The Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 is flexible, remarkably properly completed to the purpose that it punches above its weight, and a welcome addition to an underserved class of dressy chronographs. I spent fairly a little bit of time with the blue dial variant and it was as pure a match once I was sporting a Fred Perry polo and a pair of Birddogs because it was once I attended a marriage in a tan Gucci go well with. If you happen to’re an individual who will depend on your look ahead to a character, then this probably isn’t the look ahead to you. Relatively, the Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 is the ultimate contact that underscores a delicate level.
The Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 brings distinctive ending, considerate proportions, handsomely versatile design, and an in-house motion to the desk for a value of $eight,500. That’s a number of worth, and Breitling has frequently exceeded my expectations for the previous two years.
My admiration for Georges Kern-era Breitling is not any secret, at this level, however I used to be somewhat anxious on the preliminary launch of the Premier Assortment. The pictures made the watch look somewhat too protected and conservative, and whereas that remained largely true within the weeks I’ve worn the watch, I’ve discovered myself not utilizing both of these descriptors as a pejorative. The historical past of recent chronographs from Breitling is an extended and elaborate one, with a number of sturdy personalities concerned. Between the Chronomat and Navitimer alone, not to mention others, there’s a number of expectation that comes together with being a chronograph from Breitling.
Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Design & Case
The Premier B01 Chronograph 42 was an train within the significance of restraint in design, understanding proportions, and end high quality. The consequence is likely one of the most balanced items Breitling has ever made. The Premier B01 Chronograph falls throughout the “vintage-inspired” Premier assortment, however I truly don’t actually really feel beholden to that common parlance. Relatively, it’s a watch I’d see on Don Draper’s wrist — the closest I can get to nailing down its identification. I feel it’s deliberately designed and marketed to underscore the character and magnificence of the wearer, quite than attempt to add character and magnificence to the wearer.
It’s all about case end, design, and proportions with a formidable in-house motion from Breitling. The mannequin I selected to put on is the blue dial with blue alligator strap, although there are a number of varieties just like the panda dial, grey and black, and that green-dialed Bentley version that I like a lot.
Measuring 42mm-wide and 13.65mm-thick with a lug-to-lug measurement that could be a hair shy of 50mm (I consider technically nearer to 49.95mm), the case is waterproof to a formidable 100M. When organizing my ideas on this watch, I remembered what our David Bredan stated concerning the bezel and case profile when the watch was first launched. He wrote then:
Delicate, built-in pushers and the sensible, multi-step metal bezel make for an unobtrusive chronograph. The Premier hides its heft and thickness extraordinarily properly, due to that low case profile and the polished bezel that narrows rapidly and in a number of steps. It is just now, that I’m taking a look at this picture above that I understand how intricate and distinctive that design is. That is exactly the kind of stuff that one ought to completely anticipate from watches that value not $4k however double that – manufacturing and ending this bezel should be a ache in contrast an extraordinary one. The lugs are lower off at a steep angle; Man labored his magic at slicing these all the way down to a size that makes the case wearable for these with smaller sized wrists.
Having spent a lot time with the Premier B01 Chronograph, I can attest to all of this being not simply correct however what makes the watch so interesting. None of those finishes and design selections are distinctive in modern watches, however few friends on this value ~$eight,500 class try, not to mention accomplish.
It’s the little issues that make a cohesive remaining product stand out, and the crown on this watch is a kind of issues. The crown has distinctly massive and deep knurling that I may instantly inform was made for modern-sized fingers. So many watches pressure me to need to virtually pinch the crown when utilizing it, making me really feel like I’m setting a toddler’s toy. Not right here, although. Additionally, the crown is fortunately not screw-down and is straightforward sufficient to function. One pull of the crown units the date and one other pull units the time. The date aperture and palms are responsive and don’t undergo from the oversensitivity and jumpiness that too many others do.
I used to be not shocked to later be taught that Breitling created this crown particularly for the Premier B01 Chronograph — it completely reveals. Once more, it’s a stage of thoughtfulness and a focus to element that you just don’t usually see from manufacturers of this dimension.
