The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Boy have things changed! I bought my first Breitling in 2002 (50th Anniversary Navitimer,) and then another in 2006. I hadn't really paid much attention to the brand since then. Well over the holiday I took one of my watches to a nearby authorized Breitling servicer for a major service. Upon leaving they handed me a 2012 Chronolog.

I can't believe what I'm looking at. I used to like practically every model offered. How could they destroy the Chronomat line with that ridiculous bezel? Why does the SO come in all those colors, is Apple designing these for teenagers? Rubber bezels too.....?

I have to say, I've always admired Breitling watches. I hope this isn't the future of the brand, especially given the prices now. If it is I may have to really pony up and go with an IWC.

I did however see a Blackbird yesterday which I'm tempted to pull the trigger on before it's extinct... such a nice watch!

Rest assured you are most definitely not alone with that point of view! It seems that for anyone who got into Breitlings a number of years ago, 99% of the new stuff leaves them fairly cold, whereas people who have been attracted to the brand by some of the more recent offerings tend to like the new designs (obviously).

There are a load of threads on here that talk about Breitlings apparent direction and such like - worth a look I think.

_________________
Driver8

Site Moderator

It's nice to get a fresh and untainted opinon of the "New Breitling." Sometimes I've wondered if the threads on the subject here, some of which I've started or maybe egged on a bit , might be subject to the feeding frenzy or mob mindsets. Guess NOT.

_________________
SHARKMAN

I'm glad that I'm not the only one .

I used to be a TAG fan up until about 8 or so years ago - then they started to produce horrible garish and IMO cheap and nasty looking watches. I stopped looking at them in the display windows. That's when I became interested in B'lings - like the OP here I loved nearly every model but settled on the Professional range as they were more practical for my requirements. So, every year I would pop in to my AD and pick up the latest Chronolog to drool and dream . That happened up until 2008 when B'ling appeared to be going the same way as TAG and so I stopped getting the latest Chronolog . I am really happy with my Airwolf and thought that if B'ling were doing a 'TAG' on us, well, I would just stick with the 'Wolf and not bother replacing it with another 'Ling. I have yet to be coerced back as there aren't really many of the current 'Lings that 'float my boat' (so to speak) . I really hope that there are some nice surprises in 2012.

_________________
TAG Professional (Silver/Gold) 2000 - still going strong and kept as spare when Wolf is away.
Breitling B1 (Blue) 2003 - 2008.
Breitling Airwolf (Black Sunburst) 2008 - Date.

I went to a local AD today and they were probably 70% depleted of Breitlings from the holiday season. The sales rep was going on and on about how well these new models were selling. I started to think for a second that I was missing something...

I'm with spinn74, i used to love the tool watch look, they looked tough and were purposeful, now more Bling than Breitling ? IMHO the peak was a few years ago, just my opinion. Once they rotate through the fashion cycle, will the original fan base be there ?

Agree on BBird too!

They had a nice combination of "tool" and "bling." Something for everyone. Now, not so much........................

_________________
SHARKMAN

Which watches in particular is everyone talking about? I think the updated Chronomat from the Evo to the B01 was tasteful, again that is the sole opinion of Bimmerdriver17. I would like hear what people are complaining about with examples instead.

Personally, IMHO, my two favs the Navitimer and Chronomat have only improved over time.

_________________
Breitling Chronomat B01 - Sierra Silver/Steel

The OP mentioned the Chronomat and the SuperOcean. He mentioned the bezels and the colouring.

Thanks. I guess this is more of a preference thing. Personally, I don't even like SO's to begin with.

The bezel on the Chronomat has certainly changed. Again, I think its purely preference. They have to stay somewhat with where the industry is heading in terms of design. I would think that there is a great deal of R&D before a design is approved and released.

_________________
Breitling Chronomat B01 - Sierra Silver/Steel

1. rubber bezel inserts
2. no Steelfish
3. rubber bezels
4. no Evolution
5. colored rubber bezels
6. no 42mm CSO
7. colored subdial surrounds
8. no Blackbird
9. Buck Rogers font on bezels
10.no Colt Automatic
11.no coherent direction or thread in the lineup
12.no Steelfish
13.no rider tabs
14.no steelfish

'bout sums it up for me.

_________________
SHARKMAN

Thats all???

_________________
Breitling Chronomat B01 - Sierra Silver/Steel

No, but I'm at work.

_________________
SHARKMAN

And don't forget to mention rubber bezels Tom! If they would make a ceramic bezel, in-house movement chrono, 44-45mm with a GMT function.......I would be free of the WIS disease.

_________________
An ever changing collection.....

All of Tom's, plus:

Abolition of the left hand crown on chronomatics
Attempts to get the world record for the most fonts used on a single watch

Oh, and rubber bezels.