2.5 year review of the Breitling Chronomat B01 42mm ref. AB0134101G1A1

Overview

For newcomers to the brand, Breitling’s history of its storied chronograph timepiece began in 1940, and gave the name “Chronomat”, a portmanteau of the words “chronographe mathematique”, meaning (surprise!) mathematical chronograph. This tool watch, whose naming convention was linked to the slide rule bezel, was also the first model from Breitling to incorporate this feature into a watch. However, as history tells us, this evolved into the Navitimer collection. Hands up, who knew that the Navitimer was a descendant of the Chronomat? Yeah, me neither, until I read about it in a book, specifically the Navitimer Story published by Breitling themselves!

You would be right to wonder - if the Navitimer succeeded the Chronomat, what then happened? Over the decades from the 40s to the late 60s, the watch design would be refined, with the chronograph functionality being its most consistent x-factor. Sadly, the Chronomat and its stablemates fell to the wayside when Breitling folded as a result of the quartz crisis of the 1970s. As a sidebar, this is the same period when Helmut Sinn bought the rights to the 806 and 809 models' design, as well as the rights to manufacture Navitimer-type timepieces; this really hammers the point home of how Breitling truly was in the doldrums at that point in time.

With Breitling’s return in 1982 under Ernest Schneider, the Chronomat line was revived along with its signature bezel with interchangeable rider tabs, which while grippy, was apparently prone to falling off. That line of Chronomats in the 80s would be geared essentially towards pilots, and it is this very same aeronautical DNA we observe in the Chronomat ref. AB0134101G1A1 in front of us today. This is a modernised - and upsized - successor that recently emerged in 2020, sporting not just that iconic bezel, but also the rouleaux or “rollers” bracelet as a throwback to the bullet-style variant found on those classic 80s models.

This writer should mention that the journey to owning this piece was rooted in commemorating a career milestone - 7 years as an educator leading to an appointment promotion - and thus, this was a grail watch which I spent the better part of 2 years yearning and waiting for. While I will aim to be as objective as possible, allow me to share the reasons why I fell in love with this model, and what I have discovered since it entered my collection. Let us rouleaux on to the next segment!

Love at First Sight

Allow me to first state (somewhat biased, of course) that the AB0134101G1A1 is objectively a handsome watch, even if its dimensionsdeem it to fall into the category of “rather large for most people”, and likely to face the ire of the #IBWC. We first observe that aforementioned bezel: highly polished along its cambered top surface and sides, barring the four rider tabs which feature laterally brushing; we see a lume pip at 12 o’clock, engraved and filled minute markers along the top half and only 5-minute markers on the lower half. This bezel is relatively easy to turn, offering reassuringly positive detents when in rotation, but its polished surface areas are ostensibly a fingerprint magnet; the bottom hems of t-shirts, or polishing clothes would have to be at the ready to wipe off those smudges.

The case has a significant visual presence despite being predominantly finished with brushing along the top and sides; in contrast, we see two highly polished bevelled edges flanking the top that draw one’s attention as they catch the light. With a 42mm case diameter, the lug-to-lug distance is frankly rather long at 50.5mm as measured with the example to hand. On my 7.25” wrist, this case still sits well due to the bracelet being able to droop reasonably straight down, a rather minor limitation of the bracelet.

Moving on to the case side, we see a pair of tapered pushers - elliptical in profile - protruding out from a separate case element that functions as the crown guard. The pushers are generously proportioned without being oversized, and when engaged, feel positive and provide that sense of mechanical tactility which the B01 movement affords. At the same time, the screw-in “onion” type crown is more of a ridged, bullet-end affair featuring two gaskets for 20ATM water resistance. This crown is reasonably easy to turn, given how the ridges allow for a very good grip as one winds up the watch, but of course, it depends if your hands have dry skin (harder to grip) or not.

