While the watch has been up on the Breitling site for a little while, Breitling did not decide to formally announce it until today, complete with a video. It is the Boutique Limited edition only available in Breitling Boutiques, though they seem to have removed “boutique” from the name on the site. The highlight feature of this watch is one you can’t see from the front, but rather the hunter-style caseback revealing the B01 in-house caliber movement.

Original from all angles

A two-tone dial with two vintage-style counters, and a double caseback complete with a cover: the Transocean Chronograph Edition limited series reinterprets the contemporary classic style of the Transocean line in a highly exclusive spirit. A tribute to Breitling’s priviledged ties with the chronograph.

Inspired by a star model from 1958 (an ultra-precise, anti-shock, anti-magnetic and super-water-resistant watch that magnificently accompanied the boom in intercontinental air travel), the Transocean reflects the spirit of great journeys and luxury long-haul aircraft. Breitling now introduces it in a limited series radiating originality. The front exudes a blend of dynamism and refinement: the dial bearing two vintage-style counters and a date window at 6 o’clock is adorned with a twinzone silver-toned décor, applied hour-markers and the 18K gold version of the B initial that served for many years as the Breitling symbol. The result is a technical, pared-down style echoing that of the finest classic chronographs. Turning the watch reveals another surprise, since the steel case is distinguished by a double back protected by a cover providing space for a personalized engraving and a sapphire crystal affording a chance to admire an exclusive ‘engine’: Manufacture Breitling Caliber 01, a high-performance selfwinding chronograph movement chronometer-certified by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute). Issued in a 2,000-piece production run, the Transocean Chronograph Edition limited series is teamed with an original steel mesh bracelet. It also comes with a leather or crocodile leather strap. Totally chronograph. Totally Breitling.

Breitling released a new special series called the Breitling Chronomat 44 Raven. Very cool watch, and it may rub a few people the wrong way mainly because the Black Steel and Display Backs were generally reserved for Limited Editions, and now both of these are found on what appears to be a regular production Breitling, albeit a special one. One of the cooler features is the blacksteel rotor engraved with orange lettering visible through the display back. That’s a touch.

From Breitling:

The embodiment of performance
A black case and dial combined with ultra-sporty orange accents. A Manufacture Breitling Caliber 01 with a décor featuring the same contrast. The Chronomat 44 Raven special series reinvents the pilot’s chronograph in an original look dedicated to performance.

Since its launch in 1984, the Chronomat has established itself as the reference among mechanical chronographs. A perfect embodiment of the Breitling philosophy, it combines a strong, unique and quintessential design with all the performances of an authentic “instrument for professionals”: precision, sturdiness, readability, functionality, as well as outstanding water resistance. This exceptional model is now issued in a special series accentuating its technical, masculine style.

The satin-brushed steel case is entirely clad in black thanks to a high-resistance carbon-based coating matching the rubber strap. The unidirectional rotating bezel features orange rubber inlaid numerals creating a powerful and ultra-legible contrast. The same bright orange touches appear on the inner bezel, the chronograph seconds hand as well as the counter pointers. Visible through a transparent caseback, Manufacture Breitling Caliber 01 also springs a surprise with its black oscillating weight enhanced with orange markings. Undeniably original from all angles, the Chronomat 44 Raven special series is equipped – like all Breitling instruments – with a selfwinding movement chronometer-certified by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute), the highest benchmark in terms of reliability and precision. The embodiment of precision.

A new Breitling model announced – the Transocean 38 featuring a smaller 38mm case. They don’t really say the watch is marketed towards women, but the small case size combined with Mother of Pearl and diamond options leads me to believe that its definitely more of a ladies timepiece. Like the SuperOcean Heritage 38 before (which I actually bought for my wife), this one will probably not be a huge hit with most male buyers.

First-class travel, Breitling style

Breitling reinterprets the pure and original spirit of its Transocean collection in a refined model featuring a twin-aperture calendar and small seconds. A new classic for all wrists.

