Since its introduction in mid-2021, the Breitling Top Time Classic Cars collection has changed the Top Time’s positioning in the brand hierarchy from an entry-level, youth-oriented chronograph series, to a more refined, lifestyle-inflected upscale collection. This revised line features frequent brand collaborations, exquisite finishing, and visual nods to some of the most beloved American automobiles of all time. The Top Time’s move upmarket shows no signs of slowing in 2023, and Breitling’s latest suite of releases brings the nameplate to new heights by introducing a tourbillon to the collection for the first time ever. Although their wild new complications may take top billing, the new Breitling Top Time B21 Classic Cars Chronograph Tourbillon collection (which includes the Breitling Top Time B21 Ford Mustang, Breitling Top Time B21 Shelby Cobra, and Breitling Top Time B21 Chevrolet Corvette) brings the Top Time series to luxe new frontiers through unique materials, refined presentation, and more subdued branding than its predecessors.
Interestingly, the watches in the new Breitling Top Time B21 Classic Cars Chronograph Tourbillon collection do not all share the same case dimensions. While the Top Time B21 Shelby Cobra and Top Time B21 Chevrolet Corvette both opt for 44mm wide cases in sleek black ceramic, the Breitling Top Time B21 Ford Mustang’s warm bronze case measures in slightly smaller at 43mm wide. With that said, there’s little that differentiates between the two case designs in images, other than their materials. Both case styles feature a broader, more imposing version of the Top Time’s familiar midcentury-sporty case silhouette in photos, with slightly tapering attached lugs, narrow smooth bezels, and richly brushed case sides. As one might expect, Breitling fits all three watches with sapphire display casebacks, offering an unimpeded view of the movements within. Although these may be more luxe variants of the base Top Time platform, Breitling maintains the line’s sporting edge, and all three models are rated for a solid 100 meters of water resistance.
Like their standard chronograph siblings, the Breitling Top Time B21 Classic Cars Chronograph Tourbillon collection features dials inspired by the beloved cars that share their names. However, these models take a subtler approach, with more muted colors and no overt automotive branding in images. All three watches share the same dial layout, with an outer tachymeter ring in black, the line’s signature “squircle”-shaped 60-minute chronograph subdial at 6 o’clock, and a matching rounded-square cutout for the tourbillon escapement and its elegantly narrow skeleton bridge at 12 o’clock. From here, each model takes the layout in a different stylistic direction. With its surrounding bronze case and matching dial hardware, the Breitling Top Time B21 Ford Mustang’s vertically brushed Highland Green dial offers a deep, classically luxe colorway in images, harmonizing the tourbillon with the rest of the dial through matching and complementary hues. Conversely, the Breitling Top Time B21 Shelby Cobra takes a more serious, muted approach in initial photos, with its desaturated navy blue brushed dial and a blacked-out tourbillon bridge. Arguably the most striking of the trio, however, is the Breitling Top Time B21 Chevrolet Corvette. Rather than taking on an automotive paint-inspired dial hue like its counterparts, this model instead shifts its focus to the car’s dashboard. The dial surface is rendered from a single piece of walnut burl wood, featuring a rich blend of highlights, shadows, and textures in images. Wood dials are a real rarity in the modern luxury watch landscape, but the results in photos are dynamic, nuanced, and genuinely compelling.
All three models in the Breitling Top Time B21 Classic Cars Chronograph Tourbillon series utilize the Calibre B21 automatic tourbillon chronograph movement. First introduced in 2022’s Breitling Premier B21 Chronograph Tourbillon, Breitling developed the B21 in partnership with movement specialist La Joux-Perret. The end result is an impressively solid performer, with a 55 hour power reserve at a 28,800 bph beat rate, as well as COSC certified chronometer accuracy. On the finishing side, the Calibre B21 is crisp and modern, if unspectacular in images. Broad perlage along the mainplate is accented by vertical brushing and anglage for the upper three-quarter plate, while the engraved skeleton rotor is dominated by a matching mix of vertical brushing and anglage. As one might expect though, the tourbillon is the visual centerpiece here, thanks to its use of contrasting metals and the arcing, narrow lower tourbillon bridge. Breitling completes all three models with a faux-perforated rally-style leather deployant strap in either midnight blue or cognac brown.
