The Breitling Watch Blog

Jaeger Le-Coultre, or JLC for short, is one of those brands that is held in high esteem in the Horological community for their innovative and vast array of in-house movements, yet are able to produce several models that are very affordable for the majority of luxury watch collectors. One of their most popular, and enduring designs is the Reverso, created in 1931, and now over 80 years old. One of the attempts to “sportify” the Reverso is the Reverso Squadra which I am reviewing today!

This model is the Jaeger Le-Coultre Squadra Hometime, which is a somewhat more sophisticated version of a GMT. Instead of having the standard 24-hour GMT hand that moves around the watch face once every 24 hours, the JLC Squadra Hometime uses a second standard 12hr that is tied to an AM/PM indicator located at 9 o’clock. This relieves the need to add a 24hr bezel or chapter ring and adds a little extra level of complication to the watch. The second hour hand can be hidden completely behind the main hour hand.

This is the black dialed model, which I believe is now discontinued. Only the white dialed version is available now. This version also has a Black PVD coated crown. The Squadra differs from the standard Reverso in that it is a square shape, and larger.

JLC does a good job with the case, mostly polished but with some brushed facets on the side. The case that the Squadra head is mounted into, is made of three pieces, held together by hidden screws inside the mechanism.

The back of the case is wonderfully JLC, with the 1000 hours master control stamp, water resistance, serial and model numbers.

The Integrated Rubber bracelet is a work of art, wonderful in its comfort as well as sporty in its look without being too sporty. The perfect Rubber bracelet in my opinion. The clasp is double butterfly, button-locked and brushed stainless steel. It also has two micro-adjustments on each side, allowing you to enlarge it slightly by releasing a mini clasp inside, similar to most diver extensions.

And here’s my favourite shot of this beautiful watch – the Reverso in action, revealing the wonderfully jeweled inside of the case. The exhibition view of the movement reveals its basic, but attractive finish. The movement is signed with the JLC logo, and the 1000 hours control as well as a few other movement features.

All in all I am very happy with my Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso Squadra Hometime. It has been a mini-grail for me for some time, and I finally took the plunge and picked it up, very happy I did. I think the integrated rubber bracelet looks fantastic, and tones down the dressiness of the watch which is what I was looking for, while going with the Crocodile or Stainless bracelet would make it a great gents watch. The Reverso feature, which on this model is more of a gimmick, is still great, since its a gimmick that is rooted in 80+ years of heritage, and allows me to see the movement without taking the watch off.

Finally uploaded a video review of my Seiko Spring Drive Ananta. I know a lot of people have been wanting to see this video review, because I did get some requests. Sorry for the delay guys! Hope you enjoy the review of this incredible watch.. it is a keeper in my collection for now, and I get a lot of joy out of wearing it.

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An oldie but goodie. The Oris TT1 series of watches are some of the best bang-for-buck Swiss Automatic Divers on the market – and yes, that includes all those boutique divers out there that everyone gets all giddy about too. Oris watches are bonafide, reliable and reputable Swiss Timepieces, and they’re much better made than brands like Hamilton.

Got this great shot of the dial, which really does the watch justice. It captures all the detail and colors just right, except I left some fingerprints on the edge of the bezel between 10 and 11 o’clock. Great dual-crown look, with the offset small seconds at 10 o’clock and the actual crown at 4 o’clock with the manually operated helium escape valve at 2 o’clock. The dial is a beautiful slate blue, with waves on it as you can see, with the date located at 6 o’clock.

An angle shot, so you can appreciate the shape of the stainless steel case, and see the signed crown and blue dot on the helium escape valve. The case has the familiar Oris ProDiver “bubble” shape, which makes the 47mm case wear more like 44mm. It is nice and thick, however, and feels substantial on the wrist.

A nice close-up of the dial, showing off the fine-printing and gel-applied waves of the dial in detail. The crystal is double-AR coated, and gives off a blue tinge. Lume is excellent, and works well when charged, though the luminous markers are not especially big.

Another better shot showing the “bubble” cushion shape of the case, with the screwed-in end links that hold the stainless steel bracelet on. Those screws can be hard to remove and require two screwdrivers and a vise to remove! I prefer this stainless version of the Oris TT1 ProDiver over the Titanium one that I had owned before, because I found that the finish looks nicer and its a better weight.

The nice, substantial button-lock deployant clasp is shown above, and its pretty darn good looking for a watch in this price range. They’re almost as nice as the Omega Seamaster buckles – almost. I can’t tell for sure if they are thick stamped buckles or machined, but my guess would be stamped.

The caseback is a solid stainless steel affair, with the general watch features on it such as the 1000m water resistance, stainless steel case, sapphire crystal and Swiss Made designation. It also has the model and serial number on it.

As you can see, the 47mm diameter doesn’t look imposing at all on my 6.75″ wrist. In fact, its no bigger looking that my Chronomat 44, though it is a bit thicker. I really like this watch, and for the amount you can snag these on the secondary market, they are a bargain. With the new Sapphire bezel Oris models now available, these can be picked up for a song. If they’re in your wheelhouse, I think they’re well worth considering.

Oris TT1 ProDiver 1000m Watch Specs:
-Scratch Resistant Sapphire Crystal
-1000 Meters / 3281 Feet Water Resistant
-47mm case diameter
-Stainless Bracelet with Deployment Buckle
-Luminescent Hands & Markers
-Screw Down Crown & Back Case
-Helium Escape Valve

Breitling just launched a 27-minute film on their history and their watches. A very cool movie that you can watch for free on Youtube. Entertaining and informative.

Breitling, the pilot’s watch

Breitling and aviation enjoy passionate and enduring ties. A quest for innovation dedicated to fine accomplishments. A desire to constantly push existing boundaries. A taste for risk and adventure.

From aviation pioneers to Jetman’s feats, from the Navitimer chronograph to the Breitling Jet Team, and from onboard chronographs to the Reno air races – the world’s fastest motor sport –, Breitling has shared all the finest hours in the conquest of the skies.

In 130 years, the firm with the winged B has established itself as the undisputed specialist of pilot’s watches thanks to its accurate, sturdy, high-performance instruments developed for the most demanding professionals.

Enjoy a fresh look at this magnificent adventure in a breathtaking new film!

Breitling has announced a “new” model, the Bentley 6.75 Midnight Carbon. Nothing too special here, with blacksteel case and the slotted dial treatments, in a limited edition of 1000 pieces. Its a very busy looking Breitling, that might appeal to some crowds.

From Breitling:
Sheer class, decked out in black

A tribute to the biggest Bentley engine, the famous 6.75 litre version powering the luxurious Mulsanne limousines, the Bentley 6.75 chronograph ramps up the power and the audacity in an entirely black-clad limited series.

This midnight-hued livery, achieved by a special ultra-resistant carbon-based treatment, enhances the sporting style of the satin-brushed steel case with its taut, dynamic lines and its knurled bezel inspired by Bentley’s famous radiator grilles. The dial also exudes dark elegance, enhanced by a vertical openworked motif offering a glimpse of the movement. The caseback springs its own surprise, since the five-spoke motif reprising the distinctive design of Bentley wheel rims also appears in black against the metallic background. The selfwinding chronograph movement, chronometer-certified by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute), is distinguished by its original “large aperture calendar” system displaying the date in a highly readable manner via two distinct indicators: one for the tens and the other for the units. Issued in a 1,000-piece limited edition, the Bentley 6.75 Midnight Carbon comes on a rubber strap with a central raised motif echoing that of the bezel. Sheer class, clad in black and signed Breitling for Bentley.