Seeing two coloration tones (blue and grey, on this case) on a Breitling dial is a sign that it homes one of many model’s in-house actions. Seen by means of the exhibition caseback is the Breitling Manufacture Calibre 01 motion, also referred to as the B01 for brief. Launched nearly a decade in the past now, the COSC-certified B01 was Breitling’s first in-house chronograph motion and is now thought of the gold commonplace for modern chronograph actions each amongst its value bracket in addition to a bracket above.
Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph Motion
That includes a column wheel and vertical clutch, the B01 chronograph operates easily and is designed to final (Breitling supplied a five-year guarantee approach earlier than many friends did). As trite as it might sound, pushing the oblong pushers is so satisfying on a tactile stage. Severely, if you end up passing by a Breitling boutique and have a while in your palms, go and test it out in particular person. It’s nothing new or revolutionary, however the really feel of the pusher and the partaking of the column wheel right here actually is a masterclass in what a contemporary chronograph ought to supply.
Past the chronograph features, the B01 additionally has a hacking seconds mechanism in addition to quick-set date. Fabricated from 346 elements together with 47 jewels, the B01 operates at 28,800 vph (4Hz) and has a 70-hour energy reserve. It’s an excellent chronograph motion that ranks up there among the many finest within the business.
The Competitors
The panorama of true opponents of the Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 isn’t very broad, however there are definitely some notable friends. The Omega Speedmaster ’57 (round $9,000) involves thoughts with its 41.5mm-wide case, two-chronograph sub-dial format, and traditional appears to be like. Nonetheless, the Caliber 9300 motion is a bit dated at this level and doesn’t strategy the B01. Nonetheless, the Speedmaster Racing Grasp Chronometer ($eight,450) whereas sportier, is outfitted with the Grasp Chronometer Caliber 9900 which is METAS-certified and is a a lot nearer competitor to the B01.
The IWC Portugieser Chronograph Basic and Yacht Membership Chronograph (each $12,100 in metal) are undoubtedly opponents to the Premier B01 Chronograph. The Portugieser Chronograph Basic is sized at 42mm-wide and 14.2mm-thick, whereas the Yacht Membership Chronograph is a bit larger at 43.5mm-wide and 14.2mm-thick. Each use the in-house caliber 89361 which is a flyback chronograph with a 68-hour energy reserve. I’m an enormous fan of each of those watches and have a gentle spot for the Yacht Membership Chronograph, however the $three,600 premium over the Breitling places the Premier on high.
The Zenith Chronomaster El Primero in metal is definitely a fairly good worth at $6,700, and there have been fairly just a few varieties in latest historical past. Clearly, the El Primero motion is likely one of the all-time greats, and the watch is engaging within the 42mm-wide metal case. It’s sportier than the Breitling, however not in an over- the-top approach. That stated, I feel the finishes on pricier El Primero watches come nearer to rivaling these on the Breitling.
Breitling has steadily been including to this assortment (similar to this restricted version Wheels & Waves model), although this blue-dial model and the incredible Bentley British Racing green-dial fashions are most likely my favourite. The Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 on the leather-based strap is priced at $eight,400, with the metal bracelet choice inching the worth as much as $eight,700. You may be taught extra concerning the Premier assortment right here and extra concerning the model at breitling.com
Essential Information
>Model: Breitling
>Mannequin: Premier B01 Chronograph 42
>Value: $eight,400
>Measurement: 42mm-wide/13.65mm-thick, slightly below 50mm lug-to-lug
>Would reviewer personally put on it: Sure
>Buddy we’d suggest it to first: Somebody who enjoys chronographs however wants a watch that matches in at a wide range of settings. Actually, anybody who needs a top-notch completed chronograph with a no-compromise fashionable motion.
>Greatest attribute of watch: The case ending and motion.
>Worst attribute of watch: My intuition is to say “none” but when I’ve to, I wouldn’t reject a thinner case.
