The Breitling Watch Blog

Thin is in. At least at JLC it is. SIHH 2013 releases from JLC and several other brands tell us that Thinner, sleeker watches are back in vogue. Check out some of the ultra-thin offerings from JLC for 2013:

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Jubilee

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin 41

Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Duoface

In addition to the ultra-thin models, we have some updates and absolute masterpieces as well. One of the pieces that I really think is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Deep Sea Chronograph Cermet, which features a case made of an “aluminum matrix” reinforced by Ceramic particles and topped with a 40 micron thick ceramic coating.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Deep Sea Chronograph Cermet

Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Cylindrique à Quantième Perpétuel Jubilee

Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Celestial

Just a little snippet of some of the cool stuff that JLC has in store for us this year. Lots of thin, and lots of bling. Only time will tell of this ultra-thin craze will stick!

I mentioned that I had picked up a Tactico TC2 watch in an earlier article about Crepas, and it has landed! This is a hell of a watch, and much more interesting that I had initially thought. It came in a cool waterproof plastic tube with a screwdown top and reminded me a bit of Doxa but still kind of different.

Here’s the 42mm Tactico TC-2, mounted on the Stainless Steel bracelet. The watch also comes with two custom nylon nato-style straps, one in black and one in vintage that match the dial perfectly. The dial is very clean, and shows the hour, minutes and seconds along with the date. Lume is great, with vintage superluminova that is even in the bezel, which I thought was a very nice addition. The dial is a matte black, which goes great with the matte bezel. These are some of the small details that give this watch its unique character.

The bezel is a 120-click, unidirectional affair, that is a bit hard to turn. When you look at it from the side, it actually flares out towards the top, which is a nice touch. The bezel appears to be a plastic insert into the stainless steel ring.

Here’s a shot from the side, showing the neat shape of the Tactico TC-2’s case. Kind of a vintage style look, and it reminds me of the Glycine Airman D24 a bit in the main part, but with a dive bezel mounted on top. The caseback really sticks out a lot from the back so it sits on the wrist a bit high, but I kind of like that since it gives it a different look on the wrist than a watch that sits lower and conforms to the wrist more. The crown is signed with the Tactico logo and is screwdown.

The caseback is heavily engraved, and totally solid, helping with the 500m water resistance. Each watch is numbered and the number is engraved on the caseback along with some of the essential specs such as the Sapphire Crystal, Anti-magnetic properties and water resistance. As you can see, the endlinks are not solid, which is too bad, but doesn’t really bother me as much as I thought it would. Movement is a Swiss ETA 2824-2, the reliable workhorse.

And there’s the wrist shot! Looks bigger in the photo than it doesn’t in real life, but it wears more like a 40mm Submariner than it does a 42mm watch. The bezel is quite a bit smaller than the case so that’s probably why it wears a bit smaller than the specs would make you think. I think it wears great, and it actually exceeded my expectations. This is a unique watch, with a reliable Swiss Movement, and great style and attention to detail. I am very impressed with this offering from Tactico, and will be keeping my TC-2 for now.

For specs, you can check the bottom of my original Tactico TC2 post.

Breitling Announces New Partnership with Acclaimed Professional Golfer Ernie Els in 2013

Sounds like this is more than the usual ambassador relationship, with Ernie representing Breitling or more than one level. Almost like the Alicia Keys-Blackberry relationship.

As part of the partnership, Els will participate in various events on behalf of Breitling, where he will interact directly with Breitling enthusiasts in key markets. In addition to special events and appearances, Breitling will also create a special limited edition Breitling Chronomat 44, available in April, which is Autism Awareness month. A percentage of the proceeds from the limited edition watch will go to the Els for Autism Foundation, with the organization’s logo etched on the back of the caseback.

“I’ve always had a passion for watches,” said Els, who at age 43 has 69 professional career victories to his name. “Breitling is an iconic brand I’ve long admired. They create beautifully crafted and precise timepieces I know I’m going to enjoy wearing. With my love of flying and Breitling’s affinity and connection with the history of aviation, this feels like the perfect partnership, one of genuine shared values. It’s a pleasure to be associated with the company and I look forward to working with everyone on the team.”

Els is one of the most prolific golfers of his generation, winning four Major Championships, two World Golf Championships and a record seven World Matchplay titles. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011 and the South African Golf Hall of Fame in 2009.

