My sort of secret love of Breitling
Breitling always seems overshadowed by the likes of Tudor, Omega and Rolex. For every ten or so Black Bays I see, I usually only see one Breitling. Why is this?
My first thought is lack of hype. Think of the aforementioned Black Bay, the Moonswatch (although that hype can be attributed more to Swatch,) and the GMT Master II. These watches have seen immense success due to that intangible "wanting" than many of us get from seeing something get hyped up. It really feels good to own something everyone is praising and talking about. Even someone who hates conformity as much as I do can attest to this.
So, is there a "hype" Breitling? Maybe, but none as huge as the three I just mentioned. They have plenty of brand ambassadors, and quite some big names at that, (Tom Cruise, Erling Haaland, Adam Driver and plenty more,) but that doesn't mean all too much outside of catalogue pictures.
Breitling is definitely more under-the-radar than the competition, which is something someone like me likes. For some or other reason, I feel the need to choose the left-field option. I'm the guy who buys a Suzuki Swift Sport instead of a Golf GTI. I'm probably a future absinthe drinker too. We are all "that guy/gal" to some extent: we tell time with springs and gears when most of the world has moved on to batteries and touchscreens. If I had the money, I'd choose a Breitling over most of what Omega or Rolex offers. That has more to do with the following reason than any of the hype nonsense I mentioned prior.
Simply put, I was exposed to Breitling fairly early. I was on holiday and decided to go into a watch shop for the first time. That went well, but the next day and the second shop was where my love started. I walked into a shop called Cherry Designer Jewellery to browse some watches. I had around $30 to my name, so a button-up shirt and speaking like I was writing an English exam was all I had going for me. They stock Longines and Breitling. You won't be surprised to find out that my obtainable dream watch, the Longines V.H.P., was one of the first pieces shown to me. How I was introduced to Breitling is a rather funny story.
I genuinely knew nothing about Breitling. I even believed that they were British, likely as a result of their Bentley collaborations. The only nugget of knowledge I had was that the words "Breitling" and "Navitimer" went together. When I asked to view one, not knowing the price or even the appearance of one, I felt my heart drop as I saw the lady whose time I was stealing stiffen up before walking away. I nearly changed the colour of my shorts when I heard a safe beeping. Not long after, my dad and I were looking at the value of our house on a tray loaded with Longines Conquests and Breitling Navitimers.
Allowing someone who clearly doesn't look like they have Breitling money to try on a Breitling is all that that dealer needed to make a deal, albeit likely many, many years in advance. After some more conversation, I left the shop with the "Chronolog," (a fancy word for "catalogue") for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 as well as a little brochure for the Emergency. I know that they are books meant to be given out for free, but I was so entranced and amazed at the fact that I got what I still consider to be a coffee table book for absolutely nothing. I read through all three books and even take the most recent issue into the bathroom sometimes for reasons I shall not disclose. (See Breitling Datograph)
Look at it! How can this not drive you insane?
Breitling now has strong emotional connotations to me. Breitling reminds me of that lady's sweet voice, the cloudy Kwa-Zulu Natal skies, salty air and some forgettable lighthouse my mom wanted to see. When I wasn't panicking in fear of having requested something expensive, I felt at home in a way. Breitling makes me feel safe, like I could curl up into the foetal position and sob quietly in the corner of that dealer with one of their staff members comforting me. Besides this, Breitling does offer quite good value. The Datograph looks very Patek Philippe-esque and the Chronomat has some beautiful colours available. I'd trade my teeth for a SuperOcean Heritage model and the Emergency is so weird and obnoxious it's cool, and reading about all the tech inside it makes it even cooler.
On the basis of the whole foetal position thing, you, dear reader, can safely conclude that I have gone absolutely mad. Otherwise, maybe you should give Breitling another look before putting your name down for something similar. It's very much acquired taste, but thoroughly enjoyed by those who get it.
Pistachio ice cream dial Premier B09 chrono.
I think the Chronomat is my new beau idéal tool watch, although it needs a little bit of an edge to overcome my all-time favourite Rolex Milgauss.
If you have one of these and want to swop it for a full set of teeth, feel free to message me.
