The brand we primarily associate with chronographs unveiled its 140th anniversary flagship collection at the Geneva Watch Days, along with one of the most complex and ambitious in-house movements since 1884. buying replica watch
To achieve this, Breitling’s watchmakers picked three specific collections, including the legendary Chronomat and Navitimer, as well as the Premier, whose latest platform currently boasts the most complex mechanical complications.
Perpetual calendars are Breitling’s forte.
Perpetual calendars are not new to the Grenchen atelier, as evidenced by several limited edition models based on the Navitimer or the Breitling Bentley Chronograph.
The engineers then took the basic ETA with a module and a gold or platinum case with or without a bracelet.
The four-dial layout derives from the brand’s recent history. Fast forward to the new model, which also has the same displacement as the previous one, driven by a movement designed entirely in-house. With the launch of a new perpetual calendar complication, Breitling opens a new chapter for its high-end watches, somewhere between a chronograph and a tourbillon.
Caliber B19
The movements manufactured by Breitling need no introduction: the B01 caliber is one of the most reliable and high-performance automatic chronographs on the market, also available in other complications and manual-winding versions. Not surprisingly, Breitling was the first high-end brand to offer a full five-year product warranty.
One of the most admired versions of the B01 is the B02 caliber that powers the limited edition Cosmonaute. Large and thick in replica Breitling style, the new B19 runs for up to 96 hours when fully wound, that is, four days before it finally stops.
Such performance is proof that the engineers have intensively optimized the mechanism to provide enough power reserve to manage both the energy-intensive chronograph and the perpetual calendar.
Performance is important, but it is not the only goal; the Celebration Collection raises the bar in terms of style and carefully selected details.
The B19’s winding system is well-made, combining the refinement of a commemorative collection with the robustness of a basic industrial mechanical movement. The watch is made of solid red gold, and all three models are printed with the emblem of Breitling’s historic headquarters Montbrillant.
Premier 42, Navitimer 43 and Super Chronomat 44
Listed here in order from smallest to largest. Take the case thickness and all-gold material as an example, and you’ll see where the main differences are.
The Premier and Navitimer are 15.6mm thick, while the Super Chronomat is 15.3mm thick. In comparison, the Super Chronomat weighs 220g, which is much heavier than the 145g Datora and 135.8g Navitimer.
The Super Chronomat’s case is the largest and heaviest in the entire series, which may be the deal-breaker.
Breitling chose red gold, and its warm hue is well worth it. If you like the classic black lacquer with gold accents, go for the Premier B19 42 Datora; if you prefer a semi-skeletonized dial and a Rouleaux-look rubber strap, go for the Super Chronomat B19 44 Perpetual Calendar.
The Navitimer is an ode to red gold, with a gold dial and gold case contrasting against a black slide rule. Breitling offers three very different options while using exactly the same technical foundation. replica watches
The Super Chronomat and Premier (surprisingly) are also water-resistant to 100 meters. The Navitimer is swim-proof to 30 meters, but I doubt anyone would be crazy enough to wear such a watch near a body of water. Perhaps the Super Chronomat with a ceramic bezel and Rouleaux-textured rubber strap is the only option.
Final Thoughts
Our assumptions are based on the press photos provided. On paper, we see three well-made perpetual calendar chronographs, of which the Navitimer stands out for its heritage and charm.
The Premier is the most well-built watch, while the Navitimer is timeless. The Super Chronomat is the most functional, and the semi-skeletonized dial puts it in the luxury sports watch category.
Let’s wait and see if the B19 movement is a one-off choice for the 420 watch, or will be deployed in future collections. The market for perpetual calendar complications is growing, and a more affordable steel Navitimer QP is not forbidden fruit – I hope Breitling HQ is preparing for this.
