVI collection, now in a 42mm case

Inspired by iconic airplanes, the Classic AVI is cleared for take-off.

News

By Andre Frois

May 30, 2023

We live in exciting times. Since German-Swiss businessman Georges Kern purchased Breitling S.A. in 2017, he has grown the company’s value from CHF 800 million to purportedly CHF 4.5 billion. Founded by Léon Breitling in 1884, Breitling in recent years had relied heavily on professional icons like the Navitimer, SuperOcean and Avenger. Breitling has been thoroughly revamped by Kern, who scoured Breitling’s archives to revive historic collections like the Premier and Top Time. These arrived in vibrant colors that evoke classic cars and planes, replete with vintage-inspired details.

The shift to enticing retro-inspired timepieces is something everyone seems to enjoy. Breitling is more attentive than ever to what the modern luxury consumer wants, and is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the original 1953 Ref. 765 AVI Co-Pilot with the new Classic AVI Chronograph 42 watches, Super AVI B04 Chronograph GMT 46 Mosquito Night Figther, and the 41mm AVI REF. 765 1964 Re-Edition.

In the 1930s, Breitling also had the Huit Aviation Department that made cockpit clocks and wrist chronographs for aeronautical explorers. The fruit of Breitling’s continual invention and advancement was the Ref. 765 AVI Co-Pilot of 1953, a very advanced wrist instrument of its era that had a rotating 12- hour bezel for recording flight times and quickly earned the nickname “Co-Pilot” because of its usefulness.

From left: A 1953 original next to the new Breitling AVI Ref. 765 1953 Re-Edition

In 2023, the achievements of the 1953 Co-Pilot are fêted by new chronograph timepieces that sport colorways and designs themed on four legendary aircraft, smaller versions of the 46mm models which debuted in 2021. The legendary aircraft in question are: the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang (black dial and gold brown strap), the Vought F4U Corsair (blue dial with black strap), the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk (khaki dial with brown strap), and the De Havilland Mosquito (black dial with black ceramic bezel on brown strap). The silhouette of each airplane is inscribed onto the case back of each respective watch, and each watch’s leather strap can be swapped out for a five-row metal bracelet.

Four legendary planes

Among these airplanes, the De Havilland Mosquito is starkly different as it was made out of wood. During aluminum and steel shortages caused by war and economic depression, engineers chose to build the Mosquito out of wood, which unexpectedly resulted in this lightweight plane achieving astounding air speeds.

As it outperformed many other planes built in the 1940s and ’50s, the Mosquito would be modified into a light bomber, a transport and a photographic reconnaissance plane, including the Super AVI Mosquito Night Fighter, which was an all-black two-seater stealth craft. This legend inspired a new release – the Super AVI B04 Chronograph GMT 46 Mosquito Night Fighter, a black ceramic watch that is driven by the automatic Breitling Manufacture Caliber B04 and is accentuated by blue Super-LumiNova details.

Super AVI B04 Chronograph GMT 46 Mosquito Night Fighter

Breitling has also unveiled a 41mm AVI REF. 765 1964 re-edition, which is powered by a manually wound Breitling Manufacture Caliber B09 with a 70-hour power reserve, and juxtaposes a black dial with white chronograph counters.

AVI REF. 765 1964 Re-edition

Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling says, “People love the sturdy, understated look of the Super AVI, but not everyone has the wrist to pull off the extra-large size that gives it its authentic tool-watch feel. The Classic AVI trades some functions to achieve the pared-down format our customers have been asking for. The Classic and Super models will now live side by side, providing more choice.”

Breitling Classic AVI Collections

Tech Specs

Classic AVI Chronograph 42 P-51 Mustang

References: A233803A1B1A1; A233803A1B1X1 (steel models); R233801A1B1R1; R233801A1B1X1 (red gold models)
Movement: Self-winding Breitling Caliber 23; approximately 48-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and chronograph
Case: 42mm; steel or 18k red gold; water resistant to 100m
Dial: Black with chronograph counters (tone-on-tone or black contrasting); with green-emitting or blue-emitting Super-LumiNova numerals, indexes and hands
Strap:Gold brown or black pilot-inspired calfskin leather and folding buckle or five-row bracelet (steel or red gold) with butterfly clasp

Classic AVI Chronograph 42 Tribute to Vought F4U Corsair

References: A233801A1C1A1; A233801A1C1X1
Movement: Self-winding Breitling Caliber 23; approximately 48-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and chronograph
Case: 42mm; steel; water resistant to 100m
Dial: Blue with tone-on-tone chronograph counters; with blue-emitting Super-LumiNova numerals, indexes and hands
Strap: Black pilot-inspired calfskin leather and folding buckle or five-row stainless steel bracelet with butterfly clasp

