The Breitling Watch Blog

Video review of the very cool and limited Doxa 600 T-Graph. This is a Swiss Made mechanical chronograph diver from specialty boutique dive watch brand Doxa. The T-Graphs are very limited and are usually inlaid with the year of production – very cool feature, and a great looking watch that you’ll not see too many others wearing.

The Breitling Jet Team, Breitling Wingwalkers and Yves “Jetman” Rossy are flying East for winter, to bring Breitling’s passions for aviation to new audiences in what is being collectively called “The Breitling Dragon Tour”.

All three teams are heading to Asia to participate in Airshow China 2012, held in Zhuhai, Guangdong province. Although the 1940’s Stearmans of the wingwalking team and Yves Rossy’s Jetwings can all be shipped there in containers, the Breitling Jet Team will have to get there with their own wings. Leaving from Dijon this Tuesday, they will fly through Eastern Europe, into Russia passing through Siberia, then on to Mongolia and down through China to reach their destination by mid-October.

Breitling Aviation Director, Nigel Lamb flew the first civilian aerobatic team in China in 1996: “There is such an incredible fascination and enthusiasm for aviation in China, the team is well remembered even to this day. I’m looking forward to going back with all three teams and entirely different spectacles from Europe. Hopefully, this is just the start of the adventure. We’re looking into keeping the Breitling Jet Team in Asia for 2013 and organizing a series of tours in the region.”

Breitling Jet Team leader, Jacques Bothelin continues: “While we are there we want to make the most of our opportunities, we will miss the European 2013 season, but it will be exciting to explore new countries and display to new crowds. We’ll be back in Europe early 2014 with some great experiences to relay.”

Breitling watch saves the life of stranded hunter on August 15th, 2012

Emergency Transmitter in Watch Alerts Alaska Rescuers to Missing Man’s Location

A watch made more than a fashion statement when it helped save a stranded hunter’s life in Alaska on August 15th. Mark Spencer was hunting grizzly bears about 120 miles northeast of Anchorage when he became stuck in the wilderness along Susitna River in the heart of the infamous Alaska Range. Unable to navigate the hazardous Class 6 rapids of the Susitna River, his float-hunting party had diverted the course of their boat to the Tyone River. But the river route proved too shallow for their vessel. Spencer left his group and went searching for help on the glaciated Susitna River and struck a shoal tearing a hole in the vessel sinking it in the icy waters. He had spent more than 48 treacherous hours struggling for his life among the unrelenting elements of the Alaskan Backcountry.

“Breitling is the number one piece of equipment I always bring with me”, said Spencer, who works in the renewable energy industry. “Even if I lose everything, I will always have my watch. That gives me and my family peace of mind.”

The timepiece is designed with a micro-transmitter broadcasting on the 121.5 MHz aircraft emergency frequency. The transmitter is activated by unscrewing a protective cap and extending a short antenna. Despite the small size of the watch, the signal range is comparable to traditional hand-held Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) and can broadcast for 48 hours.

Spencer activated his watch’s Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) after a dangerous trek up the frigid Susitna River left him hypothermic and near death in the isolated backcountry. A rescue crew was able to pinpoint his location and lift him to safety by helicopter after they picked up the distress signal.

“It brings Breitling great pleasure to hear about this kind of customer satisfaction”, said Thierry Prissert, President of Breitling USA. “We’re hoping from now on he only has to use his watch to tell time.”

Graham enters the Diver Watch realm with a BANG – their new Chronofighter Prodive is an impressive looking beast of a watch. Its the first Graham watch where the eccentricities actually seem to fall into the right place. The famous Graham lever actually seems to fit with the style much better than previous models and blends in. This will be a Graham that finally appeals to non-Graham lovers. Its even got decent 600m water resistance.

-Chronograph (seconds, 30 minutes counter) to measure decompression time. Date at 9 o’clock. Black PVD automatic Helium escape valve
-Hours, minutes, seconds
-Calibre G1750, automatic mono-pusher chronograph, 28’800 A/h (4Hz), Incabloc shock absorber
-25 jewels
-Power reserve : 48 hours
-45 mm steel case
-Integrated steel with black PVD left hand fast-action start / stop / reset trigger. Functional at 2000 feet / 600 m.
-Screwed yellow rubber coated crown (automatic locking system (bayonet) and red safety ring)
-Steel with black PVD bezel, unidirectional rotating rim (120 positions) to measure dive time, luminous indicator at 12 o’clock
-Domed sapphire crystal, anti-reflective coating on both faces
-Steel case back with shark imprinted and limited edition serial number
-2000 feet / 600 m / 60 bar
-Black dial and counters, propeller-shaped seconds counter (running indicator)
-White Super-LumiNova hands and grey indexes, yellow chrono and minutes counter’s hands
-Double luminescent indications: blue and green

More info: http://www.graham-london.com/en-gb/collection/prodive/prodive/2cdavb02a.aspx

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.