VIDEO: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Quartz Chronograph vs Breitling Endurance Pro Superquartz Chronograph by Brent Miller Time

 

VIDEO: Which Orange Diver - Breitling V TAG Heuer by Brent Miller Time

 

ON THE WRIST: Breitling Endurance Pro Super Quartz Chronograph

 

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Ernest Jones / Milton Keynes, 13th September 2021

There was a time when I really liked Breitling, and very specifically the Avenger Blacksteel and Avenger Hurricane models, but I never quite took the plunge. The Avenger Blacksteel always seemed to turn up pre-owned with damaged coating and the Avenger Hurricane was always a little bit out of my price range... and by the time it started turning up at Bicester Village at a more 'sensible' price, unfortunately the magic was gone. I still have a sneaky admiration for both the Aerospace and the Exospace: any watch with a combination analogue and digital dial tends to spark my interest, although the mother of pearl dial, black diamond encrusted Emergency I looked at in the BV boutique a while back was too much even for me! 

But then it seemed that Breitling went completely off message, ditching their winged logo and discontinuing their cool 'modern' models left right and centre... while simultaneously releasing the godawful 'Navitimer 8' line and don't even get me started on this year's pistachio and salmon abominations! Thankfully they have seen the error or their ways and worked their way back into my good books with their extremely awesome Endurance Pro series.

SPOTLIGHT ON: Breitling Premier Heritage 'Pistachio' Chronograph

 

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As I've mentioned before, since the demise of my beloved QP magazine, I really don't take all that much notice of what's going on outside of TAG Heuer world; but now and again something comes along which just can't be ignored. Last year Breitling gave us those unbelievably cool 'Formula 1' style super-quartz watches and this year it's the turn of this... vomit inducing pistachio chronograph.

I know I'm generally out of step with the wider watch community who all regularly soil themselves every time a new watch comes out that looks like it might have been owned by their great-grandfather and usually I can write it off as a divergence of style. But to me the seemingly growing popularity of this unbelievably ugly watch defies understanding.

FEATURE: Watches & Wonders 2021 (Part 1: IWC, Tudor and Breitling)

 

Remember how last year the watch companies all said "Watch shows are old hat, we don't need a watch show anymore... everything is virtual and online. We have social media, we don't need a huge, expensive show to sell our products. We will launch everything on our own terms via the internet cos all the kids are on there and screw those Baselworld guys." 

Well, it didn't take above a couple of months for talk of a new show to start and this year we got the first episode of 'Watches and Wonders'. Due to the continuing pandemic of course this year's 'show' was virtual, but the intention is to make it a physical show as soon as it is feasible to do so. So maybe watch shows aren't 'old hat' after all...? Quelle surprise! After all, rich people can't show up to a virtual show in their Ferraris / helicopters and schmooze with their equally rich buddies can they? 

It was dumb to think that a luxury product can exist solely online; who really want's to buy their Lamborghini or their Richard Mille from a website? But let's be honest it was more about cutting out the Baselworld people and taking back control of the fair than ever taking the show to a virtual place, that was just a temporary and convenient argument for the mutiny.

So along with our Swedish friend Jim Dollares, I thought it would be good to at least take a (somewhat irreverent it must be said) look at some of the more interesting things to come out of the inaugural Watches and Wonders show.. so let's do that. 

We started on a wrong foot as Jim's first reaction was not overly positive:

JIM: Man this whole digital watch fair seems to be just a big mess of 'everyone releasing a ton of stuff at the same time'. Is there even a proper way to "attend" the fair, I couldn't even find a schedule on their website?

ROB: Yes, that is a major failing isn't it. Surely there should have been some kind of order of business where the brands all got together and organised themselves so they weren't all dumping their new pieces at once. Typical, even when they take control of the 'show' they still can't get it right.... and Breitling didn't even pay to be a part of it, they just released their new watches at the same time and the press just 'assumed' it was part of the show - hahahahaha. Good on them! 

ROB: Okay let's start with this IWC Top Gun Mojave Desert 'limited production' do-da. I'm not really a fan of IWC at the best of times, but these are quite eye catching. Apparently 'limited production' varies from limited edition in that there is no set number of watches in total, but they will only make a certain number of pieces each year...

JIM: Oh yes you know I do love IWC and they just keep getting better and better. This year's homerun, this far, for IWC in my eyes is not the Mojave editions though, it is the smaller standard pilot chronograph with blue sunburst and 41 mm case. I have always loved the pilot chrono but thought it was too big. Now it is something I think I could actually wear and enjoy!

ROB: That watch is very nice, it reminds me of those 'timeless' looking Calibre 16 Carreras that I rave about occasionally... and which would be a lot more affordable, obviously.

JIM: Yes yes that's true but, with the IWC you get a completely different level of refinement. An IWC movement that will give such pleasure and satisfaction in soul and mind when you operate it. A pilot from IWC has long been on my wish list and contrary to some other brands they just keep improving and do things that suit my preferences.