A famous Dutch saying: “𝘕𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘣 𝘫𝘦, 𝘫𝘢 𝘬𝘶𝘯 𝘫𝘦 𝘬𝘳𝘪𝘫𝘨𝘦𝘯.”
The Pistachio Premier B09 came very close to being my first Breitling...very close...but this turned out to be my first Breitling.
Great story.
Thank you for sharing.
Hope you still have all your teeth when you have one on your wrist.
The Pistachio Premier B09 came very close to being my first Breitling...very close...but this turned out to be my first Breitling.
Beautiful! I love that orange dial.
Great story.
Thank you for sharing.
Hope you still have all your teeth when you have one on your wrist.
Thank you! False teeth have advanced quite a lot in recent years, so I'd at least be able to hide selling my teeth if I get one.
Personally Breitling has never been my cup but they are undeniably nice and well made with a real heritage and story in the brand. Great write up, I always love reading the stories about how we all got here. What drove us into these obsessions is often just as important as the obsession.
Personally Breitling has never been my cup but they are undeniably nice and well made with a real heritage and story in the brand. Great write up, I always love reading the stories about how we all got here. What drove us into these obsessions is often just as important as the obsession.
Hundred per cent. This hobby is undeniably driven by emotion and the heart.
Very cool
I’ve always loved Breitling and the minute I could add a luxury watch I knew it had to be a Breitling.
I’m very fortunate to have three. I know you’ll get there eventually.
Thanks for the colorful story. I got hooked on Breitling when my fiancée at the time bought me a Colt Ocean ref 64050 back in 1999. Having worn watches all my life but not willing to spring the money for a really nice watch, that opened the door to an appreciation for fine quality timepieces. Before that, a Fossil was good enough for me. I was in the process of training for my pilot license and Breitling’s marketing campaign back then was all flying so the brand will always be my favorite. I have three now with a 2010 Aerospace E79362 as my favorite.
Very cool
I’ve always loved Breitling and the minute I could add a luxury watch I knew it had to be a Breitling.
I’m very fortunate to have three. I know you’ll get there eventually.
Thank you, your pieces are gorgeous!
Thanks for the colorful story. I got hooked on Breitling when my fiancée at the time bought me a Colt Ocean ref 64050 back in 1999. Having worn watches all my life but not willing to spring the money for a really nice watch, that opened the door to an appreciation for fine quality timepieces. Before that, a Fossil was good enough for me. I was in the process of training for my pilot license and Breitling’s marketing campaign back then was all flying so the brand will always be my favorite. I have three now with a 2010 Aerospace E79362 as my favorite.
I really love their aviation-inspired watches, with the Chronomat being one of my favorites. I can't remember the story exactly, but I think it was developed especially for the Italian Aerobatics team.
I like them more than any of those brands you mentioned. The pistachio B09 and the salmon B25 are grails for me.
I am also madly in love with that colour.
I like them more than any of those brands you mentioned. The pistachio B09 and the salmon B25 are grails for me.
Those are some awesome colours and are also creeping thier way up my grail list.
I have 2 older models, Colt and aerospace. And I think they are still pretty cool.
I have always liked the navitimer when I was young, now I prefer other models 😄
Agreed. I left them a glowing review on Google the same day. This is why if I ever choose to buy a new Longines or Breitling, they're first on my list, even if I can save a little bit of money somewhere else. Dealers these days ride the wave of demand and know they can kick out whoever they want without losing out at the end of the day, so being treated like you matter is something I value and respect very much.
I have 2 older models, Colt and aerospace. And I think they are still pretty cool.
I have always liked the navitimer when I was young, now I prefer other models 😄
I'm probably going to pick up an older model before I can afford a fresh out of the box one. Breitling seems quite consistent over the years, with designs on some models staying true to their roots in many ways.
Who knows why some brands sit somewhere under the radar. Maybe in some ways it’s good thing, little bit more individualism. Personally for me, some of Breitlings dials are too cluttered, that’s just my taste, but I do have to say the Superocean and Siperocean Heritage are lovely.
Who knows why some brands sit somewhere under the radar. Maybe in some ways it’s good thing, little bit more individualism. Personally for me, some of Breitlings dials are too cluttered, that’s just my taste, but I do have to say the Superocean and Siperocean Heritage are lovely.
