The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Make that four time zones...digital t1, analog hands (can be set different from ti), t2, and your co-pilot.

Aerospace (1992 edition) was also my first Breitling.

...and I've owned
Breitling Aerospace 1992 Aerospace bracelet
Breitling Aerospace COSC grey/pro bracelet
Breitling Aerospace Repetition Minutes non-italics
Breitling Aerospace Avantage
Breitling Aerospace Superquartz black dial/pro bracelet

and kept none of them longer than about a year. I love the hi tech look of the watch, and the quick timezone changes of the movement, but... for some reason, on a titanium watch, the (in)famous Breitling rider tabs are extra sharp. I've torn up cuffs and pockets of pants with these things. I've been lecturing and gotten my left hand stuck on a string in my pocket (much to the amusement of the students I might add).

If you can stand it, the B-1 / Airwolf is a better movement in an equally techie looking watch. And-- although I might get shot for saying this-- the Airwolf Raven is perhaps the most technie and intense of the Professional series, across the long history of that series.

Tom

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Now: Chronomat '97, SOH chrono, Airwolf Raven, Navi LE 01
Past: Aerospace(5x),Aviastar(2x),Blackbird(orig, 2nd ed),B-1(3x),SOPro(2x),Cockpit,Chronospace orig,CosmoLE,Emergency,Montbr.(2x),Navis: Old,A23322(2x),Fighters,50th(2x),ChronoMatic(2x),...

The Airwolf might look a bit better than the Aerospace, but it's the light weight of the Aerospace that makes it a winner for me, it's just a great every day watch. I had one in 2005 for almost a year then sold it..I regret doing that.

I'm also not fond of the rubber bezel on the Airwolf. I guess it's a matter of taste.

Absolutely right





Plus the 100mWR of the aerospace is a big advantage over the airwolf's only 50m when speaking for a stress free everyday tool watch

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Breitling Skyracer Raven
Breitling B-1 A68362

Picked one up yesterday, it's the more recent 42mm version E79362 version with Black dial and so far I am very pleased with it. I wore it at work today and it fits perfectly under the shirt cuffs and I found myself staring at it all day.... although part of the reason for that was that I wanted to finish work and go home!

I will post some pictures over the next few days but so far I'm impressed....

I am too, considering a new Aerospace. Had the oppty to handle them at my nearby AD about 2 weeks ago. It takes deep appreciation of high end thermocompensated quartz movements to really understand what this watch is all about. My current collection is made up of a Grand Seiko SBGT037 9F83 quartz (-/+ 10 secs per year, thermocompensated, 50 year service intervals, vacuum sealed movement, hand assembled), a Citizen Chronomaster A660 CTQ57-0961 (-/+ 5 secs per year, thermocomepnsated, 5 year battery, perpetual calendar, independently adjustable hour hand, 10 year warranty, hand assembled), 2 Seiko Anantas (Spring Drive GMT caliber 5r66 and Spring Drive Chronograph GMT caliber 5r86, -/+1 secs per month) and a Bulova Precisionist Claremont (-/+ 10 secs per year, 16bps smooth sweeping seconds hand, 256Khz quartz crystal with 3-prongs). Last, but not least, I also have the Japanese equivalent of the Aerospace, a Citizen Attesa "Jet Setter" ATV53-3023 with the ana-digi caliber U680 radio controlled movement, titanium with Duratect + DLC in the bezel.

Prior, I owned my share of mechanical watches (From entry level to high end Seiko mechanical chronographs with column wheel and vertical clutch systems) but I am well over them. I appreciate mechanical watches for what they are but reality is that I am an accuracy freak. Mechanical watches simply can not deliver accuracy in the seconds per month/year ballpark, no matter how good COSC or otherwise they might be. The exception to this is Spring Drive, hence why they give me the best of both worlds... Mechanical watchmaking excellence with high end quartz accuracy.

Now, the Aerospace would not only be my first Breitling but also my first Swiss watch (Well second). I like the ETA thermocompensated superquartz movement and the fact that the ETA appears to have a terminal calibration port just like my Grand Seiko 9F83. If you are not an accuracy, high end quartz (HEQ) fanatic, you will never appreciate a watch like the Aerospace or any other high end quartz watch for that matter. On the upside this is good, because while all the so called "WIS" point their noses up at anything that "smells" quartz, a small group of enthusiasts will continue to enjoy these fantastic and vastly underrated pieces. Mechanical watches are nice but impractical for life here in the 21st century (Yes, and I refuse to use a cell phone to tell time!)

I am still trying to learn about the Aerospace and would like to get as much information as possible for those of you that own or have owned them in the past. While the Aerospace can not hold a candle to a radio controlled-solar multi function quartz watch made in Japan (My Citizen Attesa has way more functions than the Aerospace for 2/3 of the price and equal or better finish and build quality), the fact that the Breitling (Aside from the Chopard Historique Time Attack) are the only ana-digi high end quartz watches left in the world today that offer thermocompensated movements.

I was pleased with the titanium models I saw but need more convincing before pulling the trigger. Please tell me the good, bad, ugly about these watches. Street prices and recommended online ADs would be greatly appreciated.

There's no such thing as an online AD - see my answer earlier today in your other thread asking this question.

Gotcha, no problem.

My local Breitling brick and mortar quoted me 25% off the Titanium model with professional bracelet. I believe these retail for around $3,600. Since I wasn't intending to buy right then and there, I didn't push for further discount. In the little bit of research I have done, seems to me 30% off would not be an unreasonable expectation. $2,500 seems like a decent price for this watch, but beyond that, I'll look at other choices.

My Citizen Chronomaster and Grand Seiko SBGT037 were both in the $2,200 ballpark ordered from Japan.

30% is unlikely in the US these days because dealer costs went up last year. Retail prices in the US are also going up effective February 1st. If the difference between grey market and AD is only 5% I'll take AD every time - the warranty and peace of mind is easily worth that.

Agreed. I have never bought a watch from the grey market and doubt I ever will. My Japan domestic market pieces have been bought from an extremely reputable brick and mortar Seiko/Citizen AD located in Japan and willing to do business with us westerners via the internet. Others from local brick and mortar shops.

While prices have gone up, the jewelry business is still suffering from the effects of the economy and watch ADs here in my neck of the woods are more willing to haggle on pricing than ever before. I still think nearly $3K for a new Aerospace is really bordering on lunacy but always worth trying pushing for an extra 5% nevertheless.

No love because it's too expensive and the crown functionality is crummy..

All Breitling watches are expensive just like any other prestigous swiss brand, the Aerospace models are amongst the least expensive in the range so I don't think the Aerospace models are any worse than any other Breitling model.
I recently bought the newer 42mm version which is my first ever Aerospace and I continue to be very impressed with it, I find myself wearing it over my Daytona and Ploprof because it's so comfortable/practicable. I really like the functionality of the crown so I have no idea why you would describe it as crummy?

I do also like the crown function of my aerospace.No crummy at all imho...

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Breitling Skyracer Raven
Breitling B-1 A68362

25+ years with the same kind of crown operation, it can't be crummy or it would have been dropped from the line up in the 90's!

It is a bit fiddly, specially if you have sausage fingers [I don't], and as nobody has said if they right wrist an Aerospace, does alienate some wearers.

Thanks guys. What would be a reasonable street price for this model here in the US?