The Breitling Watch Blog

I think I found my new grail watch. Well, achievable Grail at least…

One of the most beautiful, yet understated dress watches I have ever seen, with a very unique complication that sets it aside from the other watches out there. The Senator Diary has an alarm that can be set to go off any time in the next 30 days ahead! The alarm allows you to specify a date for it to go off as well in addition to the time.

The exhibition case back of the Senator Diary is also very nice looking, as most Glashutte Original watches are.

This beauty features GO’s in-house manufacture Calibre 100-13 and totals 600 components! And of course also features GO’s signature 3/4 plates. Case measures a healthy 42mm in diameter.

Available in stainless steel with black dial for $18,100 and in rose gold with silver dial for $29,400. The Rose gold version is my grail! Hell, a lot of the higher end Glashutte Originals end up feeling like Grail watches to me. I just really like their stuff!

The new Glashutte Senator Chronometer is the first Glashutte Original watch to be certified by Germany’s DIN 8319 standard, which is the Germany’s equivalent standard to COSC certification. COSC only certifies Swiss made watches, so this was a necessary step to certify the rate results of German movements.

The watches are tested by an independent company called DKD (German Calibrating Service), and are tested using almost identical conditions as COSC tests.

Aside from the certification, the watch is classic Glashutte Original, with an exceptionally beautiful handwind movement, the caliber 58-01. The movement features the classic Glashutte ¾ plate, with gold setting and hand-engraved balance cock. The watch also features a chronometer grade screw balance and swans neck fine adjustment. Some of the complications included on this watch are the power reserve indicator, panorama date, small seconds and zero-reset crown for the seconds which is a very cool feature and favourite of Glashutte Original.

The Senator Chronometer also has a wonderfully understated and elegant dial, and perfectly machined Solid 18k Gold Double butterfly deployant. MSRP on this watch is $26,900 in Rose Gold and $28,000 in White Gold – So I will likely not be getting one of these anytime soon. Too bad, because I love it!

Glashutte Original is a German watch manufacture along the lines of A Lange & Sohn. While not up to the technical prowess or level of finishing and handwork that A Lange is known for, Glashutte Original makes a very high quality watch, comparably to Swiss Brands such as Jaeger Le Coultre.

The watch that I purchased is the Glashutte Original Senator Sixties. This watch appealed to me because of the vintage/classic styling and pie pan shaped dial. The classic appearance is subtle, understated and extremely elegant.

The silver dial has the Glashutte Original logo on it, and GLASHUTTE I/SA written at the 6pm. The domed Sapphire Crystal is very curved, and shows very nicely, adding that classic old world charm with new world reliability and clean lines. The 39mm case wears a bit small, but when worn with a dress or casual shirt this watch looks amazing.

I have the strap on an aftermarket Brown Hirsch Classic Gator, but the watch came on a dark blue classic style belly gator strap of similar proportions and style. The strap in my opinion goes very well with it, but I think this is one of those styles that either you love or hate, as it is quite different from Breitling, Rolex and Omega.

The back of the watch is absolutely beautiful. The beveled sapphire crystal back allows you to see the side of the 21K Gold Rotor, as well as a very clear view of the in-house Caliber 39-52 movement, which is decorated very nicely. As you might notice, this movement differs from most swiss movements in that it uses a 3/4 plate, which is characteristic of German movements from Glashutte.

There it is on my wrist… before a day at the office. Works extremely well with the shirt and jacket, not quite as well with shorts and t-shirts.