The Breitling Watch Blog

One brand that I keep getting sucked in by, even though I rarely keep them for long periods is Tag Heuer. Every time a new model comes out, it usually appeals to be from a design standpoint and I decide that if I ever find one for a good deal I will buy it. Quite often I do, but then its a Catch and Release, and I am back to zero Tag Heuers in my collection.

Same is the story with this Caliber S. Liked it a lot, but its just not my kind of watch. Perhaps its the branding? Perhaps its the fact that its too pedestrian for this snobby watch collector. Granted I’m happy to wear Breitling and Rolex, so I couldn’t be that snobby.

Anyway, back to the TAG Heuer Caliber S:

As you can see, the one I picked up is a beautiful blue dialed example, complete with the applied semi-circle multi-purpose subdials. I really like the new applied dial accents that TAG has started to use in the last few years such as the Geneve-Striped examples on the Grand Carrera watches. Like all TAG Watches, and nearly every other high-end watch brands, the case is milled from a solid block of 316L Stainless Steel.

Those subdials are responsible for telling the date and the 100 of a second timing when in Chrongraph mode. Additionally, they also allow you to set the perpetual calendar that the watch has. This Hybrid “mechaquartz” movement from TAG Heuer is quite remarkable. It contains as many parts as most Automatic movements, in fact.

Unlike its younger brother, the Aquaracer Regatta, this Aquaracer has the push-button released bracelet clasp as opposed to the cheaper fliplock clasp. The larger 43mm diameter case is also much more impressive than the 41mm on the Regatta model.

Overall a great-looking watch that can be had for a song on some of the watch forums due to TAG Heuer’s somewhat tarnished image, especially with their Quartz watches. Since this watch is essentially a quartz watch, it does not maintain its value nearly as well as it’s Automatic counterparts, and can often be picked up for 1/3 of retail!

Word to the wise: Do not buy quartz watches new!

The new Breitling Wingwalkers aeosuperbatics team! Check out their plane and their tricks. Another addition to the Breitling sponsored fleet of Aircraft acrobatics. These guys stand on top of their panes and dangle from them – something you won’t catch me doing!!

Just posted a new video review of the Breitling Skyracer. Beautiful professional line watch from Breitling that replaced the B-2 and Hercules watches, using similar movement as the Hercules using the two-hand minute and hour chronograph totalizer but adding a date complication. Enjoy.

Drass, a company that has been manufacturing and designing dive equipment for years, has come out with a line of watches, made in Italy. They have three lines, the Tungum, Sat Dive Tungum and the Sat Dive line. All watches use the Selitta SW 200 movement, and come in either Stainless Steel or Tungum Pipe, which is a special type of metal used for saturation control panels and diving bells. Almost looks like Anonimo meets Breitling Numerals. The round Tungum line resembles the Manometro watch too… I’m disappointed with the lack of originality here.

Download the Drass Watch brochure here

Urwerk continues to innovate their Rare Species Collection with the addition of the White Shark to their collection, which is produced in a limited edition of 24 pieces. The watch features the caliber UR 7.02 movement, which has their patented revolving satelite complication for telling the time. The hours are shown on the point that is within the minute scale, and points to the current minute. What looks like a Moon Phase indicator is actually a Day-Night indicator, much to my chagrin! Day-Night moonphase look-a-likes are a pet peeve of mine.

While most automobile brands that associate themselves with watch brands tend to be exclusive in their partnerships, Mercedes seems to suprise with every new watch venture they embark on. Some of the brands that Mercedes has associated themselves with: IWC, Graham, Tag Heuer, Fabien Cacheux, Ulysse Nardin, and their own Brand created with Tourneau. There are very possibly others that I have missed too!

Most recently is the addition of Graham to the mix to celebrate the Mercedes GP Petronas Formula 1 Team. The Mercedes watch they introduced is kind of ugly in my opinion. Designed more in the style of Graham than Mercedes, and features lots of discord with the mix of design elements making a watch that is overall not too tasteful.

While Mercedes has chosen to associate themselves with so many brands, they have for the most part made tasteful watches. However, unlike Ferrari by Panerai and Breitling for Bentley, the watches have very little association with each other.

Personally, I think the most successful and tasteful Automobile and Watch team-ups would be Breitling for Bentley and Jaeger LeCoultre and Aston Martin. The most Epic Fail Automobile Watch brand would be Tonino Lamborghini. Why would you license your brand out to a company that cannot market your product properly? Didn’t the 80′s and 90′s teach companies anything about licensing your brand – now we see Tonino Lamborghini products fill the shelves in discount stores and ebay.

Here is a gallery of some of the Mercedes collaboration watches out there:

Breitling was the first watch that really caught my attention, and really resonated with me. I remember as a teenager I would go on Vacations and look at all the beautiful Breitling watches on display at various high-end department stores in Asia, the US and Europe. I would also be drawn to the Navitimers. I remember thinking to myself that one day I would own a Navitimer… and now I not only own a couple, but have owned almost a dozen of them from buying and selling.

My current favourite Navitimer is my Navitimer Montbrillant Datora:

Some of the different Breitling models I have owned over the years, many in multiples include: Super Avenger, Chrono Avenger, SuperOcean, SuperOcean Steelfish, Chronomat, Chronomat Evolution, Wings Automatic, Colt Automatic, B-1, B-2, Skyracer, Aerospace, Aerospace Avantage, Bentley Motors, Bentley Motors T, Navitimer, Old Navitimer, Navitimer Montbrillant Datora, Navitimer Montbrillant Legende, and several others I can’t remember!

However, in the end, since Breitling is the brand that I have had the most emotional investment in, my ultimate commemoration of the watch brand to myself was to have a matching pair of Breitling SuperOcean Heritage watches engraved to commemorate my marriage to my wife. I blogged about the matching SuperOceans it last year right before our wedding.

Here’s another peek:

In the end, Breitling was the right choice. We had looked at Rolex and felt that they might be appropriate due to their timeless design, but Rolex just didn’t resonate with us as something that was special to us. They make a great watch, and I love mine, but Breitling has had more impact on my life than any other brand, making it the obvious choice.

Thank you Breitling for enriching my life and allowing me to have something special that I can share with my wife!

The man who coached his team to a 4-0 Loss to Germany wears his Double Hublot watches. While he’s still a bit pudgy, its good he’s got rid of some of that weight he put on a few years back!

Still, he is a legend in the world of Football.

Not sure about the double Hublot’s though. Isn’t it a bit much?