Universal Genius: Reviewing the Breitling Chronomat B01 Chronograph 42
The new Breitling Chronomat is an all-purpose sports watch that recalls the return of mechanical timekeeping in the 1980s and Breitling?s role as a chronograph pioneer. The unique Rouleaux bracelet brings a trendy retro look to the wrist, while modern manufacture Caliber 01 points the way toward the future. We review it in this feature from our March-April 2021 issue.
This model occupies an important place in Breitling’s history. Distinctive elements are newly restaged. In combination with the modern technology embodied in its caliber, the Chronomat has evolved into an all-purpose sports watch.
When Breitling relaunched the Chronomat in 1984, it sent a clear signal ? it heralded the return of the mechanical watch, which had all but disappeared during the Quartz Crisis of the 1970s. Breitling had already used the name ?Chronomat? in the 1940s, as a combination of ?chronograph? for the stopwatch function and ?mathematics? for the slide rule, which would later become the hallmark of the Navitimer. But in 1984, the term gained additional meaning: the first two syllables continued to refer to ?chronograph? for the stop-time function, but now the third syllable alluded to ?automatic? for the mechanical automatic movement that drove the timepiece, at a time when quartz watches were the order of the day. Originally, Valjoux Caliber 7750, which had been launched in 1973 and whose production was later resumed by ETA, provided the power. The version used by Breitling had u...
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A Week in Watches Ep. 79 – Swiss Leftovers
29-04-2024 05:06 - (
Luxury Watch )