Making retro ‘cool’ again with the Breitling Chronomat B01

Every watch enthusiast knows that a good steel sports watch is a must-have for any collection. It is often robust enough to be a daily beater and yet thanks to its matching stainless steel bracelet it is versatile enough to fit more formal outfits as well. A good case in point is the relaunched Breitling Chronomat collection that offers a chronograph and a retro-cool bracelet resulting in a package that they are calling an “all-purpose sports watch.”

The Chronomat name is not exactly new within Breitling. The collection was first launched back in 1984 and much like today, it was made to take a stance against the mass-produced quartz watches that dominated the field at the time. The 1984 Chronomat was an ode to the mechanical Swiss watch (it was launched during the 100th anniversary of Breitling) offering an automatic chronograph movement and a design that was inspired by a watch they made a year earlier for an Italian aerial squadron called the Frecce Tricolori.

 

 

With the relaunch of the modern Chronomat, Breitling has decided to bring back the classic styling, along with a very retro Rouleaux bracelet but adding in all the advancements of modern mechanical watchmaking. So the watch is powered by the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 movement, with a column-wheel and vertical clutch and has a 70-hour power reserve.

With vintage-inspired being quite the trend these days, it would make sense that the Modern Chronomat takes the styling cues from its predecessor. Thus, the watch will also come with a unidirectional bezel with rider tabs at the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock position. I have been told that much like the Chronomat watches of the past, the position of the 15 and 45-second rider tabs can also be swapped depending on whether you would like to count up or count down with the chronograph.

 

 

Another design element to look out for is the unique shape of the pushers made even more poignant by the equally unique crown design. The decision to use a Rouleaux bracelet was great as the styling fit the retro-modern philosophy of the Chronomat and quite frankly its just a bracelet that you don’t really see in modern watches.

The Breitling Chronomat B01 will come in a variety of dial colours and even in two-tone metals starting at an MSRP of MYR 33,300. For the ultimate fan of the history of the Chronomat, there is even a special limited edition version that bears the insignia of the Frecce Tricolori for just about the same price.

Case: Stainless steel
Case size: 42mm
Crystal: sapphire, convex, double anti-reflective
Thickness: 15.1mm
Movement: Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01
Water Resistance: 200m
Price: MYR 33,300