Just in time for Australian Summer, Breitling has released a new set of watches that is, as they state, the “ultimate athleisure watch”. The Breitling Endurance Pro eComm Exclusive comes as part of the brand’s Professional range and is a timepiece that is not only made for athletes, but for people that love the outdoors and active lifestyles.
The Breitling Endurance Pro eComm Exclusive is essentially a luxury sports watch. Combining innovative materials with a sense of artistic style, this latest creation by the Swiss brand has high precision, vibrant colour design and the robustness to make it a hit among sporting enthusiasts.
The Breitling Endurance Pro eComm Exclusive fits perfectly into the world of sports, in which Breitling already has quite a history. In motorsport, Breitling has sponsored Bentley at Le Mans, while also having a longstanding partnership with the car brand in general. In the world of cycling, Breitling has already partnered with major competitions, such as Giro d’Italia and Tour de France along with cycling legends Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali. Breitling has been offering timepieces with sports functions for a long time now, and the Endurance Pro is the latest to continue this tradition.
Breitling, a brand that used to be synonymous with aviation, today, stands for accessible sports. Sports such as running, cycling and swimming. High-performance activities that are not just limited to professionals but sports everyone can enjoy. In fact, there can be no better endorsement for the Breitling Endurance Pro than Tadej Pogačar.
A Slovenian cyclist, Tadej Pogačar wore a yellow Breitling Endurance Pro model during the final race of the Tour De France, in which he won. From a brand perspective, it shows Breitling’s rich history and heritage in cycling, and how Tadej Pogačar’s podium finish shows the brands return to the top in cycling.
The Breitling Endurance Pro eComm Exclusive was created using inspiration from Breitling’s vintage model; the Breitling Sprint. An iconic timepiece created in the 1970’s, the Breitling Sprint made use of a pulsometer, while also being incredibly lightweight. The integration of the pulsometer was ideal for athletes back then as they could monitor their heartbeats on the go.
The Breitling Sprint was also made from resin, which made it comfortable to wear, which is especially crucial during high-intensity activities. The Sprint models, like the Endurance Pro, were also offered in a variety of colours. This latest sports timepiece then is an evident evolution from the Sprint model, carrying much of the same characteristics while being modernised. The Breitling Endurance Pro is available in five different colours, ranging from the navy, orange, red, yellow and white. What we have on our hands today is the yellow Endurance pro model, the same one worn by Tadej Pogačar in his Tour De France win.
The Breitling Endurance Pro eComm Exclusive comes with an ultra-lightweight 44mm Breitlight case. The case along with the bezel is black, with almost a matte look and feel to it. Breitlight is Breitling’s signature material, released back in 2016. Breitlight carries some impressive statistics, such as being 3.3 times lighter than titanium and 5.8 times lighter than stainless steel. While also being nonmagnetic, thermally stable and hypoallergenic. It doesn’t stop there, however. Breitlight also has a high resistance to scratches, traction and corrosion. Being extremely lightweight helps the wearability of this watch. In fact, the rubber straps would almost weigh more than the case itself. The only drawback from the casing on the Endurance Pro is that it only comes with a water resistance of 100m (10bar). Breitling should have designed it to be at least 200-300m, so athletes can wear it during water sports, knowing that it won’t affect the watch. The bezel features a tachymeter scale integrated alongside a compass with the four cardinal points (N, E, S, W) shown. The Breitling Endurance Pro eComm Exclusive can be used as a sun compass. To do this varies on which hemisphere you are on. In the Northern Hemisphere, point the hour hand precisely towards the sun. Now on the watch dial, the point located midway between current hour and 12 o’clock indicates South, with North being exact opposite direction. The same procedure is used for Southern Hemisphere, however North will be indicated first with South being directly opposite. Since the Endurance Pro is targeted as an outdoor’s watch, the compass is a useful feature, something that can be quite helpful when hiking in the mountains.
