Replica Breitling Chronomat Automatic 36 G10380591C1G1 Watch

Breitling's new 1940s-inspired chronograph is a great value

The new Breitling Premier Heritage watch is a watch specially created for watch lovers.

Those who say luck is of your own making might point to Breitling from today. The burgeoning Swiss watch company's decision to announce its new collection just a day before the Watches And Wonders online watch show (the company did not participate in the show) was decidedly opportunistic. Tomorrow, most of the 38 exhibiting brands will be launching a slew of new watches, including Rolex and TAG Heuer. Today, only Breitling's.

No matter what the time of day, news of a 1940s-inspired chronograph from the Breitling Premier Heritage collection will be compelling no matter what. They are just that good.

The series kicked off with three new models, each in two versions. The watch has a dressier, more grown-up look than the Premier, which is already Breitling's most urbane style. Underpinning it all is Breiling's powerful chronograph story that began in the early 20th century.

First up is the Premier Heritage Chronograph, which features a hand-wound movement powered by the Breitling B09 movement, essentially the now-robust B01 automatic movement, minus the rotating rotor. The daily wind can invigorate some and debilitate others. The first two versions were a modest 40mm, one in 18-carat red gold with a silver dial, and the other in steel with a dial described by the brand as "pistachio" but not lacking in The taste of avocado for millennials. . Without a doubt, this will be the most memorable of this release series.

Next up is the Premier Heritage Duograph, which breathes new life into a complication we’ve rarely seen these days: the “rattrapante,” or split-seconds chronograph, which can time two events that start at the same time but finish separately ( For example, two children race up a tree and back). Some brands, such as IWC, refer to these as dual chronographs, which may contribute to the complication. Also available in steel and red gold, both 42 mm, with blue and black dials respectively. The movement is also in-house, and another hand-wound unit is listed as Caliber B15.

From a watchmaking point of view, the pinnacle of the collection is the Premier Heritage Datora. The name 'Datora' is no stranger to Breitling antique collectors. It first appeared in the 1940s and was later used in many trendy 1960s and 1970s sports watches with date functions (well worth a bit of Googling). Now to describe this calendar watch again, it shows the day, date and moon phase. Powering these displays, as well as the watch's two-counter chronograph, is Caliber B25, an automatic movement developed by Breitling in collaboration with specialist movement maker Concepto. The material and color combinations offered here are stainless steel with a copper dial, and red gold with a silver dial.

Of course, the dial side gets the most attention, but the sapphire case back that comes with each model tells us that the story of Breitling's in-house movement project is also vivid. It takes a certain amount of confidence to push a hand-wound in-house movement these days – most consumers expect automatic movements to have a strong power reserve. The B09 and B15 are two of Breitling's 12 in-house developed movements, both boasting a 70-hour fuel tank, but that's not even the highlight. With the hand-wound movement, you can see the mechanism at a glance, while the automatic winding movement is hidden by the rotating rotor. Whether it's a Chronograph or Duograph model, the view from the back is worth the price of admission. Datora has a power reserve of approximately 48 hours. All six watches are water-resistant to 100 meters, and there are plenty of them.

Aesthetically and mechanically, the Premier Heritage watch was considered an unexpected but welcome development from Breitling, which under CEO Georges Kern focused its efforts on outdoor performance ( such as last year's Quartz Endurance Pro). These six Premier Heritage watches bring a touch of old-world sophistication to the brand that will please purists, although they are unlikely to be bestsellers for Breitling. These are watches for those who love (or probably love) the mechanics of watchmaking as much as having a famous dial name on their wrist.

It's also worth noting that Mr. Cohen didn't raise prices on those products. His mission is what he calls "casual, inclusive luxury," with a good look that can be severely compromised by rising prices.

Tomorrow's torrent of watch news could wash away any thoughts of the Breitling Premier Heritage. But it won't. And there will be no luck.