I've visited my Breitling/Omega AD today, in a hope that they received the new SO, or the Omega Planet Ocean LiquidMetal, or the Omega Speedmaster Apollo-Soyuz 35th Anniversary models. I was out of luck about all three, but they got a new Chronospace (black dial, Ocean Racer rubber strap) this week. Even though it's clearly out of the size range I can wear (with my skinny 6.3 inch wrist), I've asked the sales lady to let me try it on.
As Davey's photos suggested, somehow the new Chronospace looks a lot better in real life than on PR shots or Basel photos. Once I put it on my wrist, it made me smile. Partly because it looked very funny on my skinny wrist, but mostly because IMHO it looks like the perfect holiday/weekend watch to wear with shorts, T-shirt, and a bottle of cool fizzy drink
It doesn't want to look serious (like the B01), it doesn't want to look very trendy (like the new SO), and it has that oversized look all over the whole watch that makes it look a bit like a cartoon character. Huge diameter, wide strap, biiiig crown and pushers, biiiig hour indexes. I especially liked the bezel, and the contrast of the black dial.Quite frankly, if I had a much thicker wrist, I would have bought this piece spot on. It has a special charm that is very rare among wristwatches. My wife said it's ugly and ridiculous, but then again, she says all black bezel watches (incl. SOH, Rolex Submariner, Omega Planet Ocean, Omega Speedmaster Pro, etc. etc) are ugly. So what does she know about watches, really?
If you have the wrist to handle it, make sure to check this thing out. It may surprise others, just as much as surprised me. Now I can't wait to see the new SO in the metal. I truly hate the rubber bezel concept, but maybe it also has a special charm and charisma that Breitling pulled off with the Chronospace...
PS: Sorry guys, no pictures... The AD was about to close when I stepped in.
PS #2: List price at my AD is around EUR 3800 incl. 25% VAT (on Ocean Racer strap).
PS #3: Open letter to Breitling: "Please make a Chronospace Lite with 43mm diameter!"