When you first hold the Breitling Endurance Pro, you’ll notice almost immediately how light the watch is. At approximately 65 grams, this timepiece is incredibly lightweight. As we mentioned already, when playing sports or doing physical activities, this is an absolute bonus. I wore the Breitling Endurance Pro eComm Exclusive out to the driving range, and the lightness of the watch made it so comfortable to wear during the gruelling swings I put it through.
The fact that this is also a quartz timepiece can be a deterrent for some watch buyers. However, the Endurance Pro is no ordinary quartz, with Breitling’s SuperQuartz making this a highly precise timepiece. With the Endurance Pro also being extremely lightweight and available in some exciting and vibrant colours, this is a timepiece that is coming from a luxury brand with a rich history, making the Breitling Endurance Pro occupy a unique position among sports watches.
Over the past few years, Chopard L.U.C Strike One has been able to effectively transform the makeup of its offering through the Alpine Eagle. The independent brand took an old-school relic and re-shaped it for the modern consumer. The AE has grown so much in such a short time that it is easy to miss the insane work Chopard does from a movement manufacturing perspective within the L.U.C line (some of which also bleeds right back into the Alpine Eagle, see here). As a fan of Alpine Eagle myself, I must tell you that it’s the L.U.C stuff that has regularly knocked my socks off, from overall thin dress watch design to things like officer’s casebacks and dial textures. These watches deserve to be up there with the best of them.
And this year, for Dubai Watch Week, Chopard L.U.C Strike One has announced a new entry into the fold for the 25th anniversary of the L.U.C collection: the 18k white gold Chopard L.U.C Strike One. This 25-piece limited edition chimes with the passing of each hour on a Chopard-patented monobloc sapphire. The 40mm case utilizes Chopard’s ethical 18k white gold material. It contains an integrated pusher with the crown and the watch is an amazingly 9.86mm in thickness.
Inside is the L.U.C 96.32-L, which beats at 4Hz and has 65 hours of power reserve. The Chopard L.U.C Strike One is chronometer-certified and contains the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark. But covering this movement on the front side is what looks to be a beautifully made grey-green dial (itself made from solid gold). It is hand-guillochéd with a honeycomb motif. The dial features a cut-out of the mirror-polished hammer at one o’clock. It’s this very hammer that delivers the chime. You also get a railway-style minutes track, engraved on the sapphire crystal. Just below it is the monobloc sapphire gong. The chiming mechanism rings out when the minute hand reaches 12 o’clock and therefore strikes 24 times a day. The movement itself contains twin barrels, which allow for the 65 hours of power reserve when the chiming mode is activated.
What I appreciate most about Chopard L.U.C Strike One and this watch in particular is the way in which the whole piece really seems to be fully thought out from aesthetics to mechanics. This movement was first developed in 2022 and the crown-integrated pusher and the ability for the wearer to arm or disarm the chime function via the crown is an innovation for sure.
But even if you might not be interested in this watch for its complication (which you should be given the price), the guilloché dial in a muted grey-green just looks so understated in the exact way a watch like this should. Speaking of price, I for sure thought it would cost a good degree more than $66,600. I’m not going to go throw the phrase “Value Proposition” in here, but it was a surprising revelation nonetheless.
I also know that the brand puts considerable effort into ensuring the acoustics in its chiming mechanism are top-notch. I just wish I was in Dubai with the team right now to hear it live. If we’re able to get some video of this from the ground, we’ll definitely be sharing.
