The Breitling Watch Source Forums

After just looking at the diamond bezeled Chronomat B01 and looking at the new offerings at BaselWorld where the stuck the B01 Bezel on the Galactics, its becoming increasingly apparent to me that 1) Breitling is running out of ideas or 2) Breitling needs more cash and needs new investors. The way things are going Id rather even see Breitling get taken over by Richemont or some other big watch company or even Breitling Watch Owners who have purchased a watch from an authorised dealer and would like to purchase parcels of shares in the company or maybe just open it up for anyone who is interested.

The company is going the wrong way. I like the B01 - this debate is not about the B01 or its design, its simply a frustration that the watch brand that I coveted to buy a watch of since I was a kid is making these types of design and watch development choices such as sticking diamonds on B01 bezels or sticking B01 bezels on other lower cost models.

The owners of the company should consider whats happening, when I start to see people saying they cant wear or dont want to wear their B01 anymore because of whats come after its introduction, then the situation is getting out of hand. The company should consider ways of getting more capital into the business- at least we may see Breitling getting back to a few basics, in terms of improving the functionality choices in its watches and maybe sticking the B01 movement into some of the iconic watches of the brand.

Thanks for reading my rant
Ramps

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Breitling Chronomat BO1 Riviera Blue Dial Stainless Steel Case and Pilot Bracelet

I don't think producing new ideas about design trends would cost a lot of money. I'm pretty sure Breitling has their own in-house designers, on payroll.

Breitling once put the B01 design on paper, with the love-or-hate bezel, and now they will revamp their whole lineup using that design. Except for the new SuperOcean which seems to bring something new all over (once again, love-or-hate).

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Ingenieur - Speedmaster - Submariner

they need to do something - if its not about money then they need to get some new people who can assist in developing the range - for me- sticking B01 bezels on lower end models, sticking Diamonds on B01 bezels doesnt say or mean anything.

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Breitling Chronomat BO1 Riviera Blue Dial Stainless Steel Case and Pilot Bracelet

If you look back, Breitling always had their distinctive designs, but not too different inside a model range. All Navitimers and Montbrillants look alike, except for maybe the Chrono-Matic. All Windrider models used to share the same bezel design (made of bare steel, with rider tabs and etched indexes), but otherwise Windrider chrono models looked quite similar, with the Cockpit being a bit different (mostly due to not being a chrono). Before the born of the SOH, watches in the Aeromarine range used to be quite similar, with the rider tab bezel and chronos looking like other chronos, non-chronos looking just like other non-chronos in the same range, etc. etc.

Now it seems like Breitling is working on:

1) New bezel (B01) for the whole Windrider range. When they revamp the Blackbird (probably next year) and discontinue the Chronomat Evo (I hope not), it will be pretty much completed.

2/a) New bezel (new SO) for the whole Aeromarine range

2/b) New bezel (new SO) for the diver's watches in the Aeromarine range. If this is the case, then I'm not sure what would happen to the non-diver watches (e.g. Colt GMT), but the new Colt GMT+ may just give a hint on a 3rd new bezel design variant.

3) Navitimer range should stay as is, with probably a late introduction of the B01 movement in a new "Navi B01" model sometime in the 22nd century

4) Professional range is still cloudy, especially since if you don't count the Ravens, now it is made up of the Aerospace (untouched so far), a huuuuge design mix of other watches (new Chronospace), and the Emergency, and ........ that's it. If there's a range where Breitling has a lot of work to do, IMO it's the Professional range.

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Ingenieur - Speedmaster - Submariner

Breitling will be just fine; they just made a brilliant decision on their newest, virtually unknown, spokesperson…..that cost them next to nothing and will help sell about zero watches…. Dude can hold his breath for 9 minutes…GREAT let me run out and buy a Breitling so I can do the same. They’ve spent all of their money on building an in house movement and put it in all of ONE watch…but there is more to come right??? Sure..Just wait!! BUT, don't forget they've taken the time to read through our fearless leader's 10,000th post on designing high end useless complications...they'll be just dandy. I'll be the first in line for the super light weight, precious metal, tourbillion with a minute repeater, quation of time, and accurate moon phase.

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

In addition to a new influx of cash, a management shakeup may be helpful as well. I think Roff needs to send in an application.

Cash and idea-strapped or not, the status quo of a couple years back would be a drastic improvement over where Breitling is currently heading. They've cheapened my B01 twice now in about as many months (using the bezel for other watches and adding diamonds). I mean seriously, a gold B01 with diamonds embedded into the lugs, really?! Who the hell is going to buy that? My blood pressure is getting too high; I need to stop for now . . .

-Craig

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Chronomat 01- Sierra Silver/Steel
Navitimer 01- Limited Edition #1337/2000

IMO diamonds are an improvement for the B01 bezel.

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SHARKMAN

Them be fightin' words

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Chronomat 01- Sierra Silver/Steel
Navitimer 01- Limited Edition #1337/2000

Town square at high noon. Pistols or knives?

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SHARKMAN

oh and bozman52, I get the same hot/cold reactions to the bezel on my Skyracer Raven.

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SHARKMAN

No guns or knives, I'll just throw my B01 at you. That's about all it's good for at this point.

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Chronomat 01- Sierra Silver/Steel
Navitimer 01- Limited Edition #1337/2000

I don't think the DiamondWorks variant of the B01 would cheapen or ruin the "regular" B01. It's just a high-end, ostentatious variant of a great watch. It will be bought mostly by rich women and rappers. Afterall, big watches are in, a trend of gents' watches worn by women is in, rap is very much in

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Ingenieur - Speedmaster - Submariner

I'm overreacting a little and my tone is more cynical that usual, but the bottom line is seeing this nonsense on Breitling's flagship watch defaces it for me. It's like seeing someone buy a Jeep Wrangler and install 24 inch blingy, chrome wheels. It just ruins the heritage. Leave all that diamond nonsense for Jacob & Co.

-Craig

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Chronomat 01- Sierra Silver/Steel
Navitimer 01- Limited Edition #1337/2000

Leave my ride out of this.

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SHARKMAN

Well I'm truly shocked to see that mfserge has taken another chance for a personal attack at me (really Sergio, what I have done to you???). Oh and last time I checked I'm not the leader, fearless or otherwise. Please grow up, it's getting tiresome and I'm fairly certain that many other people have had enough too!





I think that the money is tight - why wouldn't it be after the economic problems - we need to wait for COSC numbers, but Breitling production was likely down 20 - 25% in 2009. What I'm not sure of is whether that impacts design directly or rather production. If the company is producing new watches then they need to produce all kinds of new parts, and that has to be an exercise in reprogamming CNC machines, retooling, potentially working with suppliers on new parts etc.

I suspect that may be one of the reasons why we haven't seen anything else with an inhouse movement - I doubt that we will see the movement 'dropped' into an existing watch (and even that would require modifications). I made it clear in my 10,000th post that I think that Breitling needs an influx of capital one way or another, but I'm not sure whether the design is suffering for a lack of investment - I think that it's a conscious effort.

Also remember the effort that has gone into moving production in house - not just in house movements but in house production of ETA / Valjoux movement parts to offset the impact of Swatch Group's cessation of the supply of ebauches. That has meant a considerable ramp up in machinery, training, staffing, etc, and there will be ongoing support and financing costs associated with that work that will reduce the money available for investment elsewhere. I also suspect that Breitling saw some considerable tightening of their credit in the last couple of years.