On the dial and above the pinion, we see a modern “single B” logo, where under Georges Kern, double-wings have been eschewed as the brand has now moved to encompass land, sea and air categories; this logo sits atop the brand name in upper case wording, followed by “1884”, “Chronometer” and “Chronomat” to inform us of this model’s heritage as well as its capability. We see applied block indices with lume running down the middle of each polished piece, all sitting neatly on a sunburst silver main surface. The three subdials, each coloured in matte black and featuring a marginally raised central portion, create another visual focal point; the subdial at 9 o’clock keeps track of running seconds, the subdial at 3 o’clock tracks elapsed minutes and the subdial at 6 o'clock captures measured minutes, while the date window sits at the bottom to allow for a neatly symmetrical presentation.

Along the edges of the dial, we see minute and 1/4 second markers, as well as a black, stepped rehaut featuring a tachymeter scale on the top surface in white text. There is a scale for decimal seconds along the inner, near-vertical surface in red markers which sit well alongside the rest of the aforementioned indices and subdials; objectively, these are hard to see with the naked eye, but such smaller features can be overshadowed by how fun it is to rotate the watch and observe how the dial and bezel catch the light in different, albeit equally mesmerising ways.

The handset for the AB0134101G1A1 is similarly worthy of closer examination - the hour and minute hands are baton-type, elongated hexagons with mirror-polished steel borders and a healthy strip of lume within. This is duplicated and miniatured for the subdial hands that feature lume as well - a most welcome inclusion for this watch’s target audience. The chronograph seconds hand is mainly painted red and features a spear-tip filled with lume; the balance for this hand is a polished “B”, in case you did not already know you were looking at a Breitling watch. As a whole the dial is monochromatic, but those distinct red details stand out to make legibility straightforward and unfussy.

Move on Up

Within this watch is the Breitling Manufacture Calibre 01 movement, which was introduced first in 2009. This movement has 47 jewels, is COSC-certified, and packs 70 hours of power reserve in addition to having a column wheel style chronograph for non-jumpiness when resetting the chronograph. Watch collectors' hearts collectively flutter when they hear the words “column wheel chronograph” and I must admit I got caught up in that hype somewhat as well. We can objectively understand why Breitling has proudly featured this movement throughout its product lines, from the Navitimer series to its most recent revival of the Avenger chronograph, as well as supplying it to Tudor for its Black Bay Heritage Chronograph line.

When I first obtained this piece via a reputable Japanese second-hand retailer, the watch came slightly magnetised which I observed when the watch ran around +35 seconds per day. This necessitated a trip to the official Breitling watchmaker, who resolved it relatively quickly. After demagnetisation, the watch runs at approximately -3 to -2 seconds per day, well within the -4 to +6 seconds accuracy necessary for COSC certification. At the same time, the watchmaker also needed to realign the chronograph seconds hand; upon its return, while I could observe that the hand had been adjusted, it was still misaligned by a fraction of a hair’s width - dismissed by the watchmaker as well within official specifications.

In usage, the movement has been rock-solid for time-keeping; while I have not used the chronograph function an awful lot, I always get a bit of giddy schoolboy excitement when I find any excuse to activate those pushers. I must admit that when researching this movement, something I read about on forums made me want to take a closer look: apparently, the chronograph seconds hand tends to jitter/stutter somewhat when activated. In reality, is this easily observable with the naked eye? Not really. It does only become apparent if you use your phone to zoom right in and record its action in slow-motion. Is this even worthy of being conscious of this aspect of the movement's behaviour? Clearly, any hand-wringing is undeserved.

What is visible to the naked eye, however, is that B01 movement in all its glory from behind the screw-in sapphire crystal case back. The movement has been generously decorated to a high level, and when peering closely, we can see every brushed and polished surface as the movement runs at 28,800 beats per hour. One’s eyes are drawn to the engraved and gold-filled lettering, as well as that aforementioned column wheel rotating in 1/6 steps when you press on the chronograph pushers. I have genuinely spent an inordinate amount of time just moving the watch around, allowing that massive rotor to turn and reveal different parts of the mechanism within. Simply enrapturing!