Classic AVI Chronograph 42 Curtiss Warhawk

References: A233801A1C1A1; A233801A1C1X1
Movement: Self-winding Breitling Caliber 23; approximately 48-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and chronograph
Case: 42mm; steel; water resistant to 100m
Dial: Military green with white contrasting chronograph counters; with green-emitting Super-LumiNova numerals, indexes and hands
Strap: Brown pilot-inspired calfskin leather and folding buckle or five-row stainless steel bracelet with butterfly clasp

Classic AVI Chronograph 42 Mosquito

References: Y233801A1B1A1; Y233801A1B1X1
Movement: Self-winding Breitling Caliber 23; approximately 48-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and chronograph
Case: 42mm; steel; water resistant to 100m
Dial: Black with white contrasting chronograph counters; with blue-emitting Super-LumiNova numerals, indexes and hands
Strap: Brown pilot-inspired calfskin leather and folding buckle or five-row stainless steel bracelet with butterfly clasp

Super AVI B04 Chronograph GMT 46 Mosquito Night Fighter

References: SB04451A1B1X1
Movement: Self-winding Breitling Manufacture Caliber B04; approximately 70-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and chronograph
Case: 46mm; black ceramic; water resistant to 100m
Dial: Black with anthracite contrasting chronograph counters; with blue-emitting Super-LumiNova numerals, indexes and hands
Strap: Black military calfskin leather with titanium folding clasp

AVI REF. 765 1964 Re-edition

References: AB09451A1B1X1
Movement: Manual winding Breitling Manufacture Caliber B09; approximately 70-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and chronograph
Case: 41mm; steel; water resistant to 30m
Dial: Black with white contrasting chronograph counters; with Super-LumiNova numerals, hour, and minute hands
Strap: Black vintage-inspired leather with pin buckle

Reference

By Felix Scholz

Breitling: A Perfect Premier

May 19, 2023 15 minutes

Breitling

By Felix Scholz

Breitling’s Top Time Classic Cars Are Ready to Race

Apr 26, 2023

Breitling

By Revolution

In Conversation with Georges Kern: The Success Story of Breitling

Apr 26, 2023

Breitling

By Felix Scholz

Impeccable Style Meets Purpose and Substance in the Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42

Mar 21, 2023

Breitling

By Barbara Palumbo

Rollin’ In the Deep: Breitling’s ‘Wheels and Waves’ Gets Us Back on Board(s) With A New SuperOcean

Jul 1, 2022

FROM THE SHOP

Sold Out

Angelus

ANGELUS x REVOLUTION CHRONODATE "ANGELS' SHARE"

$23,800.00

TECH SPECS

Movement	Self-winding caliber A-500; 60 hours power reserve
Functions	Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph and date
Case	42.5mm; titanium; water resistant to 30m
Dial	Salmon (6N gold plated) with gené or frosted area; Super-LumiNova filled Arabic numerals
Strap	Ballistic gray rubber; titanium folding clasp

The post Introducing Breitling Classic AVI collection, now in a 42mm case appeared first on Revolution Watch.

Breitling: A Perfect Premier

Felix Scholz — Fri, 19 May 2023 12:00:42 +0000

Breitling: A Perfect Premier

Impeccable style meets purpose and substance in the Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42.

Reference

By Felix Scholz

May 19, 2023 15 minutes

The origin of the Breitling Premier

Breitling is a brand that has been built, in its modern era at least, on a bedrock of tough, no-nonsense tool watches made with professionals in mind. But as a brand with nearly 140 years of history, there’s more to Breitling than fan favorites like the Navitimer and the Superocean. Within its archives, there’s also plenty of elegance to be found. In fact, you don’t need to look any further than the elegant Breitling Premier, which was unveiled earlier this year in an attractive six-pack, offered in a 42mm case and powered by the impressive Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01.

The history of the Premier goes back 80 years to 1943. But before we look at the storied past and bright future of this most prestigious chronograph, we need to lay the groundwork of why Breitling is so intrinsically linked with the chronograph.