Every so often, a watch brand will unveil a timepiece with a dial that’s entirely luminescent, such as the Citizen Promaster Full Lume Divers or the TAG Heuer Monaco Night Driver that came out earlier this year. This isn’t just practical for superb visibility at night but looks rather spectacular as well. However, a fully-lumed case? That’s a novelty that’s certainly unprecedented, but also a head-scratcher when it comes to construction. Well, Bell & Ross, whose BR-X5 Green Lum series launched in 2017 and has featured some fully-lumed dials in its own right, has now debuted a radical version of the BR-X5 Green Lum with a case that glows bright green. For starters, let’s look at the case composition, for which Bell & Ross has employed a luminescent fiberglass composite material called LM3D. This material sandwiches a DLC-finished micro-blasted grade 2 titanium in between for extra sturdiness. The top part of the composite also sports the titanium material for the bezel insert, screw-down crown, crown guard, and caseback. At 41mm, the case boasts 100m of water resistance and is integrated with the openworked rubber strap. While the case glows green at night, the matte black dial also features a nice dose of lume, including on the skeletonized hands, hour markers, and power reserve indicator subdial. Like the other BR-X5 Green Lum , there’s a wide date window at the 3 o’clock position and a minute track on the outer flange. Bell & Ross’ Kenissi-based BR-CAL.323 automatic movement powers the watch, which features a 70-hour power reserve and can be viewed through the exposition caseback.
I’ve long been on record as an appreciator and fan of the wilder designs from Bell & Ross. Few watch brands, in fact, have a wider design purview than B&R, which has fairly traditional aviation inspired watches at one end of the spectrum, bronze skull watches on the other, and their standard square case instrument watches right in the middle. The BR-X5 Green Lum series, an ongoing collection of watches that use luminescent material in a manner that can only be described as Maximalist, sits somewhere near the skulls, I think. Watch enthusiasts, of course, are notable in that we tend to love inventive applications of lume, but bold designs centered around the stuff still feel fairly niche. The new BR-X5 Green Lum takes the brand’s experiments with lume to a new level, giving the case itself the full lume treatment.
For its latest new release of 2023, Richard Mille has just announced a new version of the RM 21-02 Tourbillon Aerodyne that embraces a crisp black and white colorway with a case that is crafted from white Quartz TPT, Carbon TPT, and titanium. From a design and movement standpoint, the Richard Mille RM 21-02 Tourbillon Aerodyne is hardly a new watch, as this core concept and the RM21-02 movement were both originally unveiled back in 2009 with a set of models that featured cases crafted from 18k gold. However, the new 2023 RM 21-02 Tourbillon Aerodyne takes that original concept in an entirely more modern direction with high-tech case materials and a distinctly contemporary overall appearance.
Over the years, Richard Mille has produced several different variations of the RM 21-02 Tourbillon Aerodyne, although the latest 2023 version is most closely related to last year’s limited-edition model that featured green Quartz TPT case components and orange accents. What this means is that you get Richard Mille’s signature tonneau-shaped case in a format that measures 42.68mm in diameter by 14.3mm thick with a lug-to-lug profile of 50.12mm. However, on the new 2023 Richard Mille RM 21-02 Tourbillon Aerodyne, the center caseband is made from grade 5 titanium, while the pillars that run down either side of the case and cover the titanium connecting screws are crafted from black Carbon TPT.
