The Breitling Watch Source Forums

OK, it seems that new Chronomat does not sit well with some of us but I like it.

42mm in diameter, 15 mm in height, pushers without locks (I like them that way, just like they were on first Chronomats, that locking system is not something I like, I use the chrono all the time). Bezel is ok for me, looks slim and not out of place. Bracelet is interesting. Most of the time I wear my watches on leather strap due to small wrist. Maybe this bracelet would change my mind.

So, I see no problem with new Chronomat (bidirectional bezel would be nice touch on a pilot's watch) besides price

Would like to try it on when it hits the shops.

Ok, so that makes sense. I just think it still looks unfinished and not sure on the polished finish.



It's just seems like an odd thing to do right now when almost every other brand has put off their new releases. Granted, you get the spotlight to yourself but if you're willing to take that risk, I'd be certain that you're releasing some sure fire winners. It'll be interesting to see the commentary in the coming days. Some of the comments on h o d i n k e e were pretty positive as well as the reviews, but I've never put much thought into their reviews once they started selling watches for brands that they sell on their website.

My reaction to the new Chronomat? I love it!

Honestly, I'm inclined to view it through a completely fresh lens -- and not in comparison to the previous Schneider Chronomat (which, BTW, I also love).

I think the new models look very sharp. The 42mm width is a winner, and the variety of dials is very nice. The Rouleaux bracelet is different, and looks very cool -- the execution of the bracelet also seems well done, and I like the brushed finish with polished highlights.

The crown guard now has a more elegant line, which fits in with the somewhat more refined (and less tactical) look. Like some others, I also think that the non-screw down pushers are right for this watch.

As for the bezel -- again, I am prone to like things that are different, so I like the fact that the rider tabs are once again interchangeable, which allows the bezel to be used in either a standard fashion, or as a countdown timer. The resulting look, with the minute indicators only on the top half of the bezel, is different and unique.

Looks like the case is entirely brushed, and that only the bezel is polished. I might have preferred a brushed bezel, as well -- but, I'm betting that, in person, the current combo rocks. Putting the date at 6 o'clock makes for a clean look to the dial, and I like the new approach with the subdials, which feature a snailed interior.

Back to those dials... All are really beautiful, but the Bentley green and the copper versions really grab me. Also, the two-tone versions, which include the two-tone bracelets are quite nice. As a group, it's an impressive array.

So, coming at this with fresh eyes, I think these are real winners -- I would be surprised if they didn't win some converts to Breitling.

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Cheers,
Jim

well, general feedback on all forums and groups was/is excellent- and of course there are controversial responses too.

Georges often quotes Steve Jobs & the ice cream seller - interesting to see that some know the sales figures and balance sheet of Breitling so much better than we do, although none of us can say how the next years will be.

Pushing ahead with the launches wasn’t an easy decision and again, we’ll see whether smart or not - but the attention is huge.

we had ceramic bezels, brushed bezels, fully numbered bezels, ticks only bezels - but none worked well with the signature interchangeable riders, you’ll have to see that bezel irl, hope you’ll then see why we chose to go with that version.

same for the Rouleaux - try it on, I’d be surprised if you don’t find it comfortable and lovely (well, Serge won’t, but we’ll have to live with that, for him it always was amour fou or venom)

Moana addressed the bezel markings: since the 15 and 45 minute rider tabs are interchangeable, the scale provides both a 15-minute count-up and a 15-minute countdown. Functionally, I get it; aesthetically, I think it looks awkward.

The biggest concern I have with this watch is the bezel, on a number of fronts. For one, it's two-piece construction. One of the nice things about previous Chronomats was that the bezel was a single piece; it just looked solid and well made. Inserts are necessary on things like a Submariner, where you have two different materials comprising the whole bezel, but an all-metal bezel just looks better as a single piece, imo. The old Crosswind and Headwind had two-piece bezels, but the scale piece sat atop the actual bezel piece, so the seam was on the side and looked well-integrated. This new model has the scale piece fit inside the bezel, like an insert, so the pieces join on the top side, making the two-piece construction all the more obvious.

I also have a concern over the bezel insert being high-polish steel. That will show scratches if you so much as look at it. I have an old TAG Heuer Link with a polished-steel bezel insert, and it's woefully scratched. Speaking of TAG Heuer, I hate to say it, but my first thought on seeing the new Chronomat's bezel was, "This looks like a TAG." This bezel does not have the design DNA that makes it immediately identifiable as a Breitling, as least to my eyes.

I'm actually glad of the lack of screw-down pushers. Those didn't become a feature until the Chronomat Evolution in 2005, and I always found them to be a headache to use, despite their safety advantages. I agree with Sergio that the new crown is reminiscent of the "peanut butter cup" HEV crown on the Omega Seamaster. I can't say I'm a fan, and I don't know why the onion crown had to go.

