Between the Sky and Sea: The New Breitling Chronomat And Superocean Collection

The first Breitling Chronomat made its debut in 1948, and instantly made history as the first wristwatch to incorporate the aviator’s slide-rule bezel that is now the hallmark of another Breitling model, the Navitimer.

When the Chronomat was resurrected after a lengthy hiatus in 1984, Breitling’s 100th anniversary year, it had been substantially redesigned and became a collection mainstay in its own right. It is this 1980s’ version — a mechanical pilots’ chronograph boldly launched into the teeth of the Quartz Crisis headwinds — that inspires the latest and perhaps most anticipated relaunch of the new Breitling era, which began in earnest in 2017.

All the watches in the new Chronomat collection feature 42mm cases, in either stainless steel or 18k rose gold, and a tricompax dial arrangement with subdials at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock — a configuration that, as per current Breitling styling, speaks to their use of an in-house chronograph-equipped movement, Breitling’s automatic B01. Appropriately enough, that movement, whose attributes include a column-wheel chronograph architecture, a COSCchronometer certification, and a 70-hour power reserve, made its debut more than a decade ago in a Chronomat model.