The white and black colorway extends throughout the rest of the watch, with the caseback appearing in white Quartz TPT with a clear sapphire display window, while the bezel features a multi-component structure with a black Carbon TPT center section paired with white Quartz TPT segments running down either side for the areas that hold the grade 5 titanium connecting screws. An anti-glare sapphire crystal sits above the dial, water resistance comes in at 50 meters to protect against daily contact, and to complete the entirely white and black color profile, the ventilated strap is made from white rubber with black contrasting inlays. At the 3 o’clock location on the new 2023 RM 21-02 Tourbillon Aerodyne is a winding crown that appears in white and black to match the rest of the watch, and at the tip of the crown is a titanium button, which serves as the watch’s function selector switch. Just like a number of other Richard Mille watches, including previous models based upon this platform, the crown on the RM 21-02 Tourbillon Aerodyne does not pull outwards at all, and instead pressing the button on the tip of the crown lets you swap between the different modes (winding, setting, and neutral), in somewhat of a similar fashion to how a transmission works on a car. The dial layout on the new 2023 Richard Mille RM 21-02 Tourbillon Aerodyne is virtually the same as what can be found among previous executions of the model, and it features a skeletonized pair of centrally-mounted hands for the hours and minutes, along with a clear sapphire dial and applied Arabic numeral hour markers. The tourbillon symmetrically resides at 6 o’clock, while the indicator for the function selector switch appears with its own dedicated hand directly next to the 4 o’clock hour marker. Meanwhile, placed near the very top of the dial are two additional multi-colored, arc-shaped displays, with the one on the left serving as a power reserve indicator, while the other is a torque indicator that provides information about the chronometry quality of the tension in the mainspring. Basically, what this offers is a visual representation of how accurately the watch will run depending on the amount of tension in the mainspring. Above or below a certain point, accurately will suffer, and the torque display is intended to help users achieve optimum timekeeping performance. Lastly, sitting visible though the transparent dial along either side of the display on the new 2023 Richard Mille RM 21-02 Tourbillon Aerodyne is a mainplate crafted from HAYNES 214, which is an alloy consisting of nickel, chromium, aluminum, and iron that is capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 955 degrees Celsius (1,751 degrees Fahrenheit). The geometric honeycomb pattern of the HAYNES 214 mainplate provides extreme stiffness with a low thermal expansion coefficient, and the alloy has been given a jet-black PVD finish to match the rest of the colorway of this particular model. Powering the new 2023 Richard Mille RM 21-02 Tourbillon Aerodyne is the same Caliber RM21-02 manual-wind movement, which runs at a frequency of 21,600vph (3 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 70 hours. The bridges of the movement are all crafted from grade 5 titanium, and in addition to featuring a function selector switch, tourbillon, and three additional indicators dedicated to the crown function, torq display, and power reserve, the Cal. RM21-02 also incorporates a modular time-setting assembly that can be removed through the caseback whenever adjustments or maintenance are needed, and this means that routine work can be performed without having to dismantle the movement from the mainplate or even remove the dial and hands from the watch.
Swiss watchmaker Oris launches their popular patina-pending Divers Sixty-Five Bronze watch in a surprisingly classic, yet entirely new dial colour. The Oris Divers Sixty-Five Date Cotton Candy Sepia watch presents its centrepiece in tobacco-inspired black and with a rubber strap option to match.
Colourful watch dials are an increasing trend in the industry right now, there’s no denying it, but there will always be room for those classic black, silver and blue displays. Oris was one of the first luxury watch brands step box in terms of dial colours with their pastel-decorated Cotton Candy models launched back in 2021.
We reviewed the original Oris Divers Sixty-Five Date Cotton Candy collection in plenty of detail here. It was launched in the midst of the pandemic and was a welcome break from the bleak news of the time, uniquely combining bronze cases with dials of pink, mint green and pastel blue. They are a true representation of the fun and playful side of Oris.
The Oris Divers Sixty-Five Date Cotton Candy collection has grown over the last couple of years, adding new Perlon straps to the mix as well as cases in classic stainless steel. For the first time however, Oris has combined the bronze Sixty-Five case with a traditional black dial. The Oris Divers Sixty-Five Date Cotton Candy Sepia watch still has a strong visual impact, but one certainly more warranted to those with a love of classic watch design.
As with previous editions, the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Date Cotton Candy Sepia watch comes with a 38mm wide bronze case which will naturally patinate over time as the metal reacts with moisture and oxygen in the air and skin. The case will eventually develop a unique finish completely bespoke to the wearer’s experience. Almost the entirety of the case is engineered from bronze, including the screw in security crown and uni-directional rotating bezel with diver’s scale in relief. Only the case back is kept conventional in stainless steel.
