Breitling Chronomat Collection Revealed Online in Live Webcast By CEO Georges Kern

In a first for Swiss watch brand Breitling, CEO Georges Kern revealed the Chronomat Collection and several other new editions in a live webcast summit in place of a physical reveal.

With major global watch shows on hold as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the best-made plans of mice and men, Breitling has gotten creative and opted to launch their latest range online in a live webcast hosted by Breitling CEO Georges Kern.

Several new pieces were revealed including the Navitimer 35 and the Superocean Heritage ’57 but it was the extensive Chronomat collection that was the hero news of the reveal.

Launched in the 1980’s, the Breitling Chronomat was one of the most recognizable watches of its time and offered an alternate sporty mechanical chronograph to a market that had been saturated with slim-line quartz watches since the 1970’s.

Breitling had also produced a Chronomat much earlier back in the 1940’s but at the time the name Chronomat referred to a “chronograph for mathematics” while in the 1980’s it had come to be a play on the words “chronograph” and “automatic” in reference to the self-winding mechanical movement that powered the watch.

Speaking on the origins of the Chronomat, Breitling CEO Georges Kern commented, “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.”

Like the Chronomat of the 80’s, the modern-day interpretation still includes many of the historic details like the stainless steel integrated Rouleaux bracelet and the signature rotating bezel with inter-changeable rider tabs (so that it can be used as a “count down” or “count up” timer depending on the needs of the user) that made it a popular watch amongst aviators, deep-sea divers, and race car drivers alike.

Each of the watches in the new Chronomat Collection is powered by the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 in-house mechanical movement that offers an impressive power reserve of approximately 70 hours and will be available in a range of metal/dial combinations.

As of the launch date, the following variants are available in the Breitling Chronomat Collection:

• B01 42 Steel & 18K Red Gold with Silver dial (IB0134101G1A1): Price US$9,350
• B01 42 Steel & 18K Red Gold with Blue dial (UB0134101C1U1): Price US$12,100
• B01 42 Steel & 18K Red Gold with Anthracite dial (UB0134101B1U1): Price US$12,00
• B01 42 18K Red Gold with Anthracite dial (RB0134101B1S1): Price US$20,000
• B01 42 Steel with Black dial (AB0134101B1A1): Price US$8,100
• B01 42 Steel with Copper dial (AB0134101K1A1): Price US$8,100
• B01 42 Steel with Blue dial (AB0134101C1A1): Price US$8,100
• B01 42 Frecce Tricolori Limited Edition (AB01344A1C1A1): Price US$8,250
• B01 42 Steel with Silver dial (AB0134101G1A1): Price US$8,100
• B01 42 Bentley Version Steel with Green dial (AB01343A1L1A1): Price US$8,250