The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Official announcement email. I'm sure you all got this, but what the hey.

Skyracer
http://www.breitling.com/en/#/models/new09/skyracer-raven/
Airwolf
http://www.breitling.com/en/#/models/new09/airwolf-raven/


"Breitling has designed a special series of its Airwolf and Skyracer chronographs, two instruments identifiable by their rubber-molded pushpieces and bezel.

Evocatively code-named “Raven”, the resulting timepieces feature a resolutely high-tech black and steel look. Both models – one electronic and the other mechanical – boast peerless functionality. The Airwolf makes the most of the performances of its exclusive SuperQuartz™ movement driving this ultra-accurate instrument providing the full range of functions required by professional pilots: 1/100th of a second chronograph, alarm, countdown, 2nd timezone, UTC. An NVG-compatible display backlighting system enables night-time read-off, while a turbine-shaped construction on the caseback serves as a resonance chamber for the alarm and other audible indications.

Meanwhile, the Skyracer is designed to be the most efficient selfwinding chronograph in its category. Bearing this in mind, Breitling has equipped it with Caliber 27, an exclusive mechanism enabling dual visualization of measured times. The 60-minute counter with central hand guarantees peerless readability of any measurement under one hour. For longer durations, a single two-hand counter shows both the hours and minutes. Elapsed time is read off just as one would read off the time, instantly and without any possible confusion. The rack-and-pinion mounted slide rule underscores the aviation-oriented vocation of both the Airwolf Raven and Skyracer Raven models."

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Avenger Skyland
If I said I was good, you'd think I was bragging.
If I told you I wasn't, you'd know I was lying.

Not checked my mail for the anouncement, but neither of those did anything for me when they came out at Basel........ and they still don't. I think that bezel makes them look cheap.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

although didn't check out the Basel release.

Bezel looks plastic

I didn't pay too much attention to the Basel info, because we all know that Basel releases sometimes aren't necessarily what we'll see when a watch is "officially" released.

And yeah, I hope that's carbon or ceramic or anything other than G-Shock plastic.

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Avenger Skyland
If I said I was good, you'd think I was bragging.
If I told you I wasn't, you'd know I was lying.

I really am starting to wonder how Breitling can justify the prices on some of these new releases which use a hell of a lot of rubber. I can appreciate the properties and uses a rubber strap has (just) but when they start using rubber pushers and bezels i think they maybe starting to take the p*ss. I really like the look of the Skyracer but rubber is perishable people!

Another example of a company trying to plug every market hole in the dam with every possible digit. Now, it seems Breitling is looking at AP and Hublot to attempt to compete with their offerings. Thing is, Breitling has had a relatively unique look with the rider tabs and identifiable bracelets. Why they choose to minimize that with rubber doodads and flattened tabs to make it less identifiable as a Breitling makes little sense to me. Do they think their designs are lacking in sales or presence?

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Avenger Skyland
If I said I was good, you'd think I was bragging.
If I told you I wasn't, you'd know I was lying.

Well I, for one, actually like the look of the Skyracer Raven. But I wont buy one unless the bezel is DLC or Ceramic (prefer the latter). This model is the ONLY new model that has my eye since Breitling abandoned the dire hard fan with that disgusting Chronomat bezel.

I dont know if Ill drop coin on the Raven, but if the bezel is one of the above.. I might concider it. If Breitling gets their _____together next year and offers the Chronomat with a normal bezel, I WILL be getting one. Expecially if they do a display back LE.

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Breitling Steelfish(black)
Breitling Steelfish(silver)
Panerai PAM 312
Bell & Ross BR03-92 Phantom
Steinhart BreitlingSource LE #5/15

Have you seen it in person?

The Airwolf Raven looks amazing with black dial on black diver pro. I sold one within 24 hours of arriving from Breitling on black DP2 without even being in the case. The bezel actually looks nice and not cheap at all.

I don't know? First impression, I quite like the style? But I would need to see it on the wrist to judge the quality. Is the material Rubber or Polyurethane? PU doesn't perish and is very hard wearing.

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STAFFWOLF - NAVITIMER

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4090

Nope, I've not seen one in person, but I don't like rubber bezels full stop. Rubber case elements to me are the preserve of Casio G-Shocks and the like. I dislike the rubber on Hublot Big Bangs, AP ROO's, Corum Admiral's Cups, etc, etc. Just not my thing at all.

So while I concede I may like it a tiny bit more in person than I do in the pics, that won't get me over the fact that it's rubber.

In actual fact it was the rubber bezel is what ultimately put me off buying a CM49........ and that IMHO has a much more subtle bezel than the "car tire" on the Airwolf Raven.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

So is the bezel actually rubber? Surely it would be plastic, I know that's not much better and I personally couldn't tollerate either.

krlyuzh, could you tell us as you've sold one

If it's anything like the CM49 bezel then yes it will be rubber. However, in contrast to a couple of the other posts, certain types of rubber are extremely tough. Car tyres for example - they can put up with 40,000 miles on tough tarmac roads, supporting a couple of tons of weight. In that respect I'm sure durability is likely to be fine (assuming Breitling use a decent type of rubber), but it's the look of rubber that I hate on watches.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I saw a Raven in a display case - didn't try it on, but can't really claim that I was that impressed. Didn't notice specifically what the bezel was made of.

The CM49 bezel has the feel of vulcanized rubber (think hockey puck) though I'm not sure that it actually is.

I'm with Driver8, the rubber on the watch doesn't really do it for me.

I haven't seen a Raven in person. But when I just bought my Airwolf, I did consider whether to get a Raven. I don't find its appearance too bad, and I could very well like it in person. But none of the things unique to the Raven really appealed to me, that I would PREFER it over the non-Raven Airwolf. In the end, I had to have a bracelet on my Airwolf--a rubber strap only has limited applications for me and is not a permanent, steady-state material for my everyday watch. You could, of course, add it to a Raven later, but it's looking to me like you can only order a Raven with one of the two rubber straps!

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Chris
Club Member #0070
2009 TT Chrono Evo w/Rose gold, blue face
2009 Airwolf w/black face, Co-Pilot module
2009 TT Lady Cockpit w/Mother-of-Pearl, Diamond face for the wife

I know its super later, but better that than never. The bezel is rubber of steel. The numbers are actually "cut out" and are steel.