Beneath domed sapphire crystal glass, the new black dial colour is joined by golden-edged hands and hour markers generously filled with off-white Superluminova. In the dark, the lume glows green. The retro, rounded indices and shield-shaped 12 o’clock marker remain in place as does the Oris logo finished in its own rusty bronze hue. To match with its new dial, the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Date Cotton Candy Sepia watch comes with a black rubber strap or a full bronze three-row link bracelet.
For the movement, Oris elects their familiar time-and-date Oris calibre 733. The automatic winding movement places the date in a small, blacked out aperture at 6 o’clock and provides a 38-hour power reserve and a frequency of 28,800vph. The Oris Divers Sixty-Five Date Cotton Candy Sepia watch is available November 2023, retailing for CHF 2’750 on the bronze bracelet and CHF 2’450 on the rubber strap.
We can’t help but think there are plenty of straps in our own collection that would look rather fitting on the new Oris Divers Sixty-Five Date Cotton Candy Sepia watch too. Our Vintage Tropical Style FKM Rubber strap instantly comes to mind and would nicely enhance the vintage diver’s watch aesthetic all while providing a reliable, water-resistant companion for your own water-based adventures. Our Black & Beige Military Nylon strap would also make a smart addition, with the black and beige stripes of the strap pairing nicely with the bronze and black attire of the watch.
Breitling has introduced an updated Avenger collection of pilot-inspired watches. Dating to the early 2000s, the Avenger collection has been scaled down and simplifed to make for a sleek update. The Breitling Chronomat Automatic 36 collection includes the Automatic 42, GMT 44, and the B01 Chronograph 44 – the chronograph uses Breitling’s manufacture caliber 01. While the new collection maintains the aviation inspiration and rugged profile of the Avenger, the updates align the Avenger with other updates we’ve seen across Breitling’s catalog.
Younger than many of Breitling Chronomat Automatic 36 other collections, the Avenger is a bit of a modern mash-up of everything that makes Breitling Breitling. The adjectives practically write themselves: big, bold, rugged, aviation-inspired, tool. The tweaks to the case, dial, and profile of the Avenger make it a bit more streamlined and contemporary. Gone are the big winged Breitling logo, and Arabic numerals, replaced with the simple stencil “B” and baton markers. The stainless steel case of the GMT and chronograph models measure 44mm, while the three-hander automatic measures 42mm. All are a downsize compared to the previous collection. Additionally, the case offers more detail and finishing, with bevels on the lugs and polished details on the tabs of the rotating bezel.
The Avenger collection has aviation inspiration all over it, and with that the chronograph remains the most important model of the collection. The updated Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 measures 44mm by 15.2mm (53mm lug-to-lug), using the manufacturer’s caliber B01, a COSC-certified, column wheel, vertical clutch movement with 70-hour power reserve. The Breitling Chronomat Automatic 36 manufacture movement represents a technical leap forward for the Avenger chronograph. It’s still a big watch that won’t be for everyone, but that’s what we expect – even ask – of Breitling. And with downsized offerings in other corners of the catalog, this keeps the Avenger true to its original purpose. The Avenger Chronograph 44 is offered with a steel bracelet or military leather strap and four dial colors: blue, green, black, or sand. On a strap
To celebrate the first anniversary of Breitling Boutique Hiroshima, Breitling is releasing two limited edition Breitling Endurance Pro models. Based on the same model that uses the carp color red, it features the characters “Carp Boy” and “Carp Girl” of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, a professional baseball team that has been loved and shined as a civic baseball team in Hiroshima. The former will be limited to 100 pieces, and the latter will be limited to 25 pieces.
Available at Breitling.com, Breitling Boutique Hiroshima, and authorized Breitling retailers (Tomiya Mecha Museum Store, Tomiya Kurashiki Store) operated by Tomiya Corporation, which operates the store.
