Transocean Unitime Chrono - A Review

ricardo · **Posted:** Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:35 am

Hi All,

Please follow the link below for my review on the superb Transocean Unitime Chrono.

Find out why I wished I had bigger wrists.

http://www.andrewmichaels.co.uk/blog/br ... ew-ab0510/

As always, your comments and constructive criticism are welcome.

Cheers,

Rick.

Stefan Tapp · **Posted:** Tue Nov 27, 2012 11:34 am

Good review Rick.

The watch is growing on me and I too think I prefer the black version.

I didn't realise it was that big, and I'm pleasantly surprised that it is, I honestly thought it was around 43mm.

I like the texturing on the dial and having taken delivery of my lovely Chrono-Matic 1461 from yourselves last week I'm really a big fan of the superb golden B shared between both models.

Not sure if I'd buy one personally, although I can see this being a good value used or NOS buy in the future.

Stef

ricardo · **Posted:** Wed Nov 28, 2012 3:25 am

Thanks Stefan,

I'm glad your pleased with the Chronomatic 1461. It too is a stunning watch if you can carry off the 49mm case.

I know you had a lot of issues with your original Calibre 01 Navitimer. I'm glad to hear that you haven't been put off buying in-house in the future. In all honesty, we haven't had any issues with the in-house calibres we have sold. I also think that their new 5 year warranty on all manufacture movements is a reflection of their confidence in the reliability going forward.

Stefan Tapp · **Posted:** Wed Nov 28, 2012 10:42 am

ricardo wrote:

Thanks Stefan,

I'm glad your pleased with the Chronomatic 1461. It too is a stunning watch if you can carry off the 49mm case.

I know you had a lot of issues with your original Calibre 01 Navitimer. I'm glad to hear that you haven't been put off buying in-house in the future. In all honesty, we haven't had any issues with the in-house calibres we have sold. I also think that their new 5 year warranty on all manufacture movements is a reflection of their confidence in the reliability going forward.

Don't speak too soon Rick, my 1461 is currently on its way back to Tunbridge Wells due to it having something inside on the crystal that shouldn't be there!

However, this time I'm happy to let them get on and fix it, it's a shrug of the shoulders time for me, I have far more important things in life (health) to be concerned with at the moment than a watch imperfection!

I'm sure it will be returned fully sorted. I would have been happier with a replacement but due to its LE status and discontinued date there are no more in the UK so I can appreciate that it couldn't be swapped out.

Stef

SLRdude · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2012 7:47 am

I like the review and I certainly like the watch. Great job!

However, I strongly disagree with the following statement:

"There are two versions of the GMT hand interface watches. The first and most common allows the normal hour hand to be adjusted without interrupting the time keeping. In this instance the GMT hand will not move. These are also referred to as Home Time watches. The second version allows the GMT hand to be moved without interrupting the time. The former is the most common but is the least useful to the traveller in my opinion as it requires the watch to be stopped to reset the normal time to the time zone to which you have just arrived at. There seems little point in having a Chronometer rated movement in these instances"

IMHO, it's 100% the other way around.

Driver8 · **Posted:** Fri Nov 30, 2012 2:43 am

As always Rick, a fine piece of prose. :thumbsup:

I always enjoy reading your reviews, even when it's about watches that I really have no love for! Surely a sign of good writing on your part.

I've said it before but the Unitime Chrono just seems like a missed opportunity to me. It could've been absolutely beautiful, but a few things completely ruin it design-wise for me - the coloured globe, and the date-window encroaching on that globe for starters. It just doesn't look as subtle, as classy or as well thought out as the original model. And unfortunately the immense cost means that I'd need to love absolutely every single thing about it to make it a potential purchase. For £8K I can't turn a blind eye to anything.

It's a real shame as I like the size and the concept, and the complication, and with a little more thought by the designers in just a couple of areas it could've been a "must buy". Pity.

(But again, great writing Ricardo!)

ricardo · **Posted:** Sun Dec 02, 2012 3:32 am

SLRdude wrote:

I like the review and I certainly like the watch. Great job!

