The Chronomat holds a significant place in Breitling’s history. Introduced in 1984, when extra-thin quartz timepieces were the order of the day, Breitling placed a bold bet on an impressive mechanical watch that proved to be a winner and became an icon of its era. Nearly 40 years later, the redesigned Chronomat is set to appeal to today’s generation of men and women of purpose, action, and style.
The new Breitling Chronomat is truly an all-purpose sports watch, at home both on the red carpet and at the beach. Its features recall the classic namesake from the 1980s and make it instantly recognizable. The eye-catching Rouleaux bracelet with a butterfly clasp perfectly expresses Breitling’s modern-retro style, as does the signature rotating bezel with rider tabs. The new Chronomat celebrates a significant time in Breitling’s history while projecting a clear vision for the future.
When the Breitling Chronomat was launched in 1984, it marked a welcome return to mechanical Swiss watches, which had all but disappeared when quartz watches dominated the marketplace in the 1970s. Inspired by the Frecce Tricolori watch, which had been developed and launched in 1983 in collaboration with the famed Italian aerial squadron of the same name, the Chronomat celebrated Breitling’s centenary in style and marked the return of the mechanical chronograph on which the brand had built its global reputation to its rightfully prominent place. This technical legacy, combined with particularly stylish design codes, made the Chronomat the ultimate sport-chic watch of its era, an expression of aesthetics and confidence that made the chronograph “cool” again.
While the Chronomat has long been established as the watch of choice for aviators, it also found a passionate following among people whose adventures took place not only in the air, but also on land and at sea – above and below the surface. In fact, its versatility added to its allure in the late 1980s and early 1990s as its tachymeter attracted the interest of Formula 1 teams, while its reversible rider tabs made it ideally suited to regattas.
Today’s passionate and fashionable adventurers will certainly be equally drawn to the new Chronomat Collection, whose watches perfectly reflect Breitling’s commitment to creating authentic, everyday luxury for men and women of purpose, action, and style. The new Chronomat, redesigned in 2020 with some updated twists on the original, capitalizes on the watch’s signature design elements and spirit.
Breitling CEO Georges Kern says: “The 1984 Chronomat occupies a very important place in our modern history. It was the watch that boldly proclaimed Breitling was staying absolutely true to its roots. When much of the industry focused their efforts and energies on quartz watches, the Chronomat reminded the world that Breitling had essentially invented the modern mechanical chronograph. The message resonated and the brand prospered. The Chronomat Collection is a fitting tribute to the amazing watch that, more than any other, put us back in touch with our heritage.”
Breitling had used the name Chronomat for some of its 1940s watches, and, in those early days, the word was a portmanteau of “chronograph for mathematics”. The 1984 Chronomat expressed something different: “chronograph” and “automatic”, a name that called attention to the self-winding mechanical movement powering the watch.
Meet the Breitling Chronomat Collection – Iconic Design Details and a Place in Watchmaking History
The Chronomat Collection introduces a new generation to the watch that underscored Breitling’s bold decision to return to its rightful place as a producer of great mechanical chronographs. Every Chronomat has features that make it instantly recognizable:
- The signature rotating bezel is highlighted by rider tabs, which not only protect the crystal but make the manipulation of the bezel easier.
- The rider tabs at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, true to the original, are interchangeable, so the wearer can use them either for a “count up” or “count down” function.
- The highly recognizable stainless-steel integrated Rouleaux bracelet with a butterfly clasp.
Each chronograph in the new collection is powered by the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01, an in-house mechanical movement that delivers an impressive power reserve of about 70 hours. It is worth noting that, when Breitling launched its in-house Manufacture Caliber 01 more than ten years ago, it was introduced in the Chronomat 01.
The hands of every Chronomat B01 42 are coated with Super-LumiNova®, a luminescent material that enhances legibility in all lighting conditions. All of the models except for the Chronomat Frecce Tricolori Limited Edition have a red chronograph second hand, which also contributes to easy readability.
Like all Breitling watches, the Chronomats are COSC-certified chronometers, an independent confirmation of their precision. All of the models are water-resistant to 20 bar (200 meters).
Your Perfect Chronomat Is Here
The watches in the Chronomat Collection are available with a range of different metal and dial options, assuring that at least one of them will be perfectly at home on your wrist, whether you wear it to the beach, your workplace, or the next awards ceremony.
One version of the Chronomat B01 42 has a 42-millimeter stainless-steel case with a choice of a silver, copper, or blue dial with black contrasting chronograph counters. It is also available with a black dial with silver contrasting chronograph counters. Each model is presented on a stainless-steel Rouleaux bracelet with a butterfly clasp.
The Chronomat Bentley celebrates Breitling’s partnership with the great British luxury car brand. It has a 42-millimeter stainless-steel case with a green dial and black contrasting chronograph counters. This watch, presented on a stainless-steel Rouleaux bracelet with a butterfly clasp, features a “BENTLEY” engraving around the transparent sapphire caseback.
It was Breitling’s 1983 Frecce Tricolori watch that inspired the Chronomats introduced a year later to celebrate the brand’s centenary. The new Chronomat Frecce Tricolori Limited Edition has a blue dial featuring tone-on-tone subdials and the Frecce Tricolori logo on the dial, positioned where the Breitling logo is normally placed. This stunning tribute to the great aerial squadron is limited to 250 pieces, and its caseback is engraved with the words “ONE OF 250.” Like the rest of the collection, it is presented on a stainless-steel Rouleaux bracelet with a butterfly clasp.
Chronomat enthusiasts looking for an extra touch of luxury will be drawn to the Chronomat B01 42 fitted with an 18 k red gold crown and pushers and a bezel with 18 k red gold rider tabs, numerals, and indexes. This stunning model has a silver dial with silver tone-on-tone subdials and a 42-millimeter stainless-steel case, and is presented on a stainless-steel Rouleaux bracelet with a butterfly clasp.
Another striking two-tone Chronomat features either an elegant blue dial with tone-on-tone chronograph counters or an anthracite dial with black contrasting chronograph counters. It is highlighted by an 18 k red gold ratcheted unidirectional rotating bezel and an 18 k red gold crown and pushers. This model is presented on a riveting stainless-steel and 18 k red gold Rouleaux bracelet with a butterfly clasp.
Finally, for someone who wants to take sporty luxury to a whole new level, there is also a Chronomat B01 42 with a striking 18 k red gold case presented on a black rubber strap with an 18 k red gold folding clasp. It has an anthracite dial with black contrasting chronograph counters.