Having handled a Navitimer in person, I have to agree on some of their dials being a bit busy.
Bravo! I am not a Breitling lover (though I have been tempted time and again) but I always love long form writing about watches!
👏👏👏
I’ve gotten close but not yet on Breitling. I like to plan get 2-3 from a brand to plan to add it to my collection. I like the pistachio dial a lot so there’s one. Your good post will get me to take another look next time at my AD. Thanks
To answer your question - why is Breitling seemingly disregarded?
In two words - shocking timing.
The watch hobby changed forever in the years 2008 to 2016. Instagram, youtube, a new brace of sites like Hodinkee ushered in a wholly new type of collector in vast numbers looking at watches through new eyes and forming their opinions afresh.
This coincides with Breitling's nadir. Big macho, blingy watches with sexists ads and poor inventory control and distribution leading to wholesale dumping on the grey market and zero resale. Completely out of sync with their times and little more than a punchline.
Breitling in 2015/16 was dead in the water so was sold and all new management brought in and EVERYTHING has changed.
The Breitling you see in 2023 is a completely different company to the one so many now influential watch media personalities (reporters and just even well-regarded commentators in places like here) remember but they havent moved on, havent got over the sins of the past administration.
Hence a really vibrant, rapidly evolving brand with a long list of killer watches doesnt even rate a mention on a lot of sites.
I’ve gotten close but not yet on Breitling. I like to plan get 2-3 from a brand to plan to add it to my collection. I like the pistachio dial a lot so there’s one. Your good post will get me to take another look next time at my AD. Thanks
Glad you've found it useful!
To answer your question - why is Breitling seemingly disregarded?
In two words - shocking timing.
The watch hobby changed forever in the years 2008 to 2016. Instagram, youtube, a new brace of sites like Hodinkee ushered in a wholly new type of collector in vast numbers looking at watches through new eyes and forming their opinions afresh.
This coincides with Breitling's nadir. Big macho, blingy watches with sexists ads and poor inventory control and distribution leading to wholesale dumping on the grey market and zero resale. Completely out of sync with their times and little more than a punchline.
Breitling in 2015/16 was dead in the water so was sold and all new management brought in and EVERYTHING has changed.
The Breitling you see in 2023 is a completely different company to the one so many now influential watch media personalities (reporters and just even well-regarded commentators in places like here) remember but they havent moved on, havent got over the sins of the past administration.
Hence a really vibrant, rapidly evolving brand with a long list of killer watches doesnt even rate a mention on a lot of sites.
I didn't know that; very insightful!
I've always prefered Breitiling over Rolex or Tudor, mostly because it was the first luxury watch I saw in person when I was young and only knew the Omega Seamaster from James Bond movies, and also that Rolex/Tudor design never appealed to me that much.
It was in the caribeans on vacation in a duty-free shop on Saint-Martin island that a Breitling catched my eye(I barely knew watches back at that time), the seller asked me if I wanted to try it ( I was 12years old, barely speaking english at the time) I said yes because why not, I was looking to buy my first watch, he told me it was 10k $ so I kinda stressed since I had a 10K watch on my wrist. My father laughed and ask the seller to show me something more on my budget. The memories are still fresh in my mind even 20years ago. Finally I bought that day my first watch wich I still own & love today, a Citizen Eco-Drive Chronograph in titanium, but my interrest for Breitling started that day and is still here, I really love the Premier or the AVI series.
It's only recently that I kind started to like Rolex design. Younger I only had an eye for big Chronographs(Thanks Breitling Navitimer) and the Daytona design is simply not that flashy. I never was a fan of the Submariner (thanks James Bond and Omega Seamaster), I bought a "Bolex" Submariner 15years ago while in New Yorks Chinatown for a few bucks as a joke, and while the quality was dirt cheap (as expected), I was comparing it to the one on the Rolex website, it gave me a better idea of what it was. I started to appreciate them more but still, the bubble window for the date is still a monstruosity IMO. Back then, I was mostly looking for flashier watches and didn't had a budget for something pricier than a Seiko, so Rolex never catched my attention more than "oh yeah that's wayyy too expensive, that's for people who need attention, etc." Now as of today, getting older, university completed, now having some money, etc, my tastes is evolving, I started to enjoy dress watches and vintage looking watches a lot, and I can appreciate more Rolex (GMT-Master & Explorer are pretty nice), but IMO they are still not as attractive for me than other watches and way WAY too expensive for me.
