Russell Sheldrake
This year has been a big one for Breitling, as it celebrates its 140th anniversary. And now we see how the brand is really celebrating this big anniversary: ​​by offering us all three perpetual calendar chronographs. The Navitimer, Chronomat, and Premier round out the celebratory lineup. All housed in rose gold cases, all powered by the new B19 caliber, and all limited to 140 pieces per model. So join Andrew as we take a look at these watches in action, how they differ from one another, and what you need to know about each one.
motion
It is only natural to start with the movements that are the backbone of these three watches. The B19 features my favorite combination, a perpetual calendar chronograph, which instantly places these three watches in the upper echelons of the horological world. Breitling has previously used a movement called the Breitling 19, based on the ETA 2892-A2 architecture with a Dubois-Dépraz module, which offered a power reserve of just 42 hours and advanced annual calendar functionality. Sure, the new B19 caliber may cause some naming confusion, but there is a big difference. While the Breitling 19 was based on a generic ETA modular chronograph, the new B19 is built on the Breitling B01 in-house vertical clutch chronograph movement with the addition of a true perpetual calendar module. It is unclear at this stage whether this module is in-house or another case of Breitling working with a well-known module partner like Dubois-Dépraz.
As we all know, Breitling played a key role in the development and popularization of the chronograph, so it makes sense that these anniversary models take this legendary complication and take it to the next level. Creating an automatic perpetual calendar chronograph would make these three models stand out in Breitling’s catalog. The solid gold rotor, which depicts the brand’s first factory at 3 Rue de Montbrillant in La Chaux-de-Fonds, is a nice touch for me. But it’s impossible (or at least extremely difficult) to pack 374 parts, including a column wheel, vertical clutch, and a balance that beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz), into such a slim package, forcing a thickness of 8.53 mm. But that only adds to the presence these watches have on the wrist.
Examples
Now, we can start talking about the differences between these three watches. All three are offered in the typical style of their respective product lines, but in 18K rose gold. Let’s start with the Navitimer. With a diameter of 43 mm, this watch has all the features you would expect from Breitling’s most famous model. The graduated bezel that controls the internal rotating scale dominates the entire look and feel of this watch, with very sharply sloped lugs. If you measure from one set of lugs to the other, you arrive at a very precise measurement of 49.07 mm. At 2 and 4 o’clock are the mushroom pushers that control the chronograph, while at 8 and 10 o’clock are the correctors for the perpetual calendar and moon phase settings.
Next up is the Super Chronomat, the largest and most substantial of the collection. With a diameter of 44 mm and a thickness of 15.35 mm, you can’t miss this watch. As Andrew says in the video above, it’s like wearing a suit of armor. The bezel features a black ceramic insert and, of course, the four rider tabs that always give this model a great sense of dimension. The Super Chronomat has a spectacular presence on the wrist, which is further enhanced here by the rose gold and black color scheme. The 100-meter water resistance is also very practical, although it’s hard to imagine any of the watch’s 140 owners going for a quick swim, unless they’re jumping off a yacht’s diving platform.
Finally, there’s the Premier. At 42mm wide, 15.6mm thick, and 50.03mm lug-to-lug, it’s almost smaller than the other two, but with its smooth, polished bezel and rectangular pushers, it’s the dressiest model of the three. The Premier line expresses an entirely different aesthetic, and as Andrew tells it, its story is that it was born at a time when Breitling customers were looking for something different. This watch does just that. All three models feature sapphire casebacks, which reveal the engraved rotor and the many layers of the B19 movement.
Dial
Solid rose gold dials are not that common in the watch industry. We are used to seeing salmon gold dials from a variety of brands and at a variety of price points, but a solid rose gold dial like this Navitimer is a rare luxury. The three chronograph subdials, as in all three models, do double duty here: the minute counter at 3 o’clock also displays the date, while the seconds counter at 9 o’clock peripherally displays the day of the week. Also, the 12-hour counter previously located at 6 o’clock has been completely replaced by a perpetual calendar showing the month and leap year. Finally, at 12 o’clock we find a rather minimalist Breitling-marked moon phase. All of this is surrounded by the Navitimer’s signature black slide rule scale.
On the Chronomat, the layout and functionality of the subdials remain the same, but the rest of the dial has been removed to expose the workings of this new B19 caliber. Though still fairly covered thanks to the four subdials, this glimpse into this intricate, evenly finished movement has a nice, but not overwhelming effect, almost like an optical illusion, giving the impression of a meteorite dial, as Andrew alludes to in the video.
The Premier stays true to its roots with a deep, glossy black dial that is captivating to the eye. The dial features Arabic numerals that are slightly cut off by the subdials, but the remaining numerals really make an impact with their large size and understated style. The syringe-shaped hands blend well with the rest of the watch, adding to its sophistication and providing another point of difference from the other two baton hands.
strap
Both the Navitimer and Premier are fitted with black alligator straps with 18K rose gold folding buckles. There is a slight difference in the stitching, with the Premier having a tone-on-tone black stitching and the Navitimer having contrasting white stitching, a small detail that distinguishes the two as dress and sports watches.
However, the Super Chronomat comes with a Rouleaux-inspired rubber strap – Breitling’s own extremely comfortable metal bracelet design, also known as the bullet bracelet – which pairs well with the black bezel and continues the sporty aesthetic of the watch.
Verdict
I think it’s clear from Andrew’s video that we are fans of these three watches. They celebrate Breitling’s 140th anniversary in a very fitting way, bringing the brand’s three historic lines to the fore in a very luxurious and horological way. The evolution of these three models shows how far Breitling has come over the past 140 years, but the use of the new B19 movement seems to signal the brand’s intention moving forward with a concerted effort in the realm of haute horlogerie and bringing in-house watchmaking capabilities. While these limited editions are great, I find the message they are making for Breitling’s future even more exciting.
Breitling Navitimer, Super Chronomat, and Premier B19 140th Anniversary Pricing and Availability
The Breitling Navitimer, Super Chronomat, and Premier are limited to 140 pieces each and are available exclusively from Breitling. Price: US$59,000.
Brand Breitling Model Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary
Super Chronomat B19 Chronograph 44 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary
Premier B19 Datra 42 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary Case dimensions 43mm (D) x 15.62mm (T) x 49.07mm (LTL) (Navitimer)
44mm (D) x 15.35mm (T) x 53.5mm (LTL) (Super Chronomat)
42mm (D) x 15.6mm (T) x 50.03mm (LTL) (Datora) Case Material 18K Red Gold Water Resistance 30 meters (Navitimer)
100 meters (Super Chronomat, Datra) Crystal Sapphire front and back Dial 18K red gold (Navitimer)
Skeleton (Super Chronomat)
Black lacquer (Datora) Lug width 22mm Strap and bracelet Black leather, 18K red gold folding buckle
Black rouleaux rubber with 18K red gold folding buckle
Black leather, 18K red gold folding buckle Movement Caliber B19, Breitling movement, automatic winding Power reserve 96 hours Functions Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph, perpetual calendar, moon phase Availability 140 of each Price US$59,000
