Editor’s note: updated now to reflect price, below

Water resistant to 3,300 feet (1,000 meters), the big and bold Breitling Avenger Seawolf Chrono Blacksteel is definitely a watch that will turn some heads.  The case is 45mm in diameter and very tough looking with a lot of depth to it as well.  The movement is Breitling’s Caliber 73, a Breitling “SuperQuartz” certified chronometer movement.  Also worth noting is that the watch utilizes a Breitling patented “magnetic pushpiece” system which enables the chronograph functions to be fully functional even at 3,300 feet deep (most chronographs can not be used at meaningful depths because it can compromise the watertight-ness of the watch.  As part of a total production run of 2,000 pieces, this watch can also be had on Breitling’s Ocean Racer strap and will be coming soon to a Breitling dealer near you)….and the price (per Breitling) will be $5,015 on the diver pro strap, $5,460 on the ocean racer.

This watch is not to be confused with the Breitling Super Avenger Avenger Skyland Blacksteel (thanks to our astute readers for the correction) which was announced in 2008.  While this watch was the first “Blacksteel” model from Breitling and it did capture a lot of attention for its bold look, the watch was only water resistant to 300 meters.  So this is a big step up for the hard-core dive watch fans (of which I am not one) who like the Breitling Blacksteel look.

Breitling announced today the latest accessory for their Aeromarine line of Colt GMT+ watches.  Breitling fans will now have the option of a new integrated high quality rubber strap, which appears to have the same end link design as their popular Professional II bracelet.  Continuing the ongoing trend of rubber straps being married to luxury watches, Breitling has added yet another fully adjustable rubber bracelet to their line of rubber strap choices.  The strap is locked onto your wrist with a push button clasp, and also has an extension piece for rapid adjustment.

Introduced in 2009,  the Colt GMT+ is a 41.3 mm diameter watch containing a Breitling Caliber 32 COSC-certified movement (Base: ETA 2893-2) with GMT and date functions.  The watch has a very bold, modern dial that is available in a variety of colors in Breitling’s lineup – Volcano black, Air Force blue, Tungsten gray and Stratus silver.  It’s solid contruction, sapphire crystal, screw-down crown, uni-directional bezel, and 500 meter water resistance makes this piece quite the respectable diver as well.

I would presume that the option to buy one of the new rubber straps separately is not far down the road but for now it looks as though they are promoting it as a new version of the GMT+.  There has been no announcement if this style of integrated strap will become an option for other models, but if it becomes popular I would imagine they would make it available.

Breitling has yet to really show off a clear photo specifically showing the new strap will look like on the GMT+ but you can get a fair idea from some of the pics below:

A couple sharp looking watches from Breitling, including a perpetual calendar!  Although I do not like the Sky Racer bracelet in metal, I really like the Ocean Racer in rubber (see pics below).  My only question is…why so big? 49mm!

The Breitling Chrono-Matic 1461 (Rose Gold)

Limited Edition of 125

These things said, I will let Breitling do the rest of the talking on this one:

“To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the launch of the first selfwinding chronograph movement, Breitling is introducing two limited editions of its Chrono-Matic model, featuring a look inspired by the 1969 original and equipped with precious leap-year or perpetual calendars.

1969 was a great year for aviation, since it witnessed the first flight of the Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet and that of the supersonic Concorde, two legendary aircraft that made an indelible imprint on aeronautical history. But 1969 was also a landmark year in watchmaking, thanks to Breitling’s pioneering launch of the very first selfwinding chronograph movement – an invention that led to the development of a whole range of aptly named Chrono-Matic chronographs. Today’s 49 mm diameter Chrono-Matic is a tribute to this forerunner of ultra-large watches. The circular slide rule confirms its family likeness with the Navitimer line, while the distinctive modernism of its seventies inspiration is expressed through a case design based on taut, angular lines highlighted by a rubber-molded bezel.