I always liked the Rouleaux bracelet on the older models, although I never owned one. I'm not unhappy to see its return, but seeing as how it comes at the cost of retiring the Pilot bracelet - always one of Breitling's most solid and iconic bracelet designs - I can't say I'm overjoyed, either. The butterfly clasp gives me pause: no micro-adjust is a definite step backwards, no matter how small the individual bullet links may be. If link removal or addition is the only way to adjust fit, that's a major inconvenience when your wrist size fluctuates due to temperature and activity changes; there simply is no way to change the fit on the go. I've passed on more than one watch model for this very reason. I'm not sure why Kern and company felt this was a wise decision in a sports watch world increasingly influenced by the Glidelock and similar innovations.

I agree with you about the date placement. I know 4:30 date windows are controversial, but I liked its execution on previous B01 Chronomat models. It allowed for easy reading of the date while not disturbing the symmetry of the subdials. I've never liked 6:00 placement on chronographs with a 3-6-9 subdial layout, since the date blends in with the 6:00 subdial, both making the date harder to see, and obscuring part of the scale on the subdial.

While there are elements of the watch I like - smaller size (at least relative to the 44mm behemoths), high-quality finishing, attractive dial options, classic handset, etc. - for me those are overshadowed by too many things that stick out to me as shortcomings in design. While the lack of adjustability in the clasp could be a functional deal-breaker in and of itself, to me the biggest disappointment is the one that's hardest to define, and that's the lack of Breitling design DNA. Whether that's primarily due to the bezel or is a problem with the gestalt of the design, I don't know, but it doesn't sing to me the way I hoped a new Chronomat would. Honestly, I would have been thrilled with a 41mm version of the two stopgap 44mm models they introduced in 2018, which may now stand as the last recognizable descendants of a classic line.

I'll reserve final judgment until I have a chance to see one in person and try it on. Maybe I'll be a convert. Based on what I can see now, though, while I don't hate it, my reaction is tepid at best.

Great to see a version of the original '57 SO as part of the release. Love the hour markers and hands, as well as the case-conforming mesh bracelet. Honestly, it's nice to see this version available -- though, I guess I'm a bit surprised by only 100m WR. My favorite may well be the steel/rose gold version. The rainbow version is certainly different, but that's not all bad.

I will say, however, that the recent marketing push by Breitling is decidedly geared to a new demographic. And, while there may be good reason to be more inclusive, I'd be less than honest if I didn't say that I'm a bit put off by it. (Yeah, yeah -- OK, Boomer ) I guess i've always associated Tag Heuer as inhabiting that realm, so I'm a bit uncertain about where Breitling wants to wind up at the end of the day. Color me confused. (Maybe that rainbow SOH is right for me, after all... )

_________________
Cheers,
Jim

What stuck out to me was the integration of existing footage of Theron, Pitt and Driver - which I've seen well before this current campaign - with the new Chronomat images. It was an awkward recycling, especially given Kern's deliberate mention of them. Couldn't they be brought together again for the new campaign?

Regarding the SOH, I'm glad to see the mesh bracelet go all the way to the case, like on the original models from the '50s. That's a model I'll be checking out more, for sure...just not the rainbow version.

Some fantastic new releases. It's obvious how much work and research has been put into these models.

I'm a Chronomat guy at heart - have been for a long time, and I've owned many variations over the years. This one is particularly interesting... and it will take some time to absorb. I love the case size, the straight lugs and those beautiful dials! Wow! I can't wait to see them in person. The bracelet looks like a work of art!

My only criticism, and it may change with time... is the date window at 6 o'clock. It reminds me of those older Omega Aqua Terras or Speedmasters. I can't help but think it would look so much cleaner without the date! Chromat B01 date-less model at some point, please?

But criticism aside, all in all, very impressive! The excitement feels like the older releases of the early 2000s!

Well done guys!

So, Fred — can you tell us how the new mesh bracelet on the new SOH releases differs from past versions?

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Cheers,
Jim

Go look at Breitling’s Instagram Page. The amount of negativity is comical. Comments such as hideous, is it April’s fools day, throw up emoji, horrendous, wouldn’t wear it if i we’re dead, rather have corona than that watch.

Positive comments.....Positively hilarious.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

yes, Serge. some idiotic homophobic comments about the rainbow (which has sold out in many markets already) .
in general the feedback is excellent - you are the lone guy criticizing the Chronomat on the GK feed - and really appearing quite foolish, sadly.

thinner, more supple, rounded case fit ends.

if you say so but don’t associate me with any homophobic comments because I don’t partake in any of that nonsense.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

well, these are the comments you quoted, so what else can I associate you with?
and it isn’t comical, I find your aggressive comments on the GK ig pathetic and sad

I found the message to be very confusing. It told me several times that Breitling is cool, so I guess it must be. Then there was the time spent looking at all the ambassadors wearing their watches in slow motion, so I guess that appeals to some. Frankly, I found the four different missions bizarre. It was odd that none of them have anything to do with watches. I would assume a watchmaker's mission would be to make best/greatest/coolest watches, or something of that nature; not buy bicycles, pick up trash, dive oceans, etc. It just begs the question, how much would a watch cost if you didn't include the price of hosting a charity race?

Then there were the watches. Apparently, Breitling is out of good ideas, so they've just recycled all the old ones. I won't be buying any of these. The whole thing actually made me start to resent the ones I have.