An advertisement for the Breitling Premier from 1948

The early years of the Breitling Premier

While Breitling as a brand has a catalog full of distinctive, exceptional watches, if you had to distill the essence of the maker down to one word, it would be — chronographs. From its earliest days, Breitling has specialized. In 1884, Léon Breitling opened his first atelier in Saint-Imier, Switzerland and, in less than a decade, had turned it into a fully-fledged manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the ticking heart of the Swiss watch industry. Even at this time, Breitling had excelled at producing stopwatches and chronographs, developing patented innovations that set the tone for the future of the brand. In 1914, Léon’s son Gaston took the helm of the family firm, and with an eye on the world’s changing relationship with timekeepers, created one of the first chronographs worn on the wrist with an independent pusher at two o’clock. This feature allowed a more practical way of interacting with the complicated watch, and also minimized the risk of accidental actuation. The impetus for this innovation was the then newly emerging field of heavier-than-air flight, marking the first of Breitling’s many forays into the world of aviation.

However, Gaston Breitling’s tenure at the head of the company was relatively short — he passed away in 1927, leaving his young son, Willy Breitling, as the sole heir of the family business. In contrast, Willy would manage the company for more than 50 years, shepherding it from success to success. An early innovation from 1933, which Willy oversaw, was the addition of a second pusher at four o’clock, which separated the start/stop functionality (at two), from this new, dedicated reset function. This layout, formative in defining the modern chronograph both in terms of form and function, was but one reason why Willy Breitling and the brand he led are synonymous with this singular complication.

Willy Breitling, King of The Chronograph

A central figure in the story of Breitling — and the pivotal character in the origin of the Premier — is Willy Breitling. The third generation of the Breitling family to run the company, Willy’s tale is as remarkable as the man himself. He took over the reins of the family company at the tender age of 19. Breitling’s official brand historian and author of Premier Story — the definitive history of the collection — Fred Mandelbaum explains, “Willy Breitling was 13 years old when his father died. He was a boy in school. From family history, we see that for him it was clear what he would do. There was never a doubt that he would lead Breitling.

Breitling’s CEO at the age of 20

There was actually a law in Switzerland at the time that said that you cannot be the General Manager of a corporation before the age of 20. So he joined the company before his 19th birthday, took over management internally, and convinced his mother that he was ready. There are stories of him going through the books and discovering all kinds of shenanigans, and pushing out the General Manager whom his mother had employed, taking over the company when he was 19, and being officially registered as CEO on his 20th birthday.” Now, it would be reasonable to expect that someone of Willy’s age would lack the experience and skills typically associated with running a business, but in this particular instance, Willy confounded expectations, rapidly proving himself an effective and even visionary leader of his family brand. When it comes to Willy’s vision and direction for the company, Mandelbaum notes that in the early years of his tenure, there was a scarcity of documentation in terms of strategy or business direction. For the 1930s at least, the best measure of Willy’s effectiveness in the role was how well the business performed overall.

Breitling’s historian, Fred Mandelbaum

Breitling: The chronograph company

“Very shortly afterward, we see in an Austrian magazine, he lays out chronographs — you have to understand Breitling’s core positioning was always the chronograph — this is where the patents and innovations came from. It was a chronograph company. Back then, chronographs, like wristwatches in general, were a niche product. Men didn’t wear watches; men had waistcoats, and men laughed at wristwatches to begin with. Willy saw that the wristwatch had to win, and you see him looking at strategies as to why everyone would need a chronograph.

Kodak’s influence on Breitling’s strategy

This was in 1935. In an interview he looks at marketing, and cites the example of the Kodak Brownie camera, which was a mass-market, easy-to-use camera that changed the market completely. That was hugely important; photography for everyone was a game changer, and Willy cites this in an interview. He says we need to look at Kodak, we need to standardize a product, give it an appearance that people will want to win, and then we need to look at the pricing of course. He defined the ‘popular’ line, which brought people in, and then a high-end line that defined the brand. So he was 20 years old and had it all worked out: we’re going to define the form; we’re going to define a product line from entry-level to high-end; we’re going to specifically brand it; and we’re going to make sure — and this was in 1935, when nobody talked about it — that everyone will want a chronograph on his wrist.” Willy’s gamble on the chronograph paid off, as the market for these specialized timers boomed in the 1940s.

How to make chronograph watches desirable again?

The 1950s, however, saw the business of watches head in a different direction. Mandelbaum explained, “In the 1950s, the popularity of diving, speared on by Jacques Cousteau, led to a boom in dive watches. So everyone who ‘needed’ a chronograph in the ’40s now ‘needed’ a dive watch. Chronograph sales dropped dramatically.” But Willy had a plan. “Willy was the head of the association of chronograph manufacturers during the 1950s, and they put together hundreds of pages of strategy, market research, etc, looking at how to reposition the chronograph and make it sexy again. This is what happens in the early 1960s, with all the sports chronographs that we know and cherish today, like the Breitling Top Time. They actually all came out of that strategy paper where they defined a new marketing approach for chronographs. We see sales rising tenfold during the ’60s, with the craze where everybody needed a sports chronograph. This is all documented — he was very influential.”