In 1958, Breitling accompanied the boom in air travel by launching an ultra-precise, anti-shock, anti-magnetic, super-water-resistant watch named Transocean. This selfwinding model with its elegantly understated style rapidly asserted itself as one of the brand’s stellar products, endowed with all the expertise acquired in the service of aeronautics. As the advert ran at the time “Men who have faith in the mighty liners of the sky…will trust the Transocean. For behind every Breitling wristwatch lies the experience of aviation precision”. After more than 55 years in flight, the “contemporary classic” Transocean collection still reflects the spirit of long-distance travel and luxury long-haul aircraft – as admirably embodied in the new Transocean 38. The steel case fitted with a slim beveled bezel and slender lugs features a 38 mm diameter that is ideal for all wrists. The dial bears applied hour-markers and the gold B initial that used to serve as the Breitling logo. The date appears in an extremely readable manner through a twin aperture at 12 o’clock, nicely counter-balancing the small seconds at 6 o’clock. The caseback bears the historical Breitling symbol with its stylized embossed planes. On the technical side, the Transocean 38 delivers even better performances than its illustrious predecessor. Its case is water-resistant to 100 m (330 ft), equipped with a sapphire crystal glareproofed on both sides, and houses a selfwinding movement certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) – the highest official benchmark in terms of precision and reliability. The Transocean 38 comes with a black or silver dial. It is fitted with an extremely original steel mesh bracelet in tribute to the original models, a perforated bracelet or a leather strap. For feminine wrists, Breitling also offers a mother-of-pearl dial (with or without diamond hour-markers) as well as an optional gemset bezel. Technically and aesthetically first-class style.

I don’t know if a revamp or “Fresh Momentum”, as Breitling calls it is the right description, but the Colt has returned to its roots with a design that resembles the previous Breitling Colt models complete with Rider Tabs and an Automatic model.

The new Colt will be available in a Colt Quartz Chronograph version, regular Colt Quartz, Colt Automatic, and Colt Lady models.

From Breitling:

“Breitling has redesigned the entire Colt collection while reviving its original spirit: that of a military watch combining peerless performance with an efficient and understated style.

Colt was born in the 1980s and initially intended for the armed forces – like other Breitling watches such as the Navitimer and the Chronomat – before winning over a broad audience through its sturdiness, its reliability and its readability. It has since established itself as the most accessible Breitling model. The newly revamped Colt features a design that reinterprets all the essential assets on which it has built its success. The broad unidirectional rotating bezel with a satin-brushed finish and engraved hour-markers is adorned with four rider tabs – a Breitling signature feature – ensuring excellent handling as well as enhanced protection of the sapphire crystal which is glareproofed on both sides. The polished steel case, water-resistant to 200 meters (660 ft), is equipped with a large screw-locked crown with protective reinforcements. The black, blue or silver dials are enlivened by a fine circular raised motif and their readability is enhanced by oversized hands and hour-markers, accentuated by a luminescent coating. The satin-brushed steel bracelet may be replaced by a rubber or leather strap. The new Colt comes in a range of four models: a 44 mm watch with a mechanical selfwinding movement certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) – the highest official benchmark in terms of reliability and precision; a watch and chronograph equipped with SuperQuartz™ movements, ten times more accurate than standard quartz; and a Lady watch with a smaller diameter and an optionally gemset bezel. All of which brings fresh momentum to this collection with a youthful, dynamic and winsome attitude.”

Fresh Momentum for the Colt Video:

The next limited edition IWC Pilot Watch to commemorate the celebrated pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is this new “The Last Flight” edition. It is available in three different versions all in brown silicon nitride ceramic, with proceeds from the Platinum caseback edition going to support the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation.

The Platinum caseback version is a limited edition of 17, the Red Gold caseback version is limited to 170 pieces and the Titanium-backed version is limited to 1700. All have slightly different subdial colors to “match” the casebacks.

I’ve always been a fan of the IWC pilots, especially the Saint-Exupéry Limited editions. I would love to be able to get this version with the titanium.

Specs:
Case: Brown Silicon Nitride Ceramic
Case Size: 46mm x 16.5mm
Crystal: AR-coated sapphire crystal
Water Resistance: 60m
Movement: IWC in-house caliber 89361 with 38 jewels, 28,800 vph and a power reserve of 68 hours
Strap: Brown calfskin strap with quilted stitching and a pin buckle