Beautiful piece of horology here with A. Lange’s Grand Lange 1 “Lumen”, featuring a killer sapphire dial with a semi-transparent coating. This watch, while not being anything incredibly new, is a great host of features and has all the great stuff that A. Lange is known for all in one platinum-cased timepiece.

GRAND LANGE 1 “Lumen” Ref. 117.035
Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L095.2, manually wound, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and assembled by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand
Movement parts: 400
Jewels: 42
Screwed gold chatons: 7
Escapement: Lever escapement
Oscillator: Shock-resistant screw balance; superior-quality balance spring manufactured in-house, frequency 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour, precision beat adjustment system with lateral setscrew and whiplash spring
Power reserve: 72 hours when fully wound
Functions: Time indicated in hours, minutes, and subsidiary seconds with stop seconds; power-reserve indicator; outsize date
Operating elements: Crown for winding the watch and setting the time; push piece for rapid correction of the outsize date
Case dimensions: Diameter: 40.9 millimetres; height: 9.8 millimetres
Movement: dimensions Diameter: 34.1 millimetres; height: 4.7 millimetres
Crystal and back Sapphire crystal (hardness 9)
Case: Platinum
Dial: Basic dial (outer ring, hour, minutes, small seconds) of solid silver (black), recessed parts of sapphire crystal with semitransparent coating; luminous outsize date and indications for hours and power-reserve
Hands: Rhodiumed gold; hours, minutes, power-reserve indicator luminous
Strap: Hand-stitched crocodile strap, black
Buckle: Lange prong buckle in platinum

Breitling has partnered with Govberg Jewelers to present a special limited edition Breitling Chronomat 44 timepiece that finally brings the display back to the Chronomat. The limited edition will be numbered one of 50 pieces, and is targeted at the Breitling Enthusiasts community. I’m a little disappointed that there weren’t any photos of the display back, which is kind of the highlight of the piece. [EDIT: Photos of the caseback have now been provided!]

“Already regarded as a chronograph specialist, Breitling introduced its Caliber 01 in 2009, inducting them into the exclusive circle of manufacturers who design and produce their own chronograph movements. This Chronomat 44 Limited Edition’s sapphire case back affords wearers the ability to admire this high-performance movement, which powers hours, minutes, seconds, date and chronograph functions. It features a 44mm case and a Pilot bracelet in brushed stainless steel, an understated yet handsome alternative to the characteristic high-polish finish found throughout ninety-percent of Breitling’s collection. The dial is constructed in black and charcoal, and the central second hand and chronograph subdial hands are accented in Breitling’s signature yellow. This timepiece was built to ensure extreme sturdiness, and is water resistant to a depth of 500 meters, making it a true ‘Instrument for Professionals.'”

BREITLING CHRONOMAT 44 LIMITED EDITION – SPECIFICATIONS
-Case Size & Material: 44mm case in brushed stainless steel with unidirectional rotating ratcheted
bezel and exhibition sapphire case back
-Movement: Self-winding mechanical movement; Manufacture Breitling Caliber 01
-Power Reserve: Over 70 hours
-Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph
-Water Resistant: 500 meters {1,650 feet}
-Strap / Bracelet: Brushed stainless steel Pilot bracelet

On October 18th, Breitling and the Frecce Tricolori met up at the Italian air base in Rivolto to reaffirm the longstanding partnership and to reveal a new Chronomat 44 bearing the flight team’s livery, along with a limited edition featuring the same design.

Among the many exceptional squads that are associated with Breitling, the Frecce Tricolori – the Italian airforce aerobatics team – holds a place of its own. In 1983, the brand with the winged B was chosen by the “tricolor arrows” to design their official watch. In doing so, Breitling worked closely with pilots in order to create an authentic aviation chronograph. A year later, in 1984, it was based on this ultra-functional, original and elegant watch, that the brand launched its famous Chronomat – that has since become its star model and was recently reinterpreted.