With a Flick of The Wrist

On my wrist, the AB0134101G1A1 makes its presence known by its height - all 15.1mm of it - and significant weight of 198g when on the bracelet. Make no mistake: this watch will make you conscious that you are wearing it as you move about your day; you are reminded that you have to make that tiny, extra effort to lift your arm as you attract a waiter’s attention, or perhaps when washing one’s hands. The bracelet is also a matter of taste and mood; I tend to pair the watch with a waterproof Hirsch strap that allowed for less wrist presence and also easier matching with various outfits for different occasions. While the watch is realistically at its most comfortable without the bracelet, having that hench feeling does come in handy for other occasions.

Weight aside, the domed crystal has AR coating on both sides allowing for an unparalleled viewing experience of that mesmerising dial; the bracelet, with its butterfly clasp, feels solid and secure as well as relatively straightforward to adjust with links secured by pins. The main downside, of course, is that there is no micro-adjustment. However, there are several removable links to allow for a wide range of wrist sizes, although I would imagine wrists smaller than 7” will likely struggle due to that lug-to-lug distance. I will also mention that it is odd how Breitling’s faux-rouleaux rubber strap (sold separately, fun to say out loud) seems oddly undersized for my wrist; surely they could have designed the strap to be a little longer?

Taking Flight

As a sporty chronograph, this Chronomat feels genuinely luxurious, rugged and sophisticated all at the same time. There are the gently curved edges and surfaces that form the case shape, the generously proportioned - but still finely finished bezel - as well as the interplay of brushing and mirror segments along the bracelet that sparkle when you move your wrist about. It is equally about eye-catching pleasure in handling its business with precision, and solid build quality that inspires confidence. 

s the Chronomat AB0134101G1A1 the final word in Breitling’s lineup of chronographs? In an interview with Time & Tide, Georges Kern himself stated his personal blue-dial variant of the Chronomat B01 42 is his personal favourite; it certainly has the looks and specifications for an incredibly versatile all-rounder. One can see why he holds such sentiment: the chronographs from the Superocean and Avenger lines lean a little too big and chunky; the Navitimer, for all its elegance, still only has 3ATM of water resistance at its pretty steep asking price. Meanwhile, the Top Time and Premier series occupy respective niches that afford a lot less go-anywhere-do-anything flexibility.

It is objectively hard to ignore that the Chronomat is no dainty being either; its design DNA informs its masculine proportions, even if its designers have attempted to make it easy to slip under a bomber jacket sleeve as much as possible. In an ideal world, we would see it coming in at 12mm in height, perhaps 40.5mm in diameter and the bracelet slimmed down to reduce weight. For those who pause at its size, I think such reservations have to balanced out with the issue of subdial and tachymeter scale legibility.

Of equal consideration is the price; at a little under USD9000 retail on the bracelet, one can see how this watch may not have the best value unless you truly desire a highly-specced Chronomat. I will admit to buying this second-hand example and having the (marginally scratched) crystal swapped out, with a final cost coming in at approximately 65-70% of MSRP after servicing. Looking across other brands, I imagine its main rivals are the Tudor Black Bay Heritage Chronograph, or the most recent Tag Heuer Carrera 39mm chronograph. Both Tudor and Tag Heuer models are offered at a lower price point (let us not forget that the TH model does not come on a bracelet) and have significant mass market appeal, but perhaps these two options might be perceived as less rugged when juxtaposed against the Chronomat’s borderline gangster aesthetic.

To cap this article off, I have been conscious of keeping my bias at bay, admittedly to marginal effect. It would be silly to deny that this grail watch of mine already holds a special place in my heart, but for reasons that you, dear reader, would have undoubtedly recognised by now: the AB0134101G1A1 sits at the crossroads of being a sporty chronograph and elegant tool watch. Yes, it is somewhat oversized, but that is arguably Breitling’s calling card in its apparent drive to give watch enthusiasts and the general watch-buying market a piece of flex-worthy wrist candy when paired with that signature rouleaux bracelet.

I know the Chronomat AB0134101G1A1 works for me and perhaps if you gave it a fair shot, this silver-dial variant or its black-dialed sibling might just work for you as well. Just watch out for those generous dimensions.