The Breitling Watch Source Forums

At last someone done a poll I really can't see some of the current new line up ever becoming classic's as is the case with some of the out going models. I am relitivally new to this game but it is based more or less on the discontinued models. OK some of the new models are possibilities, Chronomat B-01 GMT, 41mm and the navi's. But if I was comming to this as a Newbie and looked in the Breitling case to see lots of rubber bezels and reds, oranges ETC. NO NO. And signs were on when I first seen the Colt GMT+... YUK Does any one here acutally own one?

No offence indended if you do!

Voted no. 2 BTW.

Just my opions.

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Breanach78

A Few Breitlings.

I voted for #2. I also have made my opinions known on other threads, but I don't understand who they are trying to appeal to with their latest releases. I would say that these recent models are driving me totally away from Breitling, but funny enough it has actually made me want to pick up a couple of their older (and now discontinued) models.

Clearly I have no Harris or Gallop DNA, but ya'll are worse than a bunch of lawyers.

My attempt was to limit the poll to the impression given by the 2011 releases only. While 2009 and 2010 had the occasional release - Ravens, SOII, blacksteel editions, Ruck Rogers bezels, 2011 seemed sweeping with the changes in the SO line, and wholesale obliteration of so many models. So I figured I needed to give some folks the "wiggle option" of "I don't see a shift" as a result of the 2011 releases, because the message of 2011 seems clear - Buck Rogers and Rubber are going to be the bezel options for a while.

However given the comments of those who voted #4, it seems most those folks do not like the direction Breitling has taken in the last 3 or so years. That puts the dissatisfied vote above 70%.

Next time I do a poll it will be after the first cup of coffee.

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SHARKMAN

Don't worry Tom, I think the poll was sabotaged by people creating fake screen names and voting multiple times.

I think it's clear that most people are unhappy with the direction. Hopefully they will come back to reality and give us back the Breitling we once loved. Until then, I will stick with my 1-2 Breitlings and that's that.

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

Damnit!! You figured me out Sergio.

You can probably guess what I voted from my posts in the other thread (#2), but I think a "Breitling has no direction" option would have been goo too.

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"Leave the gun, take the cannoli."

I think the general attitude here among members is clear, at least among those who voted. If we take the people who voted #4 because they don't see a change in direction, but nevertheless don't like the direction Breitling has been going for the last several years, and combine them with those who voted #2, that's a pretty substantial majority who don't like the way Breitling is headed.

I think it's interesting that those over at WUS and TZ don't seem to have a problem with the designs. This is a Breitling-specific forum, whereas both of those sites are multi-brand forums. Are we more indicative of how the average Breitling buyer is likely to react, or are they? Hard to know. Still, as I see it, if a good number of die-hard Breitling fans (which I presume we are) don't like what the brand's putting out, that can't be a good sign for Breitling's future success. But that's just my gut reaction, colored by my obvious bias, which I've made clear elsewhere.

I voted #2, by the way, even though I see the new models as a continuation of an existing direction; they've just gone much further with it this year.

The poll is somehwat flawed, the sample is not representative of the market as a whole and too small to be statistically significant, but the view at the main site on the web devoted to Breitling is pretty clear cut.


And the polls are still open with several Florida Precincts doing a hand count. CNN is not making the call yet. Fox has called it for McCain. Would someone please wake the Senator from his afternoon nap?

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SHARKMAN

It seems to me they are shooting to develop a "new" Breitling buyer and perhaps assuming the core existing market will simply follow.

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SHARKMAN

Another thought has occured to me: maybe Breitling thinks it will attract enough new buyers to the fold that alienating its "old guard" enthusiasts simply doesn't matter. Perhaps placating a small core of purists loses out over appealing to a broader base, even if it means diluting the uniqueness of the brand, and sacrificing what made it special to begin with. In other words, perhaps they mean to become another TAG Heuer.

