The Breitling Watch Blog

Breitling Video Contest #FlyBreitling2014

Aviation enthusiasts and Breitling devotees now have the chance to take flight with the Breitling Jet Team. The brand, who has shared the finest hours in aviation history, wants to share its passion for flight by launching a video contest like no other. Submit a video that best captures the spirit of aviation for a chance to win the ride of a lifetime in the passenger seat of a Breitling L-39C Albatros jet as well as an exclusive private tour of Breitling Chronométrie, the brand’s ultramodern production facility. Prepare for take off!

To enter and for more details visit Breitling on:
www.facebook.com/Breitling

Posted this on Youtube last week, and forgot to share it on here. Hope you guys enjoy the video review guys! Haven’t posted one in a while since all my time is taken up with work and family! But still trying to keep things afloat here. Very cool watch from Crepas, and I felt they got a lot of things right for a watch of this price point.

Love this modern take on the classic Crystal Ball table clock from Panerai. Dubbed the Panerai PAM581, this is definitely a cool piece that would look awesome on any watch collector’s desk. Its got an 8 day power reserve in it’s manual wind movement, the P5000 calibre.

Navitimer 01 Panamerican

Breitling has released a new dial face for the Breitling Navitimer dubbed the Navitimer Panamerican, in stunning bronze. This will be a very limited production of 1000 pieces. In addition to the dial color, the watch will feature a transparent caseback so you can see the 01 movement. Cool. See below the press release from Breitling:

The new face of the legend
Iconic in its classic version with a black dial, the famous Navitimer adopts even more exclusive colors in a limited series featuring a magnificent bronze dial.

Created in 1952, the Navitimer is not only the doyenne of all mechanical chronographs produced worldwide. With its technical and functional style, this instrument unique in its kind has asserted itself as one of the ten great 20th century watchmaking classics – and a cult object for all passionate aviation enthusiasts. Breitling offers this legendary model in a 1,000-piece limited series distinguished by a bronze-colored dial – an original and refined touch that further highlights the originality of the design with its three hollowed counters and its circular slide rule designed to perform all calculations involved in airborne navigation. A transparent caseback provides a chance to admire the Manufacture Breitling Caliber 01, a high-performance selfwinding chronograph entirely developed and produced within the Breitling Chronométrie workshops and chronometer-certified by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute) – the highest benchmark in terms of precision and reliability, and the only one based on an international standard.

See the watch on Breitling’s site.

Recently sold this Zenith Defy Classic Power Reserve watch, and realized that I never posted a review on it, even though I had posted a video review years ago. I had this watch for over 4 years, and really enjoyed the time I spent with it. It was one of Zenith’s more down-to-earth Defy designs, but still turned many people off with its unconventional looks. I was a big fan of this style, especially in all-silver.

The watch has a very “white-like” sheen to it, somewhat different than the usual brushed stainless steel. The knurled silver-white dial also gives the watch a sense that the dial is an extension of the case, and play nicely off each other.

The solid engraved stainless steel bezel has Zenith Stars inlaid into it, also in stainless steel. The watch features a Power Reserve indication at 1:30, small seconds at 9:00 and a date at 4:30. The date features an inside-mounted magnifier that aids in reading.

The watch is fairly thick, and the bracelet’s middle links feature matching Knurling that is also on the dial. This complements the watch very nicely and really balances out the design.

The back features a sapphire exhibition crystal, giving a very good view of the in-house Zenith Elite caliber 685SC which features 55hr power reserve, and 38 jewels. As stated on the back, the watch also features 300m water resistance, and is Swiss Made like all of Zenith’s watches.

The dial has no lume, but the hands have a small amount of lume at the times to give it some night time readability. The crystal is AR coated, and shows some blue tinge at the right angles. The applied alternative numerals and indices are gun metal colored and completes the watches’ play on multiple shades of grey.

Just one more shot here for good measure 🙂

Finally the wrist shot. The 43mm case diameter is perfect for my wrists, though the bracelet is a bit uncomfortable. I didn’t get a shot of the hidden double-butterfly clasp, but it can dig into the wrist at times. It also does not have microadjustments. Overall its a cool-looking watch, with some serious in-house Swiss pedigree in there. If the style suits your fancy, well worth the money they are asking for them nowadays. I sure am going to miss mine!