The Breitling Watch Source Forums

OK Driver, a yet-to-be-decided on Rolex and the Panerai 233. That still leaves one or two others. Could you pull back the curtain on what else you fancy?



dams-r-us

Well I'm definitely going to pick up a Tudor Black Bay when the new in-house movements hit the shops - just need to decide on either the black or blue bezel version. (I will also have a look at the bronze version too, but not sure if I want a bronze watch again though).

So apart from a BB, a Rolex (of some description) and a Panerai 233, then anything else is still up for grabs.

_________________
Driver8

Site Moderator

Not surprised you mentioned the Black Bay, D8. I had a look at the black bezel version recently and I'm seriously tempted. The nods to its heritage are done well IMO.

Can't argue with a Sub ND, I just wish the modern version had a domed crystal.

If you don't close out Breitling again, you should still consider the Chronomat 41 or (if you find it too small, though it isn't,) the Chronomat 44. Loads of versions, and if you cannot warm up to the bezel (I could), there is the Airborne for you. I think that now with the B01 inside these models have a good prestige factor - more than e. g. a Tudor. If you wish I can put it down way more detailed why I wote for you too for the Chronomat 41.
If it is not too urgent you might sit and wait what IWC will do with their brand new in-house chronograph caliber 69xxx. Aquatimers will certainly have this movement.
I mostly wear on office days and evenings one of the two watches with "prestige factor" while wearable for everyday use: either the Chronomat 41 or the Aquatimer Chrono Cousteau 376706 and neither of them leaves wishes open.
Just my two cents all that's written about.

_________________
Chronomat 41 BEB, Steelfish Chrono BEB, 2x Grand Premier, Chrono Cockpit 39 mm, Aerospace Avantage 79362
IWC 3706, 3705, 376706, 371928
Sinn 103 plexy
For sale: Sinn 356 II, Porsche Design Titan Chrono Valjoux
Wanted: Breitling Blackbird 13353 on bracelet

As I posted on the WIS Forum Dive Watch section: "Rolex - The brand you love to hate; the brand you hate to love"... Here I am, 8 Rolex Submariners later (a 6536/1, a 5508, TWO 6538 Big Crowns, a 5512, a 1680, a 5513 Maxi, and a recently-departed 2007 14060M COSC), STILL hoping/wishing for "The Perfect Rolex" in MY eyes. I have several problems with Rolex; to wit:
1). When I owned and daily wore the vintage Subs, noBODY recognized them as "cool vintage Submariners"; at least not here in southern California, where you can't swing a dead cat and not hit some mook wearing a Submariner. When my 2nd 6538 Big Crown got to be worth over $50K WHOLESALE, I just got too nervous wearing it, so out da' d'oh it went!
2). Bought the 14060M less than a year ago - just "wore too small" on my 7 1/8" wrist, C1 lume just wasn't "up to snuff", and at 60 years old, the "narrow" minute hand, combined with ALL that text EVERY WHERE on the dial and rehaut, as well as the dead flat crystal, added up to "BYE-BYE"!

I am rather fond of the new stainless steel Daytona with the ceramic bezel (probably the white dialed variant), but at 40mm, it still "wears small" IMHO - and then there's all that WRITING! Rolex have become a BILLBOARD in the last 10 years; even the newest Subs have become cartoons of themselves IMHO. Try as I might, I just can't make peace with those RIDICULOUS crown guards and overall "square look" of the newest Submariner...

A good friend of mine has a Project X "Newman Daytona" that is KILLER; again, too much $ for ME to be wearing around on MY wrist. I settled on (and am EXCEPTIONALLY happy with) a 1966 Breitling Navitimer 806 Twin Jet w/small sub-registers that was subject to a US$2,100 restoration in 2013 by the Heists - Horological Services. Wearing it as I type - MAGNIFICENT restoration work as only the Heists can do. The Breitling Purists will eschew it for sure, since the case is now PERFECT, and it has PERFECT replacement hands w/C3 Superluminova and a PERFECT Breitling Service Replacement Dial with small sub-registers and C3. Further sacrilege: I put it on a mid-80's Breitling oyster-style 3 link bracelet which wears PERFECTLY on my wrist; keeping time at -4 seconds/day. Hell, I wouldn't trade it "even-up" for my friend's Project X Daytona - crappy cell phone snap forthwith:

I have Rolex, Breitling and Omega dive watches and wear all of them to dive with. The B Seawolf is definitely the most "rugged feeling" of them, but that's really due to the massive case and solid bracelet. In real-life usage, however, the ones I'd always fall back on if needed are the SD and the Sub (pre-ceramic designs). I love the bracelets, the workhorse movements and the classic designs.

_________________
Regards

Steve

I don't know if it matters or not, but now there is talk that the SD4K is now being made with the glossy dial opposed to the matte dial when it was originally released. I'm not sure if that changes your mind, but I think it would be an improvement.

_________________
Justin
Please contact me via PM for the contact details for Govberg Jewelers
Govberg is an AD for over 50 fine Swiss and German watch brands.
Visit them on the web at http://www.govbergwatches.com or call 800-528-8463

Matte dials are best readable... I just enjoy my Sinn 103 St plexy during my travel to Berlin... some really nostalgic design here.

_________________
Chronomat 41 BEB, Steelfish Chrono BEB, 2x Grand Premier, Chrono Cockpit 39 mm, Aerospace Avantage 79362
IWC 3706, 3705, 376706, 371928
Sinn 103 plexy
For sale: Sinn 356 II, Porsche Design Titan Chrono Valjoux
Wanted: Breitling Blackbird 13353 on bracelet

Hmmmmmm, I'm fairly non-plussed either way TBH. I just wish they'd bump the size up to 42mm. Now THAT would be an improvement....and instantly elevate it to a "must buy" IMO. As I've said before, the fact the current SD4K wears even smaller than the Sub makes no sense to me.


While I'm here on this thread, I'll also just take the opportunity to say thanks to the ideas everyone's posted up here. Some good ideas, but the search is proving long!

That said, another watch that's a definite contender in the "perfect watch" stakes for me is the IWC Ingenieur Chronograph Racing. This in fact - http://www.luxurystnd.com/introducing-t ... g-watches/

I'll be honest, but I've steered completely clear of IWC ever since the debacle of my (fortunately long sold) Big Pilot - i.e. the worst timekeeping I've ever had in an automatic watch, coupled with IWC's inability to fix it, plus managing to scratch the case while doing so. That effectively closed the door on IWC for me, to the point I was convinced I've never consider owning another, but recently I had a chance to try on an Ingenieur Chronograph Racing at a local AD, and even though it's been out for a while, I have to say it really blew me away. It's so much better in person than in pictures, and it has pretty much everything I look for in a watch. I.e. Steel (not ti), in-house movement (offering something different in terms of function/dial layout/PR, etc), an unobtrusive date, an incredible bracelet (dead-easy to adjust, plus an superb fine adjustment system), ideal size on my wrist and not too tall (so it fits under a shirt cuff).

The ONLY thing I would change if I had a choice would be the caseback. The F1 car engraving is a bit cheesy and a display back would've been the icing on the cake. But that's all, and it's certainly not enough to put me off it : the good points above more than outweigh this one minor point. So.... another one to consider!

Hopefully I'll have a chance to act on these plans shortly as I've been a bit preoccupied with other aspects of life recently.

_________________
Driver8

Site Moderator