Almost 30 years later, Breitling is perpetuating these ties by creating for the Frecce Tricolori a special version of the Chronomat 44 customized in the team colors. For devotees of high-flying feats and aviation in general, the firm is also offering a 1,000-piece limited edition with the same exclusive design. Its black dial (like the original 1983 model) bearing silver-toned counters with red hands is distinguished by the team logo emblazoned at 12 o’clock. Composed of three arrows in the red, white and green colors of the Italian flag, it is topped with the inscription “P.A.N Frecce Tricolori” (P.A.N. standing for Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale). The caseback bears the engraved silhouette of the ten Aermacchi aircraft composing the squad. The ultrasturdy steel case and the bezel with black rubber-incrusted numerals feature satinbrushed tops and polished sides. Water-resistant to the exceptional depth of 500 meters (1,650 ft), the watch houses Manufacture Breitling Caliber 01, a highperformance chronograph movement entirely developed and produced by Breitling, and chronometer-certified by the COSC. It is available with a choice of wristbands notably including a new black rubber strap with embossed Breitling signature.

The Frecce Tricolori Chronomat 44 and the limited edition were presented during a special event organized at the patrol’s Rivolto airbase in north-east Italy. It was attended by team pilots, a number of Breitling guests, along with members of the military, leading personalities and key representatives of the national press.

Graham releases a very cool Limited Edition watch to commemorate the Tecate Score Baja 1000 races in Mexico. The watch is released in a limited edition of 100 pieces, and has some really cool features including a PVD Case, Machined Carbon Fiber trigger and Cermaic buckle.

The movement is still the flipped and modified Valjoux 7750, dubbed the G1747 by Graham. Overall still a very cool watch.

Main features also include:
47 mm steel with black PVD case, calibre G1747, automatic chronograph, 25 jewels, 28’800 A/h (4Hz), Incabloc shock absorber, 48 hours power reserve, scratch-proof ceramic bezel (Zirconium Oxide: ZrO2), calculated telemeter scale on the dial (Fahrenheit), plain carbon fibre fast-action start / stop trigger , domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both faces, smoked sapphire case back with Baja 1000 logo, integrated beige fabric techno-fabric strap, scratch-proof black ceramic buckle. Limited edition 100 pieces.

Navitimer Blue Sky Limited Edition 60th anniversary

Breitling celebrates the legendary Navitimer’s 60 years in flight

To mark the 60th anniversary of the Navitimer chronograph, the cult model among pilots and aviation enthusiasts, Breitling is introducing a 500-piece limited edition with an elegant dial in an exclusive shade of blue and aptly named the Navitimer Blue Sky.

In 1952, Breitling – already a firm fixture among aeronautical professionals – decided to create a new “wrist instrument” specifically designed with aviators in mind. The result was the Navitimer with its famous circular slide rule providing simple and fast handling of all calculations relating to airborne navigation: an authentic wristworn instrument panel. In an era preceding the advent of electronic calculators, this model unique in its kind was soon adopted by many pilots for flight preparation and monitoring – whether it came to calculating average speed, distance covered, fuel consumption or rates of ascent and descent. The only authentic aviation chronograph in widespread use, it was naturally chosen as the official watch by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the largest of its kind in the world and of which the logo often appears on models from the 1950s and 1960s. The Navitimer features a functional design and a highly original technical yet elegant look that is recognizable at first glance. It thus established itself as one of the ten great 20th century watchmaking classics, a timeless benchmark in its field and a reliable value. Continuously made since 1952, while remaining loyal to the aesthetic of the original, it is the world’s oldest mechanical chronograph still in production.

A handsomely stylish limited edition

To celebrate its 60 years in flight, the favorite watch among aviation enthusiasts is now available in a 500-piece steel limited edition with a magnificent blue dial, a silver inner bezel and a red central chronograph seconds hand. A handsomely stylish new face for the most emblematic Breitling model. A transparent caseback affords a chance to admire Manufacture Breitling Caliber 01, the best selfwinding chronograph movement. The series number is engraved on the case middle at 9 o’clock, and the color match is reinforced by an exclusive dark blue crocodile leather strap. The Navitimer Blue Sky Limited Edition 60th anniversary is also available on the Navitimer bracelet – or the highly original perforated Air Racer bracelet.

Navitimer: the legend lives on.