With the Super Chronomat, Breitling revives a model from the 1980s ? including a roller bracelet with an integrated GMT module. We give it a hands-on test in this feature from the WatchTime archives.

When it comes to mechanical watches that were introduced in the ?80s, not that many models are still remembered today. But Breitling?s Chronomat is one of the most memorable. With screwed-on cursors atop its bezel, a semicircular crown and a distinctive roller bracelet with optional integrated GMT module, it harmonized with the spirit of the times while simultaneously standing out from the crowd.

The Chronomat lived on at Breitling as a line of watches, but they were visually adapted to keep pace with the changing zeitgeist. The manufacture revived many features of the original design with the premiere of the revised Chronomat in 2020. Breitling followed suit in 2021 with the premiere of the 44-mm Super Chronomat, our test watch, which also resurrects the little GMT quartz watch in the bracelet. Rather than merely resuscitating a historical chronograph, Breitling has adapted and updated it for the present, thus cultivating a style that the brand?s boss Georges Kern likes to call ?modern retro.? This is particularly noticeable in the more striking styling of the case, the modern black ceramic bezel and the timeless design of the dial.
?Modern Retro?
The steel case completely abandons the roundness of the original ?80s design. It has a satin finish with glossy polish...