The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Couldn't agree more.

The square is meant to appear subtly under strong lighting conditions that is not obvious or even invisible when you are indoors. It's perfectly executed IMO as it harmonizes the bold fonts on the bezel to project a "cyber" futuristic impression when viewed under strong light while it's back to classic look in dimmer conditions when the square "disappears". You need to own and handle the watch long enough to notice the amount of effort and attention to detail they pay to the watch. Of course, I understand that most WIS prefer very conventional designs that are not polarizing. But I personally have to say that I dislike the rubber inserts on the the bezel because it makes the fonts unnecessarily over obvious and distracting. If they had wanted better legibility I would rather they adopt a ceramic bezel. The previous version of just contrasting the polish between the fonts and bezel surface is good enough since it remains highly legible but keeping the overall look neater without distracting the attention on the main dial. I tried on the FT Chronomat yesterday and felt that the runner inserts make the entire watch look weird on the wrist. Hope they would ditch it in their future launches.

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Breitling Chronomat 01 Limited Edition
Breitling Navitimer 01 46mm

I also would prefer the Chronomats without the square. Does the square have any functional purpose?

I am not sure for other versions but for my LE, the square is treated with a matt gridwork pattern that reveals as light plays over it. The nature of the gridwork pattern discourages reflection especially in a very bright environment. I discovered this one Sunny afternoon when I was standing in the open, I checked the time and the light reflection on those oversized polished hour and min hands were blinding, including the highly polished hour markers, and even the smooth black surface outside the square in the dial. However somehow telling the time was a split sec task, then only I realized how the "square" stood out and contrasted the reflective hands that somehow made information remain legible. The subtly arranged gridwork pattern on the sub-dials, in conjunction to the square, the way the hour markers are cut, and the way the square compliments the fonts on the bezel to create that futuristic impression as light shines over it, etc, convinced me the amount of attention they put into the details of the watch to perfectly balance form and function.

In all practical sense, the user shouldn't have much problems to still retrieve information from the watch easily without the square, for eg, the user can easily shift his location or use his other hand to shield the light from reflection to improve legibility. However it is attention to detail that I feel makes the difference. Remember that the watch is designed with aviation in mind. Imagine the reflection and legibility could have been a few times worst for a pilot in the sky especially if the Sun is shining direct on him. To the pilot retrieving information at a glance is more vital than normal users like us. Aesthetics wise, they could have just do away with the square, adopt very safe and normal looking fonts, but that will make the piece look generic, like any other Chronograph watch without a distinctive look. Well the aesthetic features are polarizing, but IMO they have perfectly balanced form and function for mine.

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Breitling Chronomat 01 Limited Edition
Breitling Navitimer 01 46mm

Nope, just a design element that (as you can see) is rather polarising.

And you like it or you don't.
End of discussion.

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"It is just a matter of time!"

Pretty much.


Oh I doubt that

Coupled with the 'buck' font it's a design (error) classic......see......

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Al

“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes"

Personally I don't think the square is all that noticeable in the flesh.........BUT, the LE's I've seen with a totally flat dial (the Frecce Tricolori for example) do look a lot better IMO.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I agree, it isn't nearly as noticeable as some pictures show it, but I also would prefer that it wasn't there.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

Hey Driver8, so you are not getting the FT? Anyway I went to and AD 2 days ago and tried it on since there was one available. The square is still there but not as evident as the regular series. I must say that it looks impressive but unfortunately it didn't look good when I tried it on my wrist. I notice that it's due to the rubber inserts that makes the bezel look a little distracting and also the 3 colors that seemed to appear too colorful on the wrist. I believe you have tried it on so I wonder if it looked good on you?

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Breitling Chronomat 01 Limited Edition
Breitling Navitimer 01 46mm

The square took me some getting used to, but you really can't see it the majority of the time. Here is my Govberg edition B01.

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Justin
Please contact me via PM for the contact details for Govberg Jewelers
Govberg is an AD for over 50 fine Swiss and German watch brands.
Visit them on the web at http://www.govbergwatches.com or call 800-528-8463

The square is the single reason I didn't buy the BO1 when I first looked at Breitling. I just can't get past it, and I'm just not alright with buying something that I will get used to, or maybe not notice all the time. I'm glad some people like it, but it is a HUGE part of the dial and it was always the first thing I saw every time I would look at a BO1 either in pictures or in the metal.

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sco
Breitling Chrono Superocean
Omega Aqua Terra 8500
Rolex Submariner Date Ceramic

Hi Chronomat01LE - the standard square definitely isn't on the Frecce Tricolori dial itself : the edges of hour markers kind of create the hint of a square, but there's no guilloche or other engraving on the dial.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Z85E7Zl2aA/U ... s_full.jpg

It looked great on my wrist (IMO anyway! ), but the rubber inserts on the bezel just worry me in terms of durability. I can just imagine them peeling out over time, or something. Daft that something so minor has put me off buying it, but I'm trying not to flip watches anymore, so I have to love absolutely everything about a watch in order to buy it these days.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

IC...good to see your intention of "settling down" :p

Seems like Breitling is trying to bring more of the rubber inserts into the Chronomat range. Actually not something that I like. Too many versions too.

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Breitling Chronomat 01 Limited Edition
Breitling Navitimer 01 46mm