From Purpose to Style with the sports chronograph

The seeds of the sports chronograph success that would sprout in the 1960s were planted decades earlier, in the early 1940s. The world in the ’40s was, of course, a world at war, and Breitling’s precision timekeepers and aviation chronographs were tools with a critical purpose, destined for use by the RAF and others. What’s perhaps startling then is that, during this time of conflict and confusion, Breitling was looking to the future, and saw that it looked bright. Willy Breitling sensed the war was ending, and, while the company was supporting the war effort, he was planning for peace. Mandelbaum describes how Willy’s sophisticated marketing sensibilities laid the groundwork for decades to come.

A range of contemporary colors ensure that the Premier feels fresh

The meaning behind the Breitling Premier name

“Willy was like a very gifted chess player, planning his moves 12 moves ahead. You see him designing technology, casing, appearance, etc., and then in the 1940s, he defines a marketing strategy. Each of the lines gets their own names, which was very unusual back then. Very few watchmakers, and none that covered multiple market segments, named their collections. So the first one to appear with its own family name on the dial was the Chronomat. Then the Duograph, the Datora and the Premier appeared concurrently during the years of 1943 and ’44. That 1943 is defined as the birth year of the Premier, is because this was when it got its name.” Mandelbaum goes on to explain, “The name came from what the watch is about. Willy didn’t mean for Premier to mean first; he meant it to be the best — like a Premier Cru wine. This was his concept of what Premier was. The best movements and the best functionality as the basis of course, along with the best quality assurance and using the best casemakers, the best dial makers, etc.

Heading to Hollywood with Paramount to market the Breitling Premier

Alongside this, with the launch of the Premier, you see the language of the companies’ positions (through advertising, etc,) dramatically change. Willy signed a contract with Paramount in Hollywood. Cesar Romero was the Latin heartthrob of the times, and he was signed for an advertising deal. You see hope as the core of his strategy. He knows the war; he feels it will end quite soon, so he repositions his watches into the civilian markets. The luxury, exuberance and optimism — those characteristics are what really make the Premier. It is a watch of hope and joie de vivre.”

The Breitling Premier ref. 765, ca. 1943 (left) and the Premier ref. 734 inspired the modern collection

Specialist suppliers helped Breitling in building a fantastic chronograph

It’s worth noting that while today Breitling’s in-house caliber 01 is amongst the best chronograph movements on the market, the landscape of the watch industry was dramatically different during Willy’s time. Breitling, like the rest of the industry, used a network of specialist suppliers, rather than producing them internally. For the Premier models, Breitling used nothing but the best. That’s true for the cases, and also for the calibers. At the time, the best were the movements made in Moutier, by a young company called Vénus SA. From 1937/38 onwards, Vénus assembled the caliber 170 for Breitling; the brand used it in their entry-level chronograph line. But for the Premier, it was the higher-specced Vénus calibers like the 175 and the 178. These movements were impressive for the time, with a column-wheel chronograph design, Incabloc shock protection and Breguet hairsprings. These calibers were legendary chronographs in their own right, and fitting powerhouses for the Premier.

The Legendary Premier watch

Born out of hope, the promise of those first Premier models paid off. Mandelbaum notes that measuring the success of specific models from 80 years ago is challenging, with the only real data available being production batches. But even based on this limited understanding, the numbers paint a picture. If you look at production batches of specific models, it starts in quantities of 100s and moved to batches of 2,000. From the early ’40s through to the mid- ’40s, production rose eightfold.

The reference 765 and 777

While the first wave of Breitling Premier chronographs was offered in a wide array of configurations and designs, a few specific references stand out to collectors. First, the twin references 765 and 777 must be mentioned. The former is a triple-register chronograph, in a 38.1mm case, powered by the Vénus 178 caliber that is notable for the long, slender and tapering lugs that came to define the Premier ‘look’. The 777 is the twin-register version of the same watch. Interestingly enough, these watches were developed prior to the Premier becoming an official collection in 1943, but they certainly lived up to the values of the name, and remained a staple of the lineup until the 1960s. Most ref. 765 models were cased in steel, and the rare fully-gold cased versions are exceptionally rare and highly sought after by collectors today.

