The Breitling Watch Blog

Breitling has returned to its roots and released a new watch, the Breitling Galactic 44. There’s nothing “galactic” about this watch at all as far as I’m concerned, and that’s a GOOD thing! Right on Breitling! Bringing back one of my favourite Breitlings of all time with a revamped 44mm Breitling Headwind. They stuck to their classic bezel style, with the smoother Galactic style rider tabs, but the tried and true familiar bezel markers of the original Headwind.

The uber-sporty watch

The Galactic collection by Breitling welcomes a new large-sized model featuring a 44 mm diameter and a satin-brushed bezel with rubber-inlaid hour-markers. Exactly what it takes to reinforce its ultra-sporty, technical look.

In 130 years, Breitling has asserted itself as the specialist of chronographs and instruments for professionals. But this expertise also enables it to create watches reflecting the same performance-oriented spirit, such as the Galactic. This uber-sporty, versatile and sophisticated model is intended for all those whose activities do not necessarily require chronograph functions, but who are nonetheless looking for a watch that is at once sturdy, accurate and reliable. After a 41 mm selfwinding version and two 36 and 32 mm ladies’ models, the collection is now enriched with a new large-sized watch. In adopting a 44 mm diameter, the Galactic has strengthened its technical and masculine appeal. The unidirectional rotating bezel takes on a satin-brushed finish along with black rubber-inlaid hour-markers, while the dial features two apertures for the day and date at 12 and 3 o’clock respectively, along with a compass scale and a graduated scale with 1/100th of an hour divisions on the inner bezel. The large hands and hour-markers enhanced with a luminescent coating guarantee excellent readability, reinforced by the sapphire crystal glareproofed on both sides. The polished steel case is water-resistant to 200 m/660 ft and equipped with a screw-lock crown protected by reinforcements. It houses a selfwinding movement chronometer-certified by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute), the highest benchmark in terms of reliability and precision. The new Galactic 44 is available with a black, blue or silver dial, fitted with a choice of steel bracelet or a strap in leather, crocodile leather, rubber or military-type fabric. An uber-sporty watch for fans of performance.

Britain’s Nigel Lamb won the 2014 Red Bull Air Race World Championship on Sunday, October 26th with a dramatic victory under pressure at the season finale in Spielberg, Austria. With a fourth place finish in front of a sell-out crowd of 35,000 spectators, Austria’s Hannes Arch ends up second in the overall ranking.

Although, the French pilot Nicolas Ivanoff won the race in the Austrian Alps on a sunny afternoon for his second victory this season, the 9 points that Lamb won with his fifth consecutive second place was enough to stave off a powerful challenge from local hero Arch. The British pilot secured first place with a grand total of 62 points from the eight-race world championship, which was the most exciting in the high-speed, low-altitude sport’s history.

“It’s just amazing,” said Lamb, who came from far behind in the World Championship with a victory in the third race of the season in Malaysia and then got five straight second place finishes to overtake Arch and Bonhomme in the standings.

“I have to say my race did not go as planned, my times were not fantastic through the week. It was not a good day today in racing terms, there was never a time I thought I had the Championship secured, I had a good team giving me lots of inputs, the aircraft felt good and I felt very well supported. Also from my family they are very involved but Max especially, doing all the race analysis. It is very difficult having one of your children telling you what to do, but he found a good way of not trying to change my flying but just seeing the small adjustments, which make the maximum differences.”

“Next year will be very challenging since nine pilots have been on the podium out of twelve, next year fourteen pilots. But I still have a good team, good plane, and hope to maintain the consistency, it really is teamwork that makes the success at the end of the season.”

Cheered on by the boisterous sell-out home crowd, Arch had been unstoppable all weekend. Flying last in the Final Four, Arch struggled early on the undulating course with its challenging 65-meter change in elevation and, forced to take risks on the second lap in an all-or-nothing bid to win the title, got hit with a two-second penalty for flying through one of the Air Gates with his wings not level, which dropped him to fourth place. Arch’s raw time of 57.839 would have been good enough for second place behind Ivanoff’s 57.468 but not enough to catch Lamb, who would have dropped to third in the race with his time of 58.052 but still have beaten Arch in the World Championship by a score of 60-57.

