The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hi All,

Which dial would you go for, the sunburst dial or strip dial for your Airwolf?

And why you choose the latter?

I heard that you can get Breitling service centre to change the Gen#1 Airwolf's skeleton hands to the Gen#2 full lumed hands, is that a possibility?

I've picked the newer, stripes dial. I only like the Airwolf with a black stripes dial. Why? It's just a matter of taste, I cannot further explain

I prefer the stripes, the sunburst is too much with the polished case / bracelet IMO.

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Breitling navitimer super constellation LE
Omega Ploprof 1200m
Bremont supermarine
Rolex milgauss GV
Olivant and Botsford 40mm Gold edition

I haven't owned either, but looking in catalogues and at my AD, I found the sunburst to be visually distracting.

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[Witty signature here]

I just recieved my Airwolf Raven this past Saturday, and love it!

Once I decided to get the Raven, the sunburst/stripes question became moot, as the Raven only comes with the pinstrips.

However, prior to deciding to get the Raven, I was looking at the Airwolf. What I found interesting, probably because I'm a novice at purchasing high end timepieces, is that the year/model isn't all that important in watches, unlike, say, cars.

I went into a Breitling AD several weeks ago, and asked to see their Airwolf. The salesman brought out a beautiful blue dial Airwolf, with the sunburst. When I mentioned that this model had been replaced, he seemed surprised, saying he thought it was the most recent version of the Airwolf. I told him that the new Airwolf now has pinstripes, and that this must be from '08. Well, he went to the back, and then returned and told me that it's actually from '07! It is what's called NOS, new old stock! (Sounds like an oxymoron to me, but, whatever...)

Well, based on my experiences dealing with purchasing last years model of cars, where the dealers want to make room for this years model, and offer tremendous discounts, I asked him how much I could get the watch for. He gave me a blank stare... then repeated the list price. Seems that watches do NOT go down in price, from authorized dealers, simlpy because they've been in their stock for several years! He wouldn't come down any more then the 10% discount he'd already quoted me! This for a three year old watch!

My feeling is this. If a model has changes in recent years, in looks, or features, and I prefer the previous version for some reason, I wouldn't hesitate getting it. However, if there's a new version, with a new look, or some new improvement, unless I can save a substatial amount of $$$, may as well get the latest and greatest!

The sunburst, on the Airwolf, doesn't bother me as much as many other people However, I DO prefer the new design. On top of that, while I have NO intentions of ever selling my Raven today, two days after getting it, you really never know. If/when I do decide I want to sell it, perhaps to move up to another watch, I'm sure it'll be easier to sell an Airwolf with pinstrips then an Airwolf with the sunburst design, simply based on my reading of people's preferences. I have NEVER read of anyone, looking to get a used Airwolf, who would have passed on an Airwolf because it had stripes, but I have read of people, quite a few, who wanted to purchase a used Airwolf, but wouldn't get one that had the sunburst.

Sorry this got a bit long!

Stripes for me too. The sunray is just too busy for me.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

When I went to AD's looking for my Airwolf, both of my local AD's had an Airwolf Raven (stripe dial) and a regular Airwolf (sunburst dial) in their display case. I did a side by side comparison of the two dials and concluded that I much preferred the stripe dial. The sunburst dial was harder to read and also looked more "plastic". There were a bit too much light reflecting off the rounded portions of the sunburst dial and combined that with the semi-skeleton minute hand, the legibility was obviously inferior to the stripe dial.

I actually like the idea of the sunburst dial as I think it's meant to look like a turbine to go with the turbine caseback. However when compared side by side I just found that I much preferred the stripe dial.

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My Breitling team:
SuperOcean (blue, circa 2007)
Airwolf (black, circa 2009)

Sunburst for me. I don't like it quite as much as the sunburst on the Skyracer, but I prefer it to the stripes.

TURBINE dial for me. The skeleton hand/ full lume hands are interchangeable on both airwolf models. Cost was about $A150 with a full service. The original turbine face with skeleton hands make the readability a bit offputting in some light, however with the full lume hands the face is sensational & very easy to read.

It looks awesome!!

Is the centered 'Breitling' applied logo on the dial or painted on?

It looks painted on. Although there seems to be a little bit of depth to it, like really thick paint or something.

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My Breitling team:
SuperOcean (blue, circa 2007)
Airwolf (black, circa 2009)

hard to tell from the naked eye, I would say it is applied as it is very raised & textured. However the turbine blades are more raised & textured again, hence the logo sits between the blades.

After years of thinking about buying a Breitling, I've always liked the Airwolf (the features, the precision of a superquartz, the E6B flight computer, the turbine case), but something was holding me back, then I seen the pinstripe version of it. Then I knew what was holding me back all those years, that sunburst dial.

I now have an Airwolf with the black stripe dial I think it looks more refined than the sunburst design IMO. I'm thinking about getting an ocean racer band for it for that Raven look.

Merli
Let's see some photos!

I'm lovin my Airwolf Raven! Great all around watch, 1st watch I've had with an alarm that is loud enough to be useful, great countdown timer, GMT, 2nd world time... just an all around full featured watch, with great looks!

Congrats!

(Check out the Diver Pro II strap. I prefer it to the Ocean Racer, but either one is nice. Very comfortable)