The original designs, like this ref. 777 from 1945, were powered by manually wound calibers, like this Venus cal. 175

Breitling’s forgotten heritage

Speaking of collectors, Mandelbaum points out that in terms of communicating about their heritage and history, the brand has some catching up to do. “One of the problems that we hope to change, and we’re very open about it, is that Breitling neglected their heritage. There’s a lot of discussion about why the [Ernest] Schneider-era Breitling ignored the past. There’s a funny story — so Willy Breitling’s son, Gregory was living in Geneva and working for Harry Winston. Not even once did the Schneiders contact him. The first person to contact him was Georges Kern when he took over company management. Whatever the reason, for a long time Breitling ignored their heritage and did not support the collectors’ community. This led to something that I hope the book is going to change: a huge percentage of the Breitling Premier watches offered in the past were fake. It’s actually quite easy: you took a generic Swiss chronograph, produced a fake Breitling dial, and tried to sell it for more money. This has changed over the last few years, and the book will help even more, as there’s a collectors’ toolbox section that will allow you to immediately tell if a Breitling Premier is real or not.”

The Breitling Premier returns in 2018

Until only a few years ago, vintage was the only way for Breitling fans to get a Premier on their wrist. But that all changed in 2018, when the Premier made a triumphant return to the catalog and Breitling was once again in the business of dressy chronographs. This initial release was followed in 2021 by the Premier Heritage B09, a 40mm contemporary retro take on the classic, powered by the manually wound B09 movement and featuring a model with an especially striking pistachio dial. Sylvain Berneron is Breitling’s Creative Director, and he’s been involved with the Premier project since its earliest days. We caught up with Berneron, and got him to talk us through the process of updating an 80-year-old icon into a watch ready for the 21st century. “We originally drew the revamped collection based on the vintage pieces we had from the ’40s and ’50s,” he explained. “I’m responsible for the design team, so from the first sketch basically until we finalize the tooling and send the product into production.”

Breitling’s Creative Director, Sylvain Berneron; In 2021, the Brietling Premier B09 Chronograph 40 was released with a compelling pistachio dial

Community Feedback and inspiration

In 2018, only 12 months after Georges Kern assumed management of Breitling, they debuted the first evolution of the modern Premier, in 42mm chronographs and 40mm time-only and day-date versions. Berneron explained the response to this elegant debut: “The feedback we received in 2018 was really good. We had a lot of people reaching out and saying, ‘Oh thank you, this was such a long winter for us’. The only choice people who wanted this sort of watch had was to collect vintage examples, and now they can actually have one they can comfortably wear in daily life, and which offers the same aesthetics. It was a bold move. Growing a vintage design by three, four or five millimeters is not the easiest thing to do while retaining proportion and elegance.”Of course, while proponents of vintage watches might lament the increase in size of modern interpretations of classic designs — watch designers included — there’s usually a very good reason for it. Berneron explained: “To me it’s mainly the size of the pieces — in the vintage watches from the ’40s and ’50s they were mainly 36, 37 or 38mm cases. Movements were only manual wind, and the pieces were certainly not waterproof. Overall, the performance of the calibers was inferior to what we offer now (this might change in the future if the technology improves), but the biggest difference between the vintage and the modern versions is the size of the package. Because now we have automatic movements with longer power reserves that are way more precise, chronometry with waterproofness, and a screw-down caseback. We’ve added a whole host of modern attributes to the Premier that made the whole package grow — significantly. The minimum size we can offer these days is 40mm. These Premier pieces are 42mm because of the automatic winding system.” Of course, with a small size increase comes a whole range of contemporary improvements. Berneron goes into detail as to the elements of the new Premier models that really honor the spirit of the past. “Firstly, I think the overall proportions.

Capturing elegance as the main goal

We really wanted to capture the elegance and the finesse of these pieces. The goal was really targeted toward elegance and what I call ‘substance’ in terms of watchmaking. We have good movements, good case finishing and the same goes for the dial. We’ve done our homework with regard to the typography as well. We really reframed these designs to make sure they’re directly linked to Breitling’s heritage of the ’40s and ’50s, and I think we’ve managed that quite faithfully. The other side of the coin, compared to the vintage ones, is that you can wear these watches on a daily basis and not have to be worried. You have to be very careful with a 70- or 80-year-old watch. They’re not very versatile.”