Tudor is a brand that I started to look at only recently, I only knew them by name until a few years ago. Compared to Rolex, I find Tudor to have some designs that are more appealing for me and at a more reasonnable(?) price point. The Tudor 1926 with the waffle dial is a looker, the Black Bay have plenty good looking ones too(The GMT is quite nice).
Let's say I have 5k to put on a watch. Breitling would probably be in my top 5, but these days the Big Crown Pointer date is the one I'm the most tempted with. The 1926 woudn't be too far behind though, I really love that waffle dial.
I've always prefered Breitiling over Rolex or Tudor, mostly because it was the first luxury watch I saw in person when I was young and only knew the Omega Seamaster from James Bond movies, and also that Rolex/Tudor design never appealed to me that much.
It was in the caribeans on vacation in a duty-free shop on Saint-Martin island that a Breitling catched my eye(I barely knew watches back at that time), the seller asked me if I wanted to try it ( I was 12years old, barely speaking english at the time) I said yes because why not, I was looking to buy my first watch, he told me it was 10k $ so I kinda stressed since I had a 10K watch on my wrist. My father laughed and ask the seller to show me something more on my budget. The memories are still fresh in my mind even 20years ago. Finally I bought that day my first watch wich I still own & love today, a Citizen Eco-Drive Chronograph in titanium, but my interrest for Breitling started that day and is still here, I really love the Premier or the AVI series.
It's only recently that I kind started to like Rolex design. Younger I only had an eye for big Chronographs(Thanks Breitling Navitimer) and the Daytona design is simply not that flashy. I never was a fan of the Submariner (thanks James Bond and Omega Seamaster), I bought a "Bolex" Submariner 15years ago while in New Yorks Chinatown for a few bucks as a joke, and while the quality was dirt cheap (as expected), I was comparing it to the one on the Rolex website, it gave me a better idea of what it was. I started to appreciate them more but still, the bubble window for the date is still a monstruosity IMO. Back then, I was mostly looking for flashier watches and didn't had a budget for something pricier than a Seiko, so Rolex never catched my attention more than "oh yeah that's wayyy too expensive, that's for people who need attention, etc." Now as of today, getting older, university completed, now having some money, etc, my tastes is evolving, I started to enjoy dress watches and vintage looking watches a lot, and I can appreciate more Rolex (GMT-Master & Explorer are pretty nice), but IMO they are still not as attractive for me than other watches and way WAY too expensive for me.
Tudor is a brand that I started to look at only recently, I only knew them by name until a few years ago. Compared to Rolex, I find Tudor to have some designs that are more appealing for me and at a more reasonnable(?) price point. The Tudor 1926 with the waffle dial is a looker, the Black Bay have plenty good looking ones too(The GMT is quite nice).
Let's say I have 5k to put on a watch. Breitling would probably be in my top 5, but these days the Big Crown Pointer date is the one I'm the most tempted with. The 1926 woudn't be too far behind though, I really love that waffle dial.
You said it perfectly. Hats off to you for still having your first watch. I think this shows just how valuable reaching the youngsters is for a brand, because it will take me years and many life milestones (as you have illustrated) to appreciate brand like Rolex fully. Oris is also one of my favorites and their recent turns upmarket have made me feel a lot better about my vintage purchase, even though it is worlds away from what a new one is like, especially in terms of quality. Thanks for the comment!
Theres many choices in picking the right Breitiling. I know they make fantastic watches its all of matter getting the right one at the right time I'm taking my time and learn.
Hi well said about under the radar, they're a great watch and they are for leaders that's why you don't see many about........ some other watches you mentioned may be for sheep😂
I posses 2 wristwatches and a stopwatch by Breitling all fascinating and I will add to my Breitling collection to increase it, BTW I have drunk absinthe 😜