The Breitling Endurance Pro Hiroshima Toyo Carp Carp uses the ultra-lightweight material Breitlight(R) for its 44 mm diameter case. It is only 1/3 the weight of titanium. Inside, it is equipped with a temperature-compensated Super Quartz (TM) movement, which is 10 times more accurate than conventional quartz. Not only is it comfortable to wear and has high precision, it is also fashionable. Available in a variety of colors, this item will look great even when worn on a daily basis. The “Hiroshima model” that will be released this time features the team logo at the 4 o’clock position on the dial, and the case back is engraved with Carp Boy, who has been an active Carp character since 1975. It is also engraved that it is a limited edition of 100 pieces Opened on November 22, 2022 as a flagship store in the Chugoku region. You can experience modern-retro Breitling products and their worldview in a deep one-floor space. Boasting an overwhelming selection of up to approximately 180 items, the boutique is also the first to display the latest and limited edition models. You will be welcomed by a Breitling specialist (authorized salesperson) who is both knowledgeable and passionate.
A professional baseball team formed in 1950. It is a rare entity that has a strong image of a citizen’s baseball team because it has continued to be loved and supported by fans in its hometown of Hiroshima. Red, the team color, has a tradition that dates back to 1958 when it was used on the uniforms. Carp Boy is also the oldest character of a professional baseball team. The catchphrase for the 2023 season set by coach Takahiro Arai is “Gagagaga Mushara.” This is a powerful message that echoes the image of a carp, a fish that climbs a waterfall.
breitling
Breitling Endurance Pro Hiroshima Toyo Carp Carp , founded in 1884, is a leading Swiss watch manufacturer. The innovative company that invented the modern chronograph and pioneered the navigation tool watch. Today, the casual, inclusive and
sustainable luxury brand continues to break new ground with more than 150 industrial loft-inspired stores around the world. Breitling’s collection explores a yearning for the sky, land and sea, and follows the brand’s established modern-retro style. All movements are COSC-certified chronometers, a testament to their exceptional quality, and Breitling is one of the few independent watchmakers to produce manufacture calibers. Breitling is a company with a long history that is at the same time at the forefront of its time, combining
Watch manufacturer Breitling Endurance Pro Hiroshima Toyo Carp Carp will release a limited edition model in collaboration with Hiroshima Carp.The Hiroshima store is located on Namiki Dori, and the Carp limited model was created to commemorate the store’s 1st anniversary.
Compared to historic Breitling models such as the Chronomat and Navitimer, the Avenger is a more recent addition, as it was only introduced to the brand’s catalog in 2001. When the Avenger was relaunched in 2019, Breitling positioned it as a rugged military-oriented range of pilot’s watches that are equally at home inside the cockpit as they are deep below the surface of the ocean, and in many ways, the Breitling Avenger could be seen as a replacement for the Colt, which was discontinued the following year in 2020. However, several Breitling collections have recently received major updates that have introduced a more refined and mature design language, and it only seemed like a matter of time before we would see a new generation of the Avenger. Now as its latest new release of 2023, Breitling has given the entire Avenger collection a major overhaul, and the new lineup consists of more than twenty different references that are available in the form of chronographs, GMT watches, and standard time-and-date models.
In terms of their overall aesthetics, the new 2023 Breitling Avenger collection very much follows in the footsteps of the previous generation, although a quick look at the collection will confirm that the new watches are all noticeably more refined than their immediate predecessors. Across the updated collection, the cases now feature stepped bevels running down their lugs, which significantly decrease the blocky presence that characterized models from the previous generation. While there are small polished accents on the bezels, crowns, and chronograph pushers, the actual middle cases are all entirely brushed, which further helps promote their more restrained overall appearance. Additionally, despite the fact that the standard time-and-date watches have 42mm cases, while the GMT models and chronographs are larger at 44mm, all of the new Breitling Avenger watches have lugs that are set 22mm apart, and they also all offer the same 300 meters of water resistance.