ROB: What do you think of that sandy finish on the Mojave? I'm really not sure at all.... seems like something you would get tired of eventually and wish it was just black.

JIM: I think it is very cool but I agree, this feels like something aimed towards people who already have a handful of Big Pilots and looking to spend between £15-35k on a watch they can wear a couple of times a year to look cool and enjoy something fun. Probably not something anyone buys as his first big pilot, or first IWC for that matter.

ROB: Oh this Tudor looks cool, I really like the green and gold combination. Kinda like an upmarket version of the Harrods Black Bay.

JIM: Yes solid gold case with a green dial is a superb combo. One thing I dislike about all Rolex and Tudor marketing though is how falsely they mislead you by showing their products without a ton of crystal reflections. All these release photos and renders look as if Tudor uses anti-reflective coating but in reality the crystal works as a mirror of constant reflections. Did you see the silver case BB58? Is silver a good material for a case? Won't it scratch like a motherf*cker?

ROB: Maybe... won't it tarnish as well? All my wife's silver jewellery gets that brown tint to it that you have to clean off with a special cloth, lovely!

JIM: Oh yes! Didn't even think of that! Well I guess you can do as old ladies do with their silverware, putting it in a bowl with water and salt or something and soon it looks brand new again. Seems perfect for a watch. But I think that the online community will soon learn that this is charming, similar to that it is apparently charming when your bronze watch turns into something that looks like you found it in a dumpster.

ROB: Oh apparently Tudor have discovered a way to stop it turning brown.... but then I just saw Tim Mosso questioning that in a WatchBox video, saying no one has managed to do that in hundreds of years, so I guess we'll see!

JIM: Isn't it strange that Tudor releases a solid gold diver sold for £12k? The distinction between Tudor and Rolex gets more blurry. Sure, a solid gold diver from Rolex is obviously more expensive but it gets a bit weird to say that Tudor is affordable. Everything comes down to perspective I suppose. Do you really like the gold and green? I am not a fan actually. I have two major concerns with it. First of all, a gold watch should be polished. I think this one from Tudor has no polished sides or anything on the case. Secondly the caseback gives me nightmares. A display caseback on a watch that has what might be one of the ugliest watch movements developed in modern times. I mean look at it. Would you pay £12k for that cheap looking thing?

ROB: No, of course not... seems like everyone is picking up on the fact that the display caseback is simply a cheap option since sapphire is a lot cheaper than gold. I guess it's a bronze/green Autavia for me then, not that I was ever going to go off brand of course.

JIM: One thing I really like from Tudor this year is, obviously, the Black Bay 36 with a stunning sunburst silver dial. The only thing I am negotiating with myself right now though is if it is really worth driving the 250 km, one way, to the closest AD to see it in person. 

ROB: But this is clearly meant for women, no?

JIM: Perfect for me and my girly wrist then. Are you a fan of the Black Bay 36 line?

ROB: Ummm, I'd never really thought about it... you know I don't really take much notice of anything that isn't TAG Heuer. So is it just about the silver dial?

JIM: Noooo its a lot more than just that. I tried this watch both in 36 and 41, I think it was in 2019 and since then the 36 has been in the back of my mind. I remember that the applied indices looked perfect on a dial that is very well balanced. The case looked great, bracelet wore nicely. The whole experience of putting that watch on wrist was a pleasure. You know when you try a watch and it just clicks. It felt luxurious but in a discrete way. I remember thinking something like "wow this is a premium watch, I cant believe it doesn't cost more". And now Tudor made it even more perfect with a silver dial!

ROB: Well now that you've told me they make it in 41mm it makes more sense. But wait, the Black Bay 36 is 36mm, the Black Bay 41 is 41mm but the Black Bay 58 is 39mm or 41mm but looks completely different? That makes a whole lot of sense doesn't it?

JIM: No no, the Black Bay 58 is only available in 39 mm. The Black Bay is 41. And the Black Bay 41 is also 41 mm. But the Black Bay in bronze is 43. You are right, the naming of these models doesn't make full sense. Many watch brands do have a nice way of aiming to confuse their customers though, why should Tudor be any different?

ROB: So why didn't they call the Black Bay 58 the Black Bay 39? Oh, never mind...

ROB: Now, I know you have this kinda weird love/hate relationship with Breitling and I'm sorry but I feel like we have to talk about this.... thing. I can't quite believe this exists. What the hell kind of colour is that green? It's absolutely dreadful. I know people will say 'Oh yes, they made this in 1942' and it was the colour of XYZ Bomber Squadron and all that, but a hideous colour is a hideous colour. BMW and Mercedes made beige cars in the 80s but you don't see them bringing them out again as 'heritage' pieces do you? God, how do Breitling make something as cool as the Endurance Pro and then dump this on us? Seriously...