Spielberg Results: 1. Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA), 2. Nigel Lamb (GBR), 3. Martin Sonka (CZE), 4. Hannes Arch (AUT), 5. Paul Bonhomme (GBR), 6. Michael Goulian (USA), 7. Kirby Chambliss (USA), 8. Pete McLeod (CAN), 9. Yoshihide Muroya (JPN), 10. Matt Hall (AUS), 11. Matthias Dolderer (GER), 12. Peter Besenyei (HUN)

World Championship (final): 1. Nigel Lamb (GBR) 62 points, 2. Hannes Arch (AUT) 53, 3. Paul Bonhomme (GBR) 51, 4. Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA) 42, 5. Pete McLeod (CAN) 38, 6. Matt Hall (AUS) 33, 7. Matthias Dolderer (GER) 21, 8. Martin Sonka (CZE) 18, 9. Yoshihide Muroya (JPN) 10, 10. Kirby Chambliss (USA) 7, 11. Peter Besenyei (HUN) 6, 12. Michael Goulian (USA) 3

While the watch has been up on the Breitling site for a little while, Breitling did not decide to formally announce it until today, complete with a video. It is the Boutique Limited edition only available in Breitling Boutiques, though they seem to have removed “boutique” from the name on the site. The highlight feature of this watch is one you can’t see from the front, but rather the hunter-style caseback revealing the B01 in-house caliber movement.

Original from all angles

A two-tone dial with two vintage-style counters, and a double caseback complete with a cover: the Transocean Chronograph Edition limited series reinterprets the contemporary classic style of the Transocean line in a highly exclusive spirit. A tribute to Breitling’s priviledged ties with the chronograph.

Inspired by a star model from 1958 (an ultra-precise, anti-shock, anti-magnetic and super-water-resistant watch that magnificently accompanied the boom in intercontinental air travel), the Transocean reflects the spirit of great journeys and luxury long-haul aircraft. Breitling now introduces it in a limited series radiating originality. The front exudes a blend of dynamism and refinement: the dial bearing two vintage-style counters and a date window at 6 o’clock is adorned with a twinzone silver-toned décor, applied hour-markers and the 18K gold version of the B initial that served for many years as the Breitling symbol. The result is a technical, pared-down style echoing that of the finest classic chronographs. Turning the watch reveals another surprise, since the steel case is distinguished by a double back protected by a cover providing space for a personalized engraving and a sapphire crystal affording a chance to admire an exclusive ‘engine’: Manufacture Breitling Caliber 01, a high-performance selfwinding chronograph movement chronometer-certified by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute). Issued in a 2,000-piece production run, the Transocean Chronograph Edition limited series is teamed with an original steel mesh bracelet. It also comes with a leather or crocodile leather strap. Totally chronograph. Totally Breitling.

Breitling released a new special series called the Breitling Chronomat 44 Raven. Very cool watch, and it may rub a few people the wrong way mainly because the Black Steel and Display Backs were generally reserved for Limited Editions, and now both of these are found on what appears to be a regular production Breitling, albeit a special one. One of the cooler features is the blacksteel rotor engraved with orange lettering visible through the display back. That’s a touch.

From Breitling:

The embodiment of performance
A black case and dial combined with ultra-sporty orange accents. A Manufacture Breitling Caliber 01 with a décor featuring the same contrast. The Chronomat 44 Raven special series reinvents the pilot’s chronograph in an original look dedicated to performance.

Since its launch in 1984, the Chronomat has established itself as the reference among mechanical chronographs. A perfect embodiment of the Breitling philosophy, it combines a strong, unique and quintessential design with all the performances of an authentic “instrument for professionals”: precision, sturdiness, readability, functionality, as well as outstanding water resistance. This exceptional model is now issued in a special series accentuating its technical, masculine style.

The satin-brushed steel case is entirely clad in black thanks to a high-resistance carbon-based coating matching the rubber strap. The unidirectional rotating bezel features orange rubber inlaid numerals creating a powerful and ultra-legible contrast. The same bright orange touches appear on the inner bezel, the chronograph seconds hand as well as the counter pointers. Visible through a transparent caseback, Manufacture Breitling Caliber 01 also springs a surprise with its black oscillating weight enhanced with orange markings. Undeniably original from all angles, the Chronomat 44 Raven special series is equipped – like all Breitling instruments – with a selfwinding movement chronometer-certified by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute), the highest benchmark in terms of reliability and precision. The embodiment of precision.