Breitling has introduced an updated Avenger collection of pilot-inspired watches. Dating to the early 2000s, the Avenger collection has been scaled down and simplifed to make for a sleek update. The collection includes the Automatic 42, GMT 44, and the B01 Chronograph 44 – the chronograph uses Breitling’s manufacture caliber 01. While the new collection maintains the aviation inspiration and rugged profile of the Avenger, the updates align the Avenger with other updates we’ve seen across Breitling’s catalog.
Younger than many of Breitling’s other collections, the Avenger is a bit of a modern mash-up of everything that makes Breitling Breitling. The adjectives practically write themselves: big, bold, rugged, aviation-inspired, tool.
Unlike the standard stainless steel chronograph models, dial options for the new black ceramic Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 Night Mission watches include bright yellow with contrasting black chronograph registers or a stealthy all-black option that is constructed from forged carbon fiber and showcases the material’s natural dark gray asymmetric pattern throughout its surface. Additionally, unlike the stainless steel versions of the 2023 Avenger Chronograph that are available with either metal bracelets or “military leather” straps, there aren’t any bracelet options available for the new Avenger Night Mission models, and they are exclusively offered on either black or yellow straps that are completed by folding clasps made from titanium to match their accenting case components.
Breitling recently jumped into the top 10 of Swiss watch brands based on turnover, accord-ing to a Morgan Stanley report. It has done so partly because it has started making more watches, and partly because it has started making watches for different customers. There are now Breitling ranges aimed at everyone from classic car enthusiasts and endurance athletes to surfers. But it hasn’t abandoned its roots. Breitling’s DNA is in aviation — in the Navitimer, with its info-packed dial, it can stake a claim to the definitive pilot’s watch. There is also its Avenger range, recognisable by its muscular case, something the brand describes as having a “sophisticated roughness”, which is aimed at adventurers both up in the sky and down on the ground.
This winter, Breitling has assembled some new Avengers, in the form of the Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 Night Mission , featuring the brand’s newest in-house automatic-chronograph movement, and available with a black, blue, green or sand-coloured dial. There’s also the Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 Night Mission, a stealthy version kitted out in a black ceramic case and released with a yellow or black forged-carbon-fibre dial. A GMT edition, allowing wearers to plot two time zones at once, comes in black or blue. Finally, there is the most compact and discreet version of all — the Automatic 42, with a choice of black, blue or green dials and a 42mm diameter —proving there is an Avenger, to quote Captain America, for whatever it takes.
One day ahead of the global launch of the revamped Breitling Avenger, Georges Kern, Breitling’s CEO since 2017, appeared on my smartphone screen to talk about the new watches. The first question I had for him was the simplest of the lot: which new Avenger model are you wearing today? Well, he didn’t have to answer that one because when the CEO moved his left arm, the black-dialed Navitimer on his wrist was clearly visible. Never mind; more questions were ready to go. I could still find out about his favorite new Avenger of the collection, which includes plenty of Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 Night Mission models, two stealthy Night Mission chronographs, a 44mm GMT, and a slightly smaller 42mm Automatic model.
The Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 Night Mission has been around for more than 20 years. It always looked like it meant business. Rough business, that is. Well, it was built for fighter pilots, so the Avenger was designed to deal with extreme conditions in mind. Extreme resilience and optimum readability were key elements in the creation of the original Avenger. The new collection shows sophisticated evolution without losing the original fighter-pilot spirit. It’s that same connection to flying military men and women that led to me talking to Georges Kern on the phone instead of on the flight deck of the USS Intrepid. That Essex-class aircraft carrier built during World War II is now a museum ship floating in the Hudson River on the west side of Manhattan. The Intrepid Museum was the original location for this launch, but in light of recent global events, a former warship didn’t feel like the appropriate setting.
