Review – Understanding the Breitling Navitimer 8 B01 – with its Historic & Strategic Background
This is a fact: Breitling is changing. Since the arrival of Georges Kern (ex-CEO of IWC Watches and ex-Richemont) and CVC Partners at the head of the brand, some drastic changes are underway. And we all know it, change is both a necessity and the most complex thing to manage. The first evidence of this new strategy is named the Breitling Navitimer 8 collection, a piece that already hit the headlines and created strong debates amongst the watch community. After we had the chance to hear from Kern directly, it is time for us to take a closer look at the collection’s flagship, the Navitimer 8 B01 Chronograph, and to try to give you a clearer view of what is going on at the brand.
Last year, Bremont launched a brand-new range of classically styled pilot watches. Named after the Aircraft Manufacturing Company Limited – one of Britain’s first military aircraft manufacturers – the AIRCO collection saw them stepping out of their 43mm-sized wheelhouse and into something a little smaller, with not one but two new 40mm models – the Mach 1 and Mach 2. This year, they’re expanding the collection and adding a set of new dial colourways, as well as the AIRCO Mach 3. Vital statistics With 100m of water resistance and a DLC-treated case barrel, the AIRCO Mach 3 carries over the exact same smaller and slimmer case design of last year’s releases. Measuring 40mm wide by 12.5mm thick, and with a satin-brush finish like the Mach 1; only now, with this year marking 100 years of British military aviation, on the inside of the patented Trip-Tick case is a dial – similar in style to the Mach 2 – in designated British Royal Air Force blue, with baton-style hour indexes replacing the familiar Arabic numeral markers of its predecessor. A crisp white dial will also be available for both the Mach 1 and 2, with a contrasting red seconds hand on the Mach 1. All three models will sport…
A core model of the Bremont catalogue, the satin-brushed case ALT1-C, was in fact the very first watch designed by founding brothers, Nick and Giles English. It provided the base for a collection that now includes polished cases, as well as a mix of different dial colours. However, since its launch in 2007, the original design has remained mostly unchanged. At least that was until today, with the release of two new versions of the flight-inspired chronograph. Vital statistics Let’s start with something that hasn’t changed. Inside is the same BE-50AE chronometer certified movement that’s based on the venerable Valjoux 7750 and then modified and decorated by Bremont. Offering a power reserve of 42 hours, it’s also still encased within a 43mm satin-brushed Trip-Tick case. Only now it’s easier to catch a glimpse of, thanks to an enlarged exhibition case back. Moving on and things start to look a little different again when you peer through the other side to the dial. Elegant feuille hands – previously only seen on the polished versions – now point to newly applied baton-style indexes, which replace the Arabic numeral hour markers of the original. There are also two new dial variants to choose…
The Bremont Supermarine, first released in 2009, has long been a serious dive watch, and one that stood out from the rest of the submersible pack. Last year, Bremont released the S300, a smaller, more civilian-friendly take on the genre that was, unsurprisingly, wildly popular. So it was inevitable that the larger S500 received a makeover, a cosmetic upgrade to keep the look in line with the S300. Vital statistics Two watches, the S500/BL and S500/BK (in blue and black respectively), are evolutions of existing models: the dial has been redesigned, with the blue being altered to match the tone of its S300 sibling. The blue model now has Arabic numerals at the cardinal points. The sapphire bezel is now a solid colour. The black version has also been given a makeover, with a new ceramic bezel, and design cues, like the handset and red details, in keeping with the S300. Both models still have solid casebacks showing the Supermarine S6B Seaplane. The real talking point is the S501, a bulked up version of the vintage-inspired S301 we looked at last year. Not only does this version show off the BE-36AE movement through a clear caseback (a first for a…
Following on from 2014’s Terra Nova limited edition, Bremont have once again teamed up with polar explorer Ben Saunders to release the Bremont Endurance. Retracing Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated journey across the South Pole, Ben wore the Endurance as he attempted to make a record-breaking first ever solo and unassisted trek across Antarctica. After 52 days, and having crossed 1086km, Ben reached the South Pole; however, without enough food to continue, he was forced to halt progress and return home. Nonetheless, he still became the first person to complete solo ski expeditions to both the North and South Poles without support or assistance. Vital statistics Weight being a top priority, the case of the Endurance is constructed from lightweight titanium, with special attention given to protecting the movement from some of the most extreme conditions on Earth. Starting with a 43mm Supermarine case, there’s an automatic helium escape valve and patented anti-shock movement mount. Water resistance is kept to 500m while an exhibition display case back opens a window for the first time to the 42-hour BE-93-2AE Bremont modified ETA 2893 chronometer movement inside. And an orange North indicator on the GMT hand combines with orange compass markings on the…
Bremont have always been (rightfully) proud of their strong relationships with various military services, squadrons and organisations, be they active or off-duty. Nowhere is that lineage more evident than the U-2, originally designed for squadrons flying Lockheed U-2s, reconnaissance and spy planes that are, incidentally, among the few planes to be in active service for more than 50 years. So it’s only logical that the latest version, the U-2/51-JET, is a decidedly stealthy take on the model. Vital statistics While the U-2 was originally inspired by the eponymous spy plane, this iteration takes its cues from the Hawk TI Jets flown by the RAF’s 100 Squadron, and their trademark black livery – originally intended to suit their purpose as night bombers. But this isn’t as simple as a new variant of the U-2/DLC. To achieve a deeper black, Bremont have used a new anodising technique, resulting in a darker colour, especially on the knurled bezel. Black 43mm case aside, the luminous material is in Bremont’s vintage-toned ‘51’ shade, and the hands are blued steel. Red details complete the picture. The jet black strap and dark sapphire caseback complete the stealthy look. First thoughts The combination of the military-industrial appeal of…
When ‘smart’, or ‘connected’, watches were first released there was immediate speculation about the impact they would have on the mechanical watch industry. President of the LVMH watch division, and CEO of TAG Heuer, Jean-Claude Biver, continues to think the real pain will ultimately be felt by a different segment of the market altogether. As for mechanical watches, Mr Biver paints an evocative picture of just how eternal the attraction of mechanical watches will continue to be.
Editor’s note: Feeling a little bit of the old Monday-itis? Looking for a watch to put some pep in your step? Well, we’re here for you, and so is this very big, bright blue, crystal clear Hublot. For all its out-there charms, it’s impossible to look down at this watch, or strap it to your wrist, without smiling. So read on to chase away those start-of-the-week blues. Hublot’s sapphire journey began with their ultra high-end MP-05 LaFerrari, a horological engine in the truest sense of the word, with 50 days of power reserve thanks to 11 coupled barrels. It made perfect sense for Hublot to show this beast of a movement off to its fullest capacity with a full sapphire case. But it seems LaFerrari only whet Hublot’s appetite for transparency, making a splash last year with the Big Bang Unico Sapphire, a limited edition of 500 pieces that eclipsed any previous sapphire production runs. It’s easy to see why Hublot is drawn to sapphire as a case material. Aside from the fact that its extreme hardness means it’s virtually scratch-proof, the glossy, transparent material is a perfect fit for Hublot’s art of fusion design approach – the see-through case…