However, I strongly disagree with the following statement:

"There are two versions of the GMT hand interface watches. The first and most common allows the normal hour hand to be adjusted without interrupting the time keeping. In this instance the GMT hand will not move. These are also referred to as Home Time watches. The second version allows the GMT hand to be moved without interrupting the time. The former is the most common but is the least useful to the traveller in my opinion as it requires the watch to be stopped to reset the normal time to the time zone to which you have just arrived at. There seems little point in having a Chronometer rated movement in these instances"

IMHO, it's 100% the other way around.

Well spotted. That isn't what I meant to say. I think I must have gotten interrupted in midflow during this segment. I think I need a new proof-reader as well.

I'll correct it within the review.

Many thanks for the feedback.

ricardo · **Posted:** Sun Dec 02, 2012 3:38 am

Driver8 wrote:

As always Rick, a fine piece of prose. :thumbsup:

I always enjoy reading your reviews, even when it's about watches that I really have no love for! Surely a sign of good writing on your part.

I've said it before but the Unitime Chrono just seems like a missed opportunity to me. It could've been absolutely beautiful, but a few things completely ruin it design-wise for me - the coloured globe, and the date-window encroaching on that globe for starters. It just doesn't look as subtle, as classy or as well thought out as the original model. And unfortunately the immense cost means that I'd need to love absolutely every single thing about it to make it a potential purchase. For £8K I can't turn a blind eye to anything.

It's a real shame as I like the size and the concept, and the complication, and with a little more thought by the designers in just a couple of areas it could've been a "must buy". Pity.

(But again, great writing Ricardo!)

Thanks for your kind words about the review Mr Driver.

Its a shame you do not like the Unitime as much.

I hear you about the price. It does seem a lot for a steel Breitling. However, as I mentioned in the review, with the usual discount offered by most ADs on Breitlings I think you would be very hard pushed to find such a technical watch from a manufacture at this price point.

Driver8 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2012 3:47 am

ricardo wrote:

I hear you about the price. It does seem a lot for a steel Breitling. However, as I mentioned in the review, with the usual discount offered by most ADs on Breitlings I think you would be very hard pushed to find such a technical watch from a manufacture at this price point.

Oh I quite agree in terms of getting a fair bit for the money : the problem for me is that to spend that sort of cash these days, I have to love absolutely every single thing about the watch. £8K (or even £4k) means I can't turn a blind eye to any design (or functional) point that I'm not 100% sold on. And unfortunately the Unitime Chrono has more than one thing that I'm not a fan of.

ricardo · **Posted:** Sat Dec 08, 2012 2:09 am

What? No love for the Transocean Unitime? I think this is one of Breitling's most exciting watches in a long time, if not ever.

Or, maybe you hate it. If so, I'd love to know your reasons why.

Roffensian · **Posted:** Sat Dec 08, 2012 5:59 am

I see it as a missed opportunity. The original Unitimes were absolute classics, the teaser photo that Breitling released of the new one suggested that the glory days could be back, the reality, well, it aint no 1-260

WatchFred · **Posted:** Sat Dec 08, 2012 6:04 am

Roffensian wrote:

I see it as a missed opportunity. The original Unitimes were absolute classics, the teaser photo that Breitling released of the new one suggested that the glory days could be back, the reality, well, it aint no 1-260

yes, it does still hurt to remember how Excited I was when I saw - and posted - that teaser pic.
not a bad looking watch and quite interesting technically; I do not want to marr the pleasure of people owning it - but for me it also is a - quite narrowly - missed opportunity to create a new icon.

ricardo · **Posted:** Sat Dec 08, 2012 6:50 am

Do any of you Gentlemen have the teaser pic that you mention above?

I'm intrigued.

Do you think there will be a Limited Edition in the future that will resemble the "teaser pic"?

WatchFred · **Posted:** Sat Dec 08, 2012 6:52 am

here's the thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=39618&p=291036&hilit=unitime+teaser#p291036

and here's the teaser pic. re: will there be ? well, they just have to look at the subdued look of the original Unitime 1-260, shouldn't be too hard, should it ?

Driver8 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 12, 2012 1:51 pm

Yep, that's the picture that got us all excited. Shame......

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