In 2021 Breitling released a Premier B09 Chronograph 40 in stainless steel with a pistachio green dial, a Premier B15 Duograph 42 in 18k red gold with a black dial and a Premier B25 Datora 42 in stainless steel with a copper dial, contemporary takes on their 1940s ancestors

For Berneron, the appeal of the Breitling Premier is about more than it being an elegant chronograph reminiscent of a bygone era — it speaks of something more fundamental about Breitling, and about contemporary taste in watches. “For the last 10 years, we’ve seen an extreme domination of sports watches, and sporty integrated steel watches specifically. I think this has to do with modernity — we don’t have to be so formal these days, and we like to have one watch that can do it all. I understand that. But one specificity of Breitling that I like a lot is the width of its portfolio. We can make a gold Premier with a manually wound caliber, all the way up to a titanium Emergency, which is a professional device. This is, in my opinion, one of the main points of difference between Breitling and other watch brands; we really offer a wide spectrum, and it is very important for us to keep this legacy alive. At the moment we keep developing the Premier collection more for the love of the game than for commercial purposes. I might be dreaming, but I like to believe that the market operates like a pendulum. We’ve gone so far toward the integrated steel sports watch, and perhaps everyone has one in their collection — so perhaps we’ll see the return to slimmer pieces with more watchmaking substance involved.”

The Latest Additions

In red gold or steel, the opaline and black dials are the most classical expression of the Premier’s elegant aesthetic

There’s no doubting the substance of the latest members of the Premier collection. Eighty years after the initial debut of Breitling’s seminal chronograph, we’re treated to the latest incarnation: the Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42. The first flush of this elegant update is six new models, all powered by one impressive movement, the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01.

The new Premier models are powered by the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01

Debuting in 2009, this purpose-built, integrated chronograph caliber is one of the most well-respected chronograph calibers currently in production, built with reliability and robustness in mind. What’s more, the Caliber 01 has been subtly improved over the years. The latest iteration redesigned in 2022 is slimmer than ever before, thanks to the more compact oscillating weight. What’s more, every aspect of the movement has been subjected to Breitling’s grueling 16-year testing regime, which simulates a lifetime of shocks (approximately 60,000 500G impacts), crown wear (more than 100,000 winds), chronograph pusher testing (approximately 5,840 starts, stops and resets), as well as testing the reliability of the weight itself (with nearly 3.5 million oscillations of the rotor). All this is backed by a five-year warranty, adding up to a movement that you can confidently wear day in and day out. Of course, it’s got the power reserve to match — offering 70 hours of autonomy off the wrist. And while the dials of the latest Premier models are the talking point, Breitling has been careful to show off their top-of-the-line chronograph movement too — you can get an uninterrupted view, thanks to the sapphire caseback.

The warm tones of the salmon dial are at once true to the origins and entirely on trend

Breitling has favored the classics for this debut collection, offering black, blue, salmon, green and cream dials — all with tonally matched subdials and applied dial hardware. The dial design is classical and restrained, with finely printed numerals, an outer tachymeter scale, a well-integrated date at six, and polished Arabic hour markers. Dial construction is quite technical too, with a multi-layered construction, and a mix of finishes to add richness and texture. A similar level of care has been applied to the handset too. The main hour hands are in the syringe style, elegantly pointed, and generously filled with luminous material. The cream and black dials are the most traditional, while the blue and green have a more contemporary flavor. However, the standout for many will be the salmon, a warm and pleasing hue that only accentuates the vintage flair of the Premier. As befitting the dressy nature of these 42mm Premiers, they come on rather dressy alligator leather straps, in colors matched with the dial. In case you’re looking for something a little more hardwearing or casual, there’s also the option of a steel bracelet, in Breitling’s famous seven-link pattern.

With green dial and steel bracelet, the classical design takes on a contemporary flair

Special mention needs to be made of the red gold model, offered with a cream dial with matching red- gold toned hands and hour markers, and fitted on a glossy brown alligator strap. This particular model really exemplifies the values and spirit of the Premier. Every element of this watch is of the finest quality, just like the very first Premier watches released by Willy Breitling 80 years ago. And while today, this dressy chronograph bucks the trend for sporty steel watches somewhat, good taste never goes out of style.

Despite its dressy demeanor, the Premier is built for daily wear

Breitling Premier Tech Specs

Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 In Steel

Movement: Self-winding Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01; 70-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; date; chronograph
Case: 42mm x 13.6mm; stainless steel; water resistant to 100m
Strap: Alligator leather in a range of colors with folding buckle or a seven-row steel bracelet with a butterfly clasp

Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 In Red Gold

Movement: Self-winding Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01; 70-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; small seconds; date; chronograph
Case: 42mm x 13.6mm; 18K red gold; water resistant to 100m
Strap: Brown alligator leather with an 18K red gold folding buckle or 18K red gold seven-row bracelet with a butterfly clasp

Reference

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FROM THE SHOP

Vulcain

VULCAIN CRICKET ‘STYLE MODERNE’ FOR REVOLUTION & THE RAKE

$4,060.00

TECH SPECS

Movement	Manual winding caliber Vulcain V-10 alarm; 42-hour power reserve
Functions	Hours, minutes, seconds, alarm
Case	39mm × 12.7mm 316L stainless steel case; water resistant to 50m
Dial	Two-tone semi-matte dial with black printing and polished silver indexes
Strap	Brown calf leather strap; stainless steel pin buckle

The post Breitling: A Perfect Premier appeared first on Revolution Watch.