The Breitling Chrono-Matic 1461

Limited Edition of 2,000

Two limited series with calendars

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of this movement and this legendary model, Breitling has created two limited series featuring refined horological complications. The first is a steel edition of 2,000 combining a chronograph with a calendar mechanism requiring adjustment only once every leap-year and thus endowed with a “memory” of 1,461 days – hence its name, “Chrono-Matic 1461”. The date, day and month are displayed on subdials by means of straight hands that accentuate the instrument panel look, while the optional woven steel Aero Classic bracelet lends an additional retro touch. The avant-garde case of the second watch, crafted exclusively in red gold and issued in a worldwide limited edition of 125, houses a chronograph along with an ultra-sophisticated perpetual calendar system embodying a daring blend of modern and traditional elements. The mechanism of this “Chrono-Matic QP” is a miniaturized marvel composed of almost 500 parts. It is programmed to indicate the date, the day, the week, the month, the season and the moon phases while taking account of leap-year variations. Like all Breitling models, both of these limited editions are equipped with chronometer-certified movements.”

pics and info:  Breitling.

First In Watches brings you the new limited edition Breitling Cosmonaute. 1,000 pieces of this watch will be made to commemorate Breitling’s 125th anniversary. As part of this same year-long celebration by Breitling, we saw earlier this year the limited edition Breitling Navitimer, but this watch is not nearly as cool as the Cosmonaute. One thing I  like about the Breitling Cosmonaute is that it indicates the daily 24 hours in a single sweep of the dial. What’s so special about that you might ask? Well, “given the extremely relative nature of day and night in space, this configuration prevents possible confusion between midday and midnight,” says Breitling. Can’t really argue with the that, I suppose – after all, do you really want to be late for your return flight to Earth?

Historically speaking, in 1962 the space race was well under way, and Breitling, then already a supplier to civilian and military aviation, took on the challenge of a new watch based on the its Navitimer chronograph – the resulting watch was the Cosmonaute. On May 24th 1962, the astronaut Scott Carpenter tested the Breitling Cosmonaute under real-life conditions during his orbital flight aboard the Aurora 7 capsule. So there you have it – the first chronograph in space.

All 1,000 commemorative pieces will be equipped with an original version of the 24-hour dial and fitted exclusively with the rigid perforated Air Racer bracelet. While I am not so much a fan of the Air Racer-style bracelet, I would overlook it in order to own one of these great watches from Breitling.

Breitling recently announced 2 new variations in its “Breitling for Bentley” collection.  These new Breitling for Bentley GT’s - as in “Grand Tourer” - represent Breitling’s ongoing partnership with a brand that produces brings you luxury automobiles such as the Bentley Continental GT, one of the finest that money can buy.

The Bentley GT chronograph is more compact than the other models in the collection, and is adorned with chromed counter rings and the distinctive Bentley “diamond quilt” motif applied to the upholstery of its sportiest models.   The watch is equipped with a chronometer-certified Breitling Calibre 13B with day/date calendar and features a variable tachometer (as do all Breitling for Bentley chronographs) which when used in conjunction with the chronograph, makes it possible to measure average speed, whatever the time elapsed, the distance covered or the speed reached.

Breitling has “reinterpreted” its Bentley GT chronograph in an even more sophisticated version called “Bentley GT Racing”.  A medallion on the caseback displays the silhouette of the Bentley Continental GT, the most powerful of all cars produced by the prestigious British manufacturer.  As on the GT version, the dial is adorned with the “diamond-quilt” motif characteristic of the upholstery on the sportiest Bentley models.

Technical data : Movement: Breitling Calibre 13B, officially chronometer-certified by the COSC, selfwinding, high-frequency (28,800 vibrations per hour), 25 jewels. 1/4th of a second chronograph, 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers. Day and date calendar. Case: steel. Water-resistant to 100 metres. Screw-locked crown. Rotating pinion bezel with variable tachometer (circular slide rule). Cambered sapphire crystal, glareproofed on both sides. Diameter: 44.80 mm. Dials: Royal Ebony, Storm Grey, Silver Storm, Burnt Oak. Strap/bracelet: Barenia leather, crocodile leather, rubber/Speed.

Breilting B01 iPhone Application Now Available for Download

First Bell & Ross, now Breitling.   I assume this is free to download on the Apple iPhone App Store, but still need to confirm it.  These watch brand phone apps look cool but seem to have have limited utility.  But if you are a die-hard Breitling fan then I suppose this is sure to please.  Also interesting that this one appears to be for a specific Breilting model rather than Breitling in general.  Guess there’s only one way to find out more – time to head over to the App store!

Oh – almost forgot – here is Breitling’s “official” statement on the new App:

Using the specific features of the iPhone 3.0 version, Breitling offers the Chronomat B01 application for iPhone and iPod touch, designed to provide a functional and detailed presentation of its latest chronograph. A precise description, technical data, a portfolio, a video and 360° views give an extremely clear idea of the exceptional nature of the new Chronomat B01. The application is also equipped with a unique configurator serving to visualize hundreds of possible customized versions of the model. The point-of-sale location-tracking system enables all devotees of mechanical chronographs to locate the nearest authorized Breitling retailers.

Update:  Watch brands Glycine and Victorinox Swiss Army also launched similar iPhone apps earlier this year.

Drug Lords Like Hublot, DeWitt, Cartier – or Anything Diamond Bezeled and Ostentatious!

The Wall Street Journal reporter John Lyons ran an interesting story last week about the odd items seized by Mexican authorities from drug lords.  Of course my interest here is the watches, and I found this picture of a tray of seized watches rather fascinating – unless I am mistaken (which is entirely possible!), there looks to be 2 Hublot Big Bangs, a DeWitt, a Cartier, a Breitling, a Corum Golden Bridge, a Panerai for Ferrari, and a  Jacob & Co. in that tray, among others!  Read the entire curious article here, and watch the video here, or see a slideshow here (all part of the WSJ story).  CRAZY!

Feel free to weigh-in with a comment if you can identify any more of the watches.

Photo credit John Lyons/The Wall Street Journal.

Breitling Celebrates 125th Anniversary with 3 Limited Edition Superoceans

Breitling just announced a new limited edition series in its Superocean line, Superocean Héritage Chronographe.  In celebration of Breitling’s 125th anniversary, the brand will produce 1,000 units of each of 3 dial variations for the Superocean Héritage Chronographe - Volcano black, Stratus silver and Gun blue (picture below). 

The watches share elements of the original Superocean watches (first launched in 1957) including the Breitling signature with stylized “B” in 18-carat gold, and the luminescent triangular hour hand.  They are paired with either Breitling’s Ocean Classic woven steel bracelet (as with the original Superocean’s) or Breitling’s new Ocean Racer rubber strap.   The Superocean Héritage Chronographe’s 46mm steel case houses a Breitling Caliber 23 chronometer with a water-resistantance rating of 200 meters (660 feet).

Breitling crowns its 125 years of passion for chronographs with the launch of its own high-performance movement.

Breitling is marking an important date in its history by unveiling Caliber B01, its first chronograph “motor” designed and built entirely in-house. It is a logical evolution for a brand that has played a major role in developing the wrist chronograph, and is counted among the leading makers of this complication. It is a perfectly consistent choice for one of the last independent Swiss watchmakers, which is thereby ensuring its freedom to maneuver and loyalty to its own criteria for excellence.

Through 125 years and five generations, Breitling has tied its name closely to the development of aviation, sports, technology, sciences and industry – all of these being areas that require reliable and accurate measuring instruments. With the B01, the company is more than ever confirming its calling to accomplish challenging feats, and beginning a new chapter in a history already replete with great moments in the air, on land and beneath the seas.