The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hi all,

I sold my pristine Steelfish several months ago and boy do I regret it, much more so than any watch I've flipped which includes a few modern Omegas.

On my hunt for another, I started to look at the Superocean Chrono and really like the day-date complications and chrono functions. The only worry I have is that it is all polished vs the Steelfish and is smaller on paper at 42mm vs 44mm.

Has anyone owned, tried on, or worn both and could give me a comparison on how they wear and how they look? The guilloche dial on the Steelfish and double sided AR coating made me drool every time I looked at the dial. Will I get the same effect from the SOC? I like a watch that has wrist presence but nothing over the top so I liked the bigger size of the Steelfish coupled with the mostly brushed case which gave it a more understated look for a Breitling. That being said, which one between the two is more of a looker?

Thanks!

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Current:
Breitling Chronomat Evolution

My CSO is due in today, so I'll let you know more when it comes in, although I won't be able to compare it to a Steelfish. What size is your wrist, by the way?

I owned a CSO, but I have not owned a SteelFish.

The CSO's looks are very drool-worthy. Double-sided coating and lots of nice details, just as with the SF. It actually wears bigger than you would think since the depth of the watch, which is similar to the other chronos, makes it nice and chunky due to the smaller diameter. It seems to stand out a little more from the wrist. As with other lings it wears very comfortably and as with other aeromarine models it's rock-solid.

The day/date was one of my favorite features and it looks awesome on the perforated ocean racer strap:
http://breitlingsource.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10889

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"Either this man is dead or my watch has stopped!"
- Groucho Marx

Speaking of drool-worthy looks, this video made me drool a bit, myself. (And yes, it's perfectly safe for work. )

I previously owned a steelfish also. Loved the brushed look but it was just a little on the heavy side for me. I've tried on the CSO and although I like the 42mm size, the thickness makes for a very 'chunky' case. This is what has kept me from purchasing one, otherwise the dial/design is great. I feel the steelfish is a better proportioned watch (diameter and thickness), but if you don't mind a thick, chunky case then the CSO with the added complications is a good choice. (I should add that the specs. show the CSO to be 15mm thick but I think that is in error. I measured one and it looks to be more like 16-17mm, don't know why this discrepancy)

Good luck with your decision.

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Chrono Jetstream
Montbrilliant 1903
Aerospace E79362

Thanks for the responses everyone! This is making my decision tougher...

I was originally really set on an Omega Speedmaster Moon 3570.50 but I was afraid I would get annoyed at the lack of a date. To my luck, the CSO falls in the same price range and has that day/date complication which I've grown to find very convenient.

My wrist size is 7" but pretty flat on the top and bottom so I mostly wear 42mm-45mm watches.

What really draws me to the CSO is that it looks like a diving little brother version of the Chronomat Evo (which when I saw in person I knew I had to have someday). So I figure the CSO might be a nice first step in that direction.

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Current:
Breitling Chronomat Evolution

I actually thought it was Wednesday for half the morning today. When I finally came to my senses, I thought, "Man, that day/date feature is going to come in really handy."

It seems silly, but it is really useful! BTW I know it has been mentioned on here before but, WOW is it tough (for me) to get the Pro II back on this watch!

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sco
Breitling Chrono Superocean
Omega Aqua Terra 8500
Rolex Submariner Date Ceramic

You can't go wrong with either the SF or CSO. Don't worry about the CSO being too flashy, not at all even on the polished Pro II - because the bracelet is 20/18 instead of 22/20 it tones down the blinginess.

The CSO definitely wears much smaller than the SF. But it is by no means a small watch. It's pretty thick. I had 2 Speedmasters and found them, well, not only small but a bit boring for my taste.

I once had all 3 CSOs and sold/traded them all. Regretted it and now have the black dial again. Except for the white dial SF, I don't like leather straps on the SF. I do find the CSO more versatile - rubber, calf, or croco in addition to the bracelet. The black dial CSO on brown or black croco is beautiful. But after seeing the video JacksonStone posted I was reminded I NEED to order a Pro II for it!

The CSO is an underrated model in the breilting lineup. It shouldn't be - day and date, chrono, and considerable versatility.

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SHARKMAN

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sco
Breitling Chrono Superocean
Omega Aqua Terra 8500
Rolex Submariner Date Ceramic

Hi there,

I own(ed) both of them. In the past i owned a Colt Superocean, after that I had a SOSF 42mm, exactly the same 42mm size and 15mm thickness as the SOC. The SOSF was on a brushed professional 2 bracelet and was and wears awesome. Nowadays i wear the SOC as daily beater mostly on professional 1 or rubber/leather strap.

First:


The SOSF:


After trade of the SOSF i bought this piece one month ago:


The last two are both absolutely stunning watches, i like them way more than the "old" Colt Superocean. Both great weight, great wrist-presence and both use the same guilloche dial style that's absolutely stunning in daylight. I prefer the brushed finish of the Steelfish over the Blingy SOF because of it's scratch sensitivity.

Furthermore i prefer SOC's 7750 ticker with day/date complication way more over the use of a pretty simple 2824-2 in the SOSF. Could be the recent service but the 7750 runs exactly on time while the four year old 2824-2 was losing 10/15 seconds a day.

Like said before, you couldn't go wrong with one of these two but the SOC is more complicate (dial, ticker, complications) more versatile and more an eye-catcher over the 42mm SOSF. And i bought them both as occasion and at the same price.

Succes with your choice!

Greetz,
Rene
The Netherlands

My CSO arrived yesterday - black dial, Pro II braclet. Given the utter lack of decent Breitling dealers in my area, I bought this blind from George at Govberg, so these are all first impressions. My first reaction at seeing it was that even the best pictures I've seen of the CSO don't do it justice. This watch really looks fantastic - the detailing is simply outstanding, and if you didn't know, you'd never guess it is in one of Breitling's "lower end" lines. I got this thing as a replacement for my (now ex) Chronomat Evo, which I could never quite get along with, and I think the CSO can easily hold its own against the Chronomat in terms of both style and finish.

As stated earlier, it's pretty darn thick. I grabbed my calipers, and there's no question it's 17mm from back of the case to top of the crystal. Where Breitling came up with the official thickness of 15mm, I have no idea. Case diameter is 42mm, right in line with specs. It's a great size for my 6.5 inch wrist, but I can see how people with bigger wrists might want to go larger. Truth be told, I think I'd prefer it if it were a little thinner - say 14-15mm, but it still fits me well, and looks more appropriate on my wrist than the Chronomat.

The Pro II bracelet completes the package, and isn't too blingy at all, although I confess I have always like polished Lings, so my bling sensitivity may be lower than others'. I'm not settled I like the Pro II as well as the Pilot bracelet, which in my opinion ranks as one of the best bracelets in all of watchdom, but the Pro II is no slouch, either. The 20/18mm size fits the watch well.

In all, the CSO is a great all-around watch - a classic-style Breitling at a reasonable price. George at Govberg gave first rate service, even setting the day, date and time for me. Pity Portland doesn't have a dealer this good.

Congrats! It is a great watch and as others and I have said, woefully under-appreciaited. I dicovered about 3 hours ago the bracelet and end links on my SOII fit the SOC. Put the bracelet on and thought, "Wow!" I'm wearing it today.

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SHARKMAN

Congrats on the new pickup! Wear it in good health, and welcome to the day/date Breitling club!

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sco
Breitling Chrono Superocean
Omega Aqua Terra 8500
Rolex Submariner Date Ceramic

Thanks guys. Just out of curiosity, does anybody know if a 20/18 Pilot will fit the CSO, or do the lines not cross?