I voted # 2 as well and except for a few new models (Navi 01 LE and the Transocean 01 LE) I am not drawn to anything they have offered over the last several years. I worry about Breitlings future. Personally, I have a strong hunch that the company's financials arent too good. I think the on slaught of every model getting DLC and rubber coated everything is a ploy to frantically drum up some revenue. Sure makes you wonder. Qick buck sales in exchange for brand loyalty..... I have seen my (previously die hard exclusive Breitling collection owner) eyes very easily turned to other brands, over the last several years.

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Breitling Steelfish(black)
Breitling Steelfish(silver)
Panerai PAM 312
Bell & Ross BR03-92 Phantom
Steinhart BreitlingSource LE #5/15

Sorry but I don't buy it! No Way Will Breitling become another Tag Heuer! Most Tag Heuer's are at a significant lower price point than Breitling! However, I feel that one of two things are at play here or both. Namely, they are catering to a younger affluent clientele - Asia, Asia Minor and Eastern Europe's nouveau - rich. Secondly, they will buy these items they have the excess disposable income when the rest of the world doesn't. Nonetheless, as someone stated in another thread Breitling will continue to release a few classics in order to appeal to their true devotee's. Breitling is just trying to capture as much of the the market share as possible by being all inclusive. As a result the image may tarnish or be diluted to an extent - but at the end of the day they will have the cash flow to stay in business. Furthermore, this could just be a phase until the business trends improve globally and then they would have secured a biger clientele base. In order to move them progressively to the more "classic" pieces. The aforementioned statement is just my thoughts and opinion!


Regards,

Enezdez

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IWC - Big Pilot 5002 - 01
IWC - Pilot Chrono 3717 - 04
Panerai - 183
Omega - Speedmaster 145.012 / 67
Rolex - Explore II (Black Dial) - 216570
Rolex - Explore I 114270
Blancpain FF 5015

Unfortunately, I have to agree with that. Aside from the B01 movement, I don't see much of a difference between Breitling and Tag Heuer right now. There are quite a few Tag's that I prefer over the new Breitling releases. I disagree with the logic of releasing a bunch of new pieces in hopes of capturing whatever marketshare they can....if that really is their strategy then they are in for some very rough times.

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

Not to hijack the thread but I just watched this short clip from the CEO of PP and I found it pretty insightful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0pXvzF592w&feature=channel_video_title

Thus, given the recent conversation concerning Breitling's future direction I thought I would share Thierry's thoughts on PP direction...I am sure a lot of you will agree with his thoughts. For those of you who don't speak french, here are his thoughts regarding timeless design, something which I think we can all agree makes PP great. I am paraphrasing in English what he said in the interview:

Patek's philosophy has not changed, we have to keep our values and tradition while evolving at the same time. Since the beginning in 1839 there has been a desire to have a tradition for innovation. The objective of PP is to improve on the precision of our movements, to improve the finish. For us this philosophy is all about improving the quality of the product continually while at the same time avoiding falling victim to short-term fashion trends which are too short-term for PP. I don't want to create a piece that will be nice for six months and then will be forgotten. And that is the permanent challenge that we have, to go further while at the same time respecting certain criteria of beauty that will last through the years.

Now if Breitling had this mantra I think we would all be pretty happy

As for me, I haven't voted yet, I guess I fall into the "no opinion yet" camp. I will wait til the dust settles and see the new pieces live for myself and then decide. To quote JFK: "There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction"

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Alex
Breitling - Navitimer
Breitling - SuperOcean
Breitling - Chrono SuperOcean

Indeed. I also think Rolex has demonstrated that it is possible to live by this axiom without charging Patek Philippe prices. To wit, the redesign of the SS Sub-c last year was the first major change to the watch since the late 1980s, and even with the changes, it is still very recongnizably a Sub.

One thing I find interesting is that just about every response in this thread is from somebody who voted 2, even though 1, 3, and 4 have about half the votes.

For the record, I voted #2, although its a very light dislike.

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-RJ