The Breitling Watch Blog

We (The Breitling Watch Blog) got nominated for one of the Best Men’s Watches sites of 2010 at the EveryGuyed site:

http://everyguyed.com/the-cravats#watches

So please vote for us. I don’t even know what this site is… seems like they are pretty new, having started September 24th of 2010, but hey… I don’t mind winning even if its a new site. So please vote for us!

While I like Tag Heuer’s designs, I somehow get bored with their watches very quickly, and they don’t get much wrist time beyond the first week I have them. I’ll see a Tag and want it, then once I get it the novelty seems to wear off. One of the best Tag’s I’ve owned is this Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph. It has a great size and design, and is sporty and a bit dressy at the same time.

This dial is a silver color, and the bezel is the grey. I think this is one of the nicer color configurations available for the Carrera Chrono, but the previous owner (I purchased it used) sold it because he had trouble with the color matching. Oddly, it was the dial I wanted the most! Very different from anything I had owned, but still an easy accessible color palette. I found the watch really easy to wear and match up with different styles of clothing.

As you can see, the case is on the thicker side given the modest 41mm case diameter. This is the Tachymeter version that has the smaller 41mm case. It is also available in a Day-Date variation that uses the same Valjoux 7750 based Caliber 16 but without the day-of-the-week wheel removed. The Day-Date version measures a larger 43mm across. I personally like the cleaner dial and look of this Tachymetre version myself.

Pusher and crown layout is identical to other Valjoux 7750-based movements with the chrono start/stop at 2 o’clock and the chrono reset at 4 o’clock. Crown is of the signed, screw-down variety and located at the usualy 3 o’clock position. One small visual complaint I have is that the crown was a bit small and would have liked to see it stick out a bit more to compliment the pushers.

Exhibition back shows off the nicely decorated Caliber 16 movement, which I have already mentioned is a based Valjoux 7750. I’m not sure what has been done to earn it a Caliber 16 designation, but it does have gold-etched lettering and cote de geneve striping on the rotor and bridge. It does not have a Chronometre COSC certification, however.

Finally we have the bracelet shot. The Carrera bracelets are among Tag’s best designed bracelets, and feature individually machined 5-piece links, with the polished thinner links actually separate pieces fromt he larger brushed ones. Very nice detail. Clasp is a semi-hidden machined and signed piece with dual push-button release and a machined hinge, a nice upgrade from the Formula 1 and base Aquaracer fliplock bracelets.

Overall a very nice Tag Heuer piece. With most of my friends that have no interest in watches, they are always looking for a Tag Heuer (Or a Rolex, but assume Rolex costs too much). So Tag’s are always of interest to them, since they always want to buy one. As long as the price is right, and the look is right, there’s always someone in the market for a Tag.

Just posted a Youtube video of my Eterna Cambridge Pulsometer Automatic Chronograph watch. I haven’t had a chance to do a write-up on this beautiful little watch, but will probably put one up one of these days. This is one of my favourite Eternas, and has one of those dials that everyone comments on when they see it. Its a bit on the small size at 38mm, but wears pretty good when mounted on a Di-Modell Chronissimo or something like that. Hope you guys enjoy the review!

As an avid pianist when I was younger, and a great appreciator of classical music now in my older age, I was very pleased and surprised to see a Steinway & Sons watch! Little did I know that this company has been around now for a few years now (around 2007 I believe), and makes some VERY interesting watches that pay tremendous tribute to the Piano in their design. I can’t afford their pianos (Mine is a Yamaha Baby Grand), but maybe I can afford their watches… Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

The company only has produced 3 models, the most recent model of which is quite the achievement. The watch is called the Model C Seconde Metronomique and features a 1 second Metronome on the dial! Absolutely ingenius and so pertinent to the brand. The previous Model D and Model M watches are more focused on paying tribute to the aesthetics of the Steinway Grand and are beautiful watches in their own right.

The Model C Seconde Metronomique has been released in a few different versions and features the same case as the other models, measuring 43mm x 26mm and 30m Water Resistance. The movement has the following specs:

Steinway caliber C60
Jewels: 19
VPH: 21,600
Power Reserve: 38hrs

Very Amazing stuff!!

Steinway Watches Video (French):

Steinway Watches Website:
http://www.steinwaywatches.com/

Been rocking my PAM320 since I picked it up a month or two ago and it has been really hitting the spot! I have never been quite this satisfied with any Panerai I’ve owned. While I tend to feel like the manual winding models are more faithful to the heritage of the brand, I do find the automatic movement very convenient. The super-domed sapphire crystal models with the manual winding 7 day movements would be even better I think.

There’s my PAM320 shown mounted on a beautiful Dangerous9 strap, the first aftermarket strap I put on this watch. Beautiful 1950’s style case with the slightly curved crystal and sandwich dial. The case is so well made and the edges are finished perfectly. I am familiar with the difficulties of finishing cases, and the 1950’s case is not an easy case to manufacture and finish well.

The device protecting the crown has the “REG TM” marking on it, which is a feature I really like. This marking only appears on 1950 style cases. In the above shot you can see the crisp lines of the case, which are very impressive when you see it in person.

Here’s a shot of the dial mounted on a black Strapluxe strap. The 320 features 12-hr GMT hand, small seconds, date, power reserve indicator on the back, and seconds reset. Whenever the crown is pulled out all the way, the second hand resets to 0, which is a pretty cool feature. The sandwich dial glows like a torch.. I love how it glows when I get to the underground parking on my way to work in the morning.

And here’s the requisite exhibition back shot of the Panerai P.9001 Movement. The fantastic in-house movements from Panerai wouldn’t be the same without a display back. While they are not necessarily the prettiest movements, I love the large bridge plates, as they remind me of the 3/4 plate style watches popular with German manufacture. The way Panerai finishes their movements has a functional and simplistic beauty to them.

And the last shot here, with my PAM90 before I sold it. I have to admit that since selling the 90, I have not missed it because the 320 more than fills any void left by the 90. It has everything the PAM90 had and more. I much prefer the rear power reserve indicator as the cleaner dial is better looking to me. Combine the nearly perfect movement (in terms or features) and the amazing case work on this model and the perfect size, this is definately the perfect Panerai for me in this price range.