In addition to his outstanding ability on the golf course, Els also prides himself on creating several charitable organizations to help serve children around the globe. The Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation was established in 1999 to identify young talented golfers, predominantly from families of limited resources, and to provide them with educational assistance and playing opportunities. The Els for Autism Foundation was established in 2009 to help young individuals and families on the autism spectrum and to create the Els Center of Excellence, which will make available the very best practices in education and therapy with a global reach.

“Breitling is honored to partner with Ernie Els in 2013,” said Breitling USA President Thierry Prissert. “We have a strong admiration for Ernie’s efforts, not only on the golf course, but also his passion for philanthropy. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Ernie for many years to come.”

Crepas has been creating quite a stir amongst the Dive Watch community with their unique brand of dive watches, becoming one of the most sought after boutique dive watch brands in the industry. With the sheer amount of boutique brands congesting this market segment, its no small feat that Crepas has gained such popularity in such a short period of time competing against veterans like UTS and Ennebi and more sophomore companies like Ocean7 and Dievas. Every watch released by Crepas is a numbered, limited edition of 100 pieces.

Crepas also started up a Military division called Tactico, of which has inspired this post. While I’ve been aware of Crepas watches for a while, the difficulty in obtaining one has always been a hurdle for me. With the new Tactico release of the TC2, the watch is much easier to get, and probably won’t enjoy the ultra-high resale pricing that most Crepas watches have. The watch is incoming, and I hope to receive it soon. Here she is, and the specs below.

Specs:
Case diameter: 42mm
Bezel diameter: 40mm
Thickness: 13,70mm
Length: 50mm
Crystal thickness: 2,80mm
Crystal diameter: 30mm
Space between the lugs: 22mm
Crown diameter: 7mm

Materials:
Case, bezel, crown and case back cover: solid stainless steel 316L with a brushed and polished finished.
Crystal: Synthetic sapphire double domed.
Gaskets: Viton and Tefzel.
Stainless steel bracelet with deployant signed clasp.
Nylon NATO straps.
Vintage Tritium Superluminova at marks, hands and bezel insert.

Features:
Swiss movement manufactured by ETASA model 2824-2
Water Resistant: 50atmos/500 meters. Crown and case back cover screwed.
Anti-magnetic: 70,000 A/m. Movement protected by a soft steel cover.
Anti-scratch crystal with AR coated.
120 positions unidirectional bezel.

Breitling has released a new Transocean Chronograph 38, which is marketed to the lady crowd. This is the first Chronograph that Breitling has made for women. The watch features an automatic chronometre certified chronograph movement, the Breitling Caliber 41.

TRANSOCEAN CHRONOGRAPH 38
First-class femininity

A tribute to the spirit of travel to distant lands aboard luxurious longhaul airliners, the Breitling Transocean welcomes a brand-new chronograph for women endowed with a distinctive blend of character and elegance.

With its understated design and refined dials, the Transocean offers a resolutely contemporary stylistic interpretation of the aesthetic of 1950s and 1960s chronographs. A model of fine workmanship and excellence, it has established itself as a new classic marrying prestige and distinction. Breitling is now enriching this exceptional collection with a 38 mm-diameter ladies’ chronograph that lends a touch of character to any wrist, including the daintiest. The case with its pure lines, accentuated by a beveled bezel and slender lugs, comes in a choice of steel or 18K red gold. The meticulously crafted dials are adorned with applied hour-markers and hollowed counters featuring a spiral motif. They are available in three refined colors – deep black, glowing silver and a highly original midnight blue shade. The caseback is engraved with the two stylized planes that were a longtime Breitling symbol, as indeed was the initial B in 18K gold enhancing the dial. The Barenia or crocodile leather straps offer a broad choice of vivid or classic hues, while a steel mesh bracelet lends a touch ­of boldness and sophistication. A paragon of elegance, the Transocean Chronograph 38 also boasts outstanding performances thanks to a selfwinding chronograph movement chronometer-certified by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute), the highest benchmark in terms of precision and reliability. Transocean Chronograph 38: First-class femininity.

Caliber
Breitling 41

Movement
Selfwinding mechanical

Chronograph
1/4th second, 30 minutes
Vibration
28 800 v.p.h
38 jewels

Case
Steel or 18K red gold

Water resistance
100 meters (330 ft/10 bars)

Crystal
Convex sapphire crystal, glareproofed on both side

Diameter
38,00 mm

Strap/bracelet
Barenia leather, crocodile leather/Ocean Classic (steel mesh, steel version only)