Breitling’s Top Time Classic Cars Are Ready to Race

Felix Scholz — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 21:00:35 +0000

In 2021 Breitling, in the midst of a ’60s-inspired nostalgia kick, released the first capsule collection of the Top Time Classic Cars. This fun, flavorful three-pack of casual chronographs were a smash hit. Well, racers, start your engines because the Top Time Classic Cars are back and better than ever.

First of all, the 2023 collection boasts a new member to the team: the Ford Thunderbird is joining the Mustang, as well as the Chevrolet Corvette and the Shelby Cobra. The new entrant, the T-bird, is in white; the Mustang, green; the Cobra, blue; and the ’Vette, red. The addition of the white Ford version isn’t the only change in the lineup; there’s been a host of other amendments that make these auto-inspired watches racier than ever.

The cases have been shaved by 1mm, down to 41mm across, which, combined with the height of 13.6mm, makes for versatile and wearable proportions sure to please pretty much everyone on the wrist. For daily peace of mind, these polished steel cases are all water resistant to 100 meters. Inside beats the Breitling caliber B01.This engine represents a powerful upgrade for the Top Time. The B01 is one of the most highly regarded automatic chronograph movements on the market today, and it’s easy to see why. First released in 2009, the B01 offers 70 hours of power reserve and is backed by a five-year warranty. On top of that, the column-wheel chronograph is designed for precision and reliability, is COSC-certified, and has undergone a series of grueling tests designed to ensure that this caliber up for anything. On top of all that, the movement is on clear display through the sapphire caseback.

All the Top Time models share the same case and caliber, but the dials are very different indeed. For starters, take the newest addition, the Ford Thunderbird. Inspired by the stylish and luxurious cruiser that debuted in 1954, this white dial features tonally matched chronograph counters, red highlights and a Thunderbird logo under the Breitling brand. As with the previous Top Time Classic Cars, the layout of dials in this series are full of subtle nostalgic nods, such as the squared-off ‘television’ shape of the chronograph registers, which lend a real ’60s feel to these chronographs — a mood accentuated by the perforated calfskin racing straps.

Breitling Top Time Ford Thunderbird

The second Ford-themed watch is the green Mustang model, complete with the titular racing horse on the dial. This reference is directly inspired by the sleek racer produced between 1964 and ’74, which has become one of the most enduringly iconic American motorcars.

Breitling Top Time Ford Mustang

The blue-dialed chronograph is inspired by the legendary Shelby Cobra, the creation of Le Mans champion Carroll Shelby that merged a lightweight chassis with a powerful big-block engine. The resulting car was visually stunning and spectacularly fast. The Top Time’s blue dial and striking cobra dial pay tribute to the car’s timeless style and, interestingly enough, it is the only one of the four chronographs to feature a two-register layout.

Breitling Top Time Shelby Cobra

Finally, the vivid red dial, inspired by the second-generation Chevrolet Corvette, also known as the ‘Sting Ray’, features a black tachymetric scale and black chronograph subdials — just like the Mustang model.

Breitling Top Time Chevrolet Corvette

The current crop of watches in the Top Time Classic Cars collection are excellent. Well-built, perfectly sized chronographs with Breitling’s signature movement ticking away behind the dial, there’s very little in the way of compromise here. The dials are also well designed, with just the right amount of vintage flair. The classic cars connection, which is core to this collection, will obviously be a major drawcard for die-hard fans of American automobiles. But even if you’re not prepared to weigh in on big block versus hemi, or Chrysler versus Ford, there’s still great joy to be found in these watches, which do an excellent job of evoking a bygone era while still offering a best-in-class modern chronograph experience.

Tech Specs

Movement: Self-winding Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01; 70-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; small seconds; chronograph
Case: 41mm x 13.6mm; stainless steel; water resistant to 100m
Strap: Calfskin in various colors (depending on model) with folding buckle, or stainless-steel mesh bracelet with butterfly clasp

The post Breitling’s Top Time Classic Cars Are Ready to Race appeared first on Revolution Watch.

In Conversation with Georges Kern: The Success Story of Breitling

Revolution — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 01:13:05 +0000

“Only success will prove that we are right.” – Georges Kern. Joining the Richemont Group in 2000, Mr. Kern was highly involved in major brands like A. Lange & Söhne, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and IWC Schaffhausen following their acquisition by the group. In 2002, Kern was chosen to be the CEO of IWC and became the youngest CEO within the group.

Subsequently, in 2017, he was promoted to Head of Watchmaking, marketing, and specialized in supervising Specialist Watchmaking Maisons within the group. Later that year, Kern was appointed the new CEO and became a shareholder of Breitling SA.

Wei sits down with Georges to have a conversation about the recent revival of Breitling’s fortunes and his vision for the brand in the foreseeable future.

The post In Conversation with Georges Kern: The Success Story of Breitling appeared first on Revolution Watch.

Impeccable Style Meets Purpose and Substance in the Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42

Felix Scholz — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 21:00:23 +0000

The history of the Premier goes back 80 years to 1943, when Willy Breitling, the third-generation of Breitling’s owners, was in charge and busy building some of the brand’s most iconic collections, including the Navitimer and the Superocean. Around 1943, Willy Breitling wanted to inject some glamor into the traditionally practical world of the chronograph, linking purpose with style in a way few had done before.

(From left) Breitling Huit Premier Ref. 765, circa 1943 and Huit Premier Ref. 734, 1945

So, the Breitling Premier was born, and the name — French for first — was chosen specifically as an indicator of quality, for these watches of first quality. Early Premier models featured elegant, solid gold cases, and top-tier dials full of rich details and in a wide range of designs. Notable early pieces include the references 777 and 765, 38mm watches with two or three registers depending on the reference, and possessing the tapered, slender lugs for which the brand was famous.

Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 in steel

As the years and decades wore on, the Premier became less of a focus for an evolving Breitling. In 1964, the design was spun off into the Top Time, aimed at a younger clientele; and throughout the ’70s, ’80s and beyond, the brand focused increasingly on professional and sports models. In 2018, the Premier made a triumphant return to the catalog and Breitling was once again in the business of dressy chronographs. This initial release was followed in 2021 by a trio of Premier Heritage Chronograph models. There’s the 40mm contemporary retro take on the classic, powered by the manually wound B09 movement and featuring a model with a particularly striking pistachio dial. The Premier Heritage Duograph is slightly larger at 42mm, and adds a rattrapante function while the 42 mm Premier Heritage Datora also stands out for its highly visible and complex functions, namely its day, date, and moon-phase displays.

Today Breitling unveils the next generation, the Premier B01 Chronograph 42: six new models all powered by one impressive movement, the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01. Debuting in 2009, this purpose-built, integrated chronograph caliber is one of the most well-respected chronograph calibers currently in production, built with reliability and robustness in mind. What’s more, the B01 has been subtly improved over the years. The latest iteration was redesigned in 2022, is slimmer and boasts a more compact rotor, in addition to a five-year warranty and 70 hours of power reserve. An uninterrupted view of the movement is afforded thanks to the sapphire caseback.

Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 in red gold

The B01 caliber is one milestone in Breitling’s long history of excellent chronographs. But don’t forget: the Premier is about impeccable style. The 42mm case fits excellently on the wrist, thanks to its smart ergonomics and fairly slender (for a chronograph) height of 13.6mm. Five of the new watches are cased in steel, while one is truly lush in 18K red gold. The final piece of the Premier puzzle is the dial.

As if these new watches weren’t enough, there’s another significant release today — Premier Story, written by Breitling’s official historian Fred Mandelbaum, is a gorgeously illustrated book detailing the history of the trials and triumph of this most stylish of chronographs.

Tech Specs

Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 in steel

Movement: Self-winding Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01; 70-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes and seconds; date, chronograph
Case: 42mm x 13.6mm; stainless steel; water resistant to 100m
Strap: Alligator leather in a range of colors with folding buckle or a seven-row steel bracelet with a butterfly clasp

Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 in red gold

Movement: Self-winding Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01; 70-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes and seconds; date, chronograph
Case: 42mm x 13.6mm; 18K red gold; water resistant to 100m
Strap: Brown alligator leather with an 18K red gold folding buckle or 18K red gold seven-row bracelet with a butterfly clasp

The post Impeccable Style Meets Purpose and Substance in the Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 appeared first on Revolution Watch.

Breitling Archives - Revolution Watch

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