The Breitling Watch Source Forums

As long as the culture and spirit of the brand remains unchanged, it is still "since 1884". If changing of management, using of brand new staff, brand new equipments, brand new factory is deem as a "different company", then I think many brands will not able to claim their heritage too. People die and the management and staff today in the companies are all different from the origin when the brand first started. And many leaders today of many brands are not from the original family line. Many brands have even shifted from their birthplace. I feel the fact that Breitling died and revived in 1979 makes her history "richer" because few brands have such dramatic history where it went from riches to rags and rags to riches again. I am looking at the engraving on my pilot bracelet, "Breitling 1884" as I type this. Feel proud to own a Breitling.

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Breitling Chronomat 01 Limited Edition
Breitling Navitimer 01 46mm

I guess it depends on the meaning of "virtually".
There were a few models released by Schneider under Breitling brand as early as 1980, such as the Pluton, Jupiter, SuperOcean Deep Sea and the Tabarly yachting collection. These were all Quartz and some modelled on the Quartz Navitimer and Chronomat that Breitling introduced before it went belly up.
It was not until 83/84 that the new Chronomat with a mechanical movement was developed for Frecce Tricolori with the characteristic rotating bezel and the rider tabs, instantly recognisable as Breitling today.

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"It is just a matter of time!"

I like all three brands. I own an Avenger II which I just love. I just haven't warmed to the various models from Omega and Rolex. Omega to me is particularly frustrating as I find their Planet Ocean line waaaay too thick and their "upmarket pricing" IMO is not warranted.

For me its a love hate thing, i love the look of the decorated movements and the changes they made to the Planet Ocean dial, markers, and bezel

But i don't think i would ever get past the pricing, i mean its like a minimum $2000 price difference between those Omegas and Breitlings in the same category, or if you put it as a % its even worse.

I agree. Omega PO has become far too expensive. I paid EUR 2250 at the AD in 2005 for my PO 2500 (already co-axial) . Price has more than doubled since. ETA belongs to the swatch group so Omega now call their movements in-house and pump up prices accordingly. Granted they made some enhancements (ceramic bezel, decoration,...) but are they additions really worth that much?. Then again, is a Rolex Sub worth the money? We’re talking luxury watches, so I guess the value argument becomes pointless looking at the big picture outside the enthusiasts world. Inside the watch community though, it’s clear to me the Breitling is better value for money.

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life's too short and you only live once

For in-house I will choose Rolex if I'm rich, but will choose Breitling when I'm young and cannot afford a "high-end" watch.

Just my opinion, but I would disagree with a couple of points there actually. Breitling's in-house movements are arguably just as "high-end" as Rolex's in-house movements....., or perhaps more so given that the B01 is newer than anything Rolex are currently running....but really we're into semantics here. Of course not all Breitlings are currently in-house while Rolex's are, but TBH Rolex and Breitling both inhabit the same "Luxury" consumer segment - both are widely available, both are mass-produced predominantly by machines, etc. Neither Breitling nor Rolex aren't generally considered "high-end" per se, so if you want high-end then you really want to be talking Patek, AP, Blancpain, Breguet, VC, Lange, etc.

So personally I wouldn't say you only buy a Breitling if you can't afford a Rolex at all.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Just my 2 cents, I wouldn't choose an in-house chronograph movement considering its complication and service cost. So it really narrows down the options of Breitling. And when I said "high-end", I did mean those up-level brands. Maybe I didn't make it clear and sorry about that if it confused you.

I was under the impression the old owners knew the new ones and asked them to buy the company.

the more I read and learn about watch movements.. the more I want an in house movement. I know rolex is known for making all their watches in house, but I can't seem to find any rolex models I can love for around 10K(my budget for next watch and also comparison to the Chronomat SS). In my opinion, I think the Chronomat B01 is bang for you buck... will pull the trigger once they come out with a new model that changes the number font on the bezel(only thing I don't like about the watch)

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Breitling SuperOcean Chronograph Rose Gold

I thought the reason Breitling and others started making their own movements was due to the fact that the Swatch group put a date on when they were going to stop selling ETA movements to competitor brands. I think of Rolex, Omega, Breitling sorta like Mercedes, BMW, and Audi. All good in their own way. Matter of what your preferences are as to what you choose..or just get them all.

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18k Rolex Datejust / Breitling Crosswind Special / Patek SS Nautilus / Bvlgari Diagono Chrono / Bvlgari Scuba / Omega Speedmaster Professional / 60s Omega Constellation

I read the previous owners hand picked the new owners.

To your first point: I think breitling is actually a bit "above" Omega in finishing etc. I think Tudor is comparable to Omega and Breitling but Rolex is a class above.

The microstella is a much more reliable way to regulate a watch over swiss lever imo, because if your watch takes some jostling like a round of golf, my old chronomat would be off and my Rolex wouldn't, it is easier however to make quick adjustments on a breitling. The 5 digit and less rolexes wear really nice and tell time very well.

I got into breitling in the late 1990s and my sense back then looking through shop windows of the past, was that Breitling exceeded Rolex in the Case, Bracelet, and Crystal, but many people went right to Rolex. I think Breitling looked at that as an inditement of their movement rather than perhaps a testament to the workhouse that rolex movements were. It is interesting to note that, lings back then were already starting to move toward jewelery, as in a watch not being a neccessity but an accessory. I believe Rolex moved in that direction later when they released the yachtmaster and came out with the supercase and polished center links.