JIM: Dude, I love the comparison with beige cars in the 80's, spot on! This shade of green ain't my cup of tea at all... it is... I don't know, difficult to even find a word that describes it. I don't think it is obviously ugly nor something I hate. It just doesn't do anything for me. Is there anything in the world we can think of that has this odd colour? I cant think of anything!

ROB: Me neither, let's sleep on it and see if anything comes to mind. Do you want to talk about Panerai?

JIM: No.

ROB: Me neither...

PART 2 of Watches and Wonders 2021 will follow on Thursday...

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Breitling Endurance Pro Breitlight Black Superquartz Chronograph

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When I first started really getting into proper watches (2016), as opposed to just owning one or two (2005 onwards) the two brands that grabbed my attention were (obviously) TAG Heuer and to a much lesser extent Breitling. Principally because they were the only two brands that really catered to my tastes (modern, colourful, slightly in your face, etc) in a price bracket that was somewhat achievable, but even then there was never really a great deal in the Breitling range that appealed to me.

I do recall seeing some kind of Blackbird Avenger Blacksteel Warrior Nightvision Extreme chronograph in my local Goldsmiths once... but I've never quite managed to pin down exactly which one it was - I've found things that look similar but, never quite how I remember it. I think it was a limited edition and it cost about £4000, but that's about it... as I remember it had very large stenciled white Arabics and it was all black, but it also had a bit of red on it here and there, kinda like this:

But maybe even more so... I reckon it might have had white on the bezel as well? Or is my brain just playing tricks on me? Aargh!

Anyway, it was a chunk of money and to this day I've not found the watch I remember (probably because it doesn't exist) and anything close to it always turns up slightly damaged or looks far too 'grey' in the photographs for something called 'Blacksteel'!

Ahem.

There have been other Breitlings that have tickled my fancy, like the 45mm Avenger Hurricane, Exospace, Emergency, and the Chronomat 44 Jet Team, but they are all seriously expensive and while I did like the Colt Skyracer I couldn't take to the faux 'three-dimensional' printed Arabics on the dial. And of course with the new CEO of Breitling (Mr Kern) taking Breitling in a seriously retro direction of late it's been easy for me to dismiss Breitling completely. Same goes for our friend 'Jim Dolares' who regularly takes to the Calibre 11 forum to throw shade on the direction the brand is taking, and especially their decision to discontinue the Breitlight watches, their quartz pieces and the change of brand logo to the extremely retro 'B' without the wings.

But then, completely out of the blue, this happened:

And I was like, what the actual f.... these look REALLY cool, more like something I would expect from TAG Heuer in fact. Furthermore, they are quartz (albeit super quartz with thermal compensation which makes them ten times more accurate than normal quartz - which is pretty accurate anyway!), they have Breitlight composite cases and the proper winged logo to boot!

Furthermore, at £2450 they make a reasonably compelling argument for purchase.

I mean, yeah, I wish four of the numbers weren't compromised by the subdials for the chronograph, but they do come with the ultra cool Breitling rubber straps (which I've always wanted) in a variety of colours and you can buy them separately if you want to mix it up, although bear in mind they are colour coded to the chapter ring, so some combinations might look a bit off. Then again if you bought two extras in different colours you could really go to town and 'Benettonize' the hell out of it!

Bah, I'm talking myself into this now... but what about my commitment to TAG Heuer? I have thirty TAG Heuers now and no other brands in my collection, unlike my wife who has an Oris and an Omega (traitor!). Truthfully if this had TAG Heuer on the dial I would have already bought it... I can't help feeling Breitling have pulled out something of a coup here, out TAGing TAG at their own game in fact.

I think I need a lie down.

Maybe just one Breitling wouldn't hurt?

ON THE WRIST: Visiting the Breitling Boutique at Bicester Village

Breitling Boutique / Bicester Village, 4th December 2019

If there's one brand that's most likely to tempt me to purchase a non TAG Heuer watch, it's Breitling. On the whole I'm not a huge fan of their product range, but there are a few that really appeal; some Avengers, the Avenger Hurricane and in particular the Analog/Digi watches like the Aerospace, Exospace and the B50 Pilot.

But the first thing that really caught my eye upon entering the very stylish (it must be said) boutique, was a display of three 'Emergency' watches to the left of the doorway. These are some serious pieces of kit and also very large at 51mm in diameter. I asked the sales lady if I could have a look at the mot expensive of the three pieces, and was told I could but she had to get someone who was trained to show it to me because she wasn't allowed to get it out of the cabinet. Fair enough; the last thing we need is the coastguard / mountain rescue rocking up at the Village asking 'Which idiot pulled the crown out on their Breitling Emergency?'

So I was introduced to Catalin, a friendly guy who was interested in (and perhaps a little surