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Some of you may have seen this already from the Breitling electronic newsletter. I thought it was an interesting read and great that the B01 has won crucial early recognition (as the title states )

"In its September edition, German specialized trade magazine Uhren-Magazin is full of praise for Breitling’s new Chronomat B01. Backed by concrete figures, it highlights the exceptional performances of Caliber B01, a chronograph movement entirely developed and produced in-house by Breitling. Its final verdict is 6 out of 6!

Uhren-Magazin, the German publication widely acknowledged in professional circles as the world’s most serious watch journal, recounts in detail its thorough scrutiny of the Chronomat B01 presented by Breitling at Baselworld last spring. This six-page article signed by Gerhard Seelen gives pride of place to the new Caliber B01, including a reminder of the advantages provided by its column wheel and its vertical coupling-clutch; by the fast date adjustment system that can be operated at any time; and by the patented mechanism for the auto-centering of the chronograph reset hammers.

The journalist is particularly enthusiastic about the result of the rate precision tests conducted by the magazine: «[…] the Caliber runs with incredible precision, to the point of creating the impression that the Chronomat is equipped with a quartz movement.» A glance at the results does indeed confirm that the performances achieved are even more impressive than the official Breitling data: «With the chronograph activated, the variation is scarcely measurable at approximately 0.3 seconds per day; while the variation is barely 0.8 seconds when the chronograph is not in action: these are truly dream values.» During the tests Caliber B01 also displayed a minimum 72-hour power reserve, two hours more than announced by Breitling and a performance directly linked to the excellent rating results.

The maximum 6 out of 6 score awarded to the Chronomat B01 by the Uhren-Magazin editorial team is nonetheless not exclusively due to the performances of its movement. While the article does indeed focus mainly on Caliber B01, it also emphasizes the quality of the design and the impeccable finishing of this chronograph, which «seems to be built for eternity» in the words of Gerhard Seelen, who concludes the feature in even more lyrical terms: «the space available here could not possibly suffice to list all the positives of the Chronomat B01.»

Breitling vice-president Jean-Paul Girardin is naturally delighted with this article: «The praise heaped upon the Chronomat B01 by Uhren-Magazin is significant in that it stems from an extremely serious and neutral source, as well as being based on objective parameters backed by concrete figures. As for the results themselves, they reflect the philosophy that guided the entire development of Caliber B01 and which consists in giving top priority to movement performance, meaning its reliability and its precision. Finally – and very importantly – I note that the magazine salutes the quality of the Chronomat B01 in its entirety: not only that of the movement alone, but also the originality of its overall design, the level of its finish and its technical characteristics. At a time when consumers are clearly returning to authentic values, I see this as an encouraging sign for the Chronomat B01 – a wrist instrument designed to assert itself as the benchmark among selfwinding chronographs".

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Happines is Good Health and a Bad Memory.
"Ingrid Bergman"

Obviously I've not read the whole article, but from those extracts, the article was very much concentrating on the movement as opposed to the watch. The only mention of the watch seemed to come from Breitling's Vice President!

I've no doubt the movement is great : it just needs a more iconic case IMHO. As I keep saying, roll on a 44mm+ B01 Navitimer.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I fully agree, Driver - I very much like the movement, very much dislike the case it's in.

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Collection: http://s540.photobucket.com/albums/gg32 ... mview=grid

Thanks for the info!
Wish my german was better so I could buy the magazine

Maybe a little beast called the super avenger would be nice... That seems to be the one im after. finally made up my mind for sure on number 2!

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Breitling Bentley 6.75
White Baton Super Avenger
Rolex DSSD

Yes the article predominantly focuses on the movement alone. I too agree with the overwhelming majority when discussing the current casing and have no doubt that the B01 will eventually find a home in some more popular models. I'm sure it's just a numbers thing for now. If nothing else the new watch has certainly generated fierce debate

Anyway it's nice that the movement itself is well regarded in certain circles!

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Happines is Good Health and a Bad Memory.
"Ingrid Bergman"

I have to believe that there is a Navitimer in the works for this, and then maybe we can have something more genrally appealing. I also have to wonder what the future for this movement is as a 'platform' like the 2892. We know that there are two different chrono layouts for this and I have to believe that Breitling also envisaged other complications for the movement - or at least the main plates and wheels.

Hopefully in a few years we will have a suite of very good movements, then we just have to hope for a little courage in complications, and a little more alignment with my thoughts on design.

"The maximum 6 out of 6 score awarded to the Chronomat B01 by the Uhren-Magazin editorial team is nonetheless not exclusively due to the performances of its movement. While the article does indeed focus mainly on Caliber B01, it also emphasizes the quality of the design and the impeccable finishing of this chronograph, which «seems to be built for eternity» in the words of Gerhard Seelen, who concludes the feature in even more lyrical terms: «the space available here could not possibly suffice to list all the positives of the Chronomat B01.»"

I believe that the quotes in between the arrows are directly lifted from the actual review. The review was not only about the movement, but the entire chronomat B01 watch, and given the 6/6 score, they were obviously impressed with something.

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-RJ

OK, so maybe it wasn't that the ONLY mention of the watch itself was by the Vice-President, but it seems that the MAJORITY of the review is about the movement.

But either way, while Gerhard Seelen obviously likes it, quite a lot don't. Each to their own.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

The main thing that makes me not to buy is the (for me) missing weekday feature of the good old 7750, like on the CSO. I'd go for the Blackeye Blue color combo. A few other things still disturb me but I could live with them. Without day-date: not for me. So I'm patiently waiting for the calender module Chronomat version.
Regards: Robertus

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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

We all know what style-icons the Germans are...

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BREITLING EMERGENCY + UTC CORAL DIALS
BREITLING AEROSPACE TITANIUM PROF (SOLD)
ROLEX SUBMARINER BI-COLOR BLUE DIAL
LOUIS VUITTON TAMBOUR DIVERS
PANERAI LUMINOR

Well, it's all relative, and they have some serious style competition from the south! That said, pulling up at a Berlin club with a tidy Teutonic bird in a Porsche can be rather stylish.

I had a good look at a couple of B01s yesterday – very nice feel to the crown and push pieces. Operating the chrono was like squeezing the trigger of an Anshutz target rifle – with the latter perhaps not being “stylish” per se, but a masterpiece of German machining – and smooooooth. Sweeter than an ETA 7750 derived movement, that’s for sure.

The case was typically beautifully made. Stylistically? Nothing special – it was eclipsed by many other Breitling models in the display. Having seen one in person, the blue dial Superocean Heritage Chrono has a new fan – it was like wearing the Nautilus! But I digress…

I’m not a fan of the traditional Evo design anyway, and the square thingy on the B01 dial is a further problem. It works better with the index markers (which are particularly nice) than the Romans – but that’s a rule with any sport watch type with a functional bezel.

Indeed, a tachymetre and Roman numerals go together like a pair of Nike running shoes and an Italian suit. Both great in isolation but hideous in combination, and in two-tone with a puse (or whatever the hell they call that colour) dial, it is a long way from the design principles which have made Breitling watches so great. I may be in the minority who kinda likes the bezel font, but when used in conjunction with those silly squashed Roman numerals, I must admit, it is like Atari meets Augustus.

I certainly agree that an updated 44 mm Navi with this movement would be a contender for a purchase. However, the next step should really be to put this movement into a new Bentley. I’m thinking a silvery/bronze dialled Motors with contrasting black subdials…and a day display.

Well, the weekday display is my Achilles' heel too. (For persons like me, working at different places every weekday, or for others not working daily, or on holidays, maybe on a world sailing journey, or for many other purposes. The only Ling I can use for these purposes is my CSO, unfortunately missing the all-dark, possibly Blackeye Blue dial.) I'm sure this feature can easily be made, either as a day-date (say Big Date at 12 and pointer calender at 6) or as a classic calender (center pointer date, day-month window at 12) module. But date window digits should stand upright anyway, and not oblique, as now - be at between 4 and 5, as now, or at 6 for the sake of symmetry. Just think of the Breitlings of the 1970's with Valjoux 773x (e. g. Transocean) with upright date between 4 and 5. Looked sweet. A good heritage to follow.
My personal preferences of casings are the Chronomat (maybe a bit sized down, say for 41-42 mm), the Chrono Cockpit (39 mm but with screw-down pushers) and the Superocean Heritage Chrono sized at 40-42 mm case and 22 mm lug width, all "Blackeye Blue" dials.
Watch size is always a matter of taste (I stand on the normal size side, that is 38-42 mm) but Breitling can easily make similar style watches in different sizes, be it under different names (CSO, AS and SA or CC and Chronomat) or same name (SOH 38 and 46 mm). It only depends on making up their minds and programming the CNC machines. I think filling every 3 or 4 mm between 36 and 48 mm would be a great company strategy... partly for Schwarzenegger wrists, partly for women and for chicken-bone wrists and partly for everyone else in between. You could order the model and name the diameter (36-40-44-48mm or better 36-39-42-45-48mm) and that's it.
I myself do not miss the original Chronomat rider tabs because I'm fed up with them ruining all my clothes, but I miss the minutely engraved original count-up lunette (best on my CSO and Chrono Cockpit) and the engravings on the 3 plain rider tabs. Could be a nice option too.
As an alternative the steel bracelets should be offered with the double-pusher clasp of the Oceane Racer. (At the Watchlounge Breitling Forum an Oceane Classic is reported to be made fit to this clasp, looks and I think functions perfectly:
http://www.watchlounge.com/wbb3/wl/watc ... 381a227b20
- if link is not allowed, mod plz edit my post!)

Just my 2 cents...

Regards: Robertus

PS: Almost forgot: best of all would be (and a long-time winner) the B01 (B02?) with: minute counter from the center (like that of the late Lemania 5100), with day-date at 3 (week-day at 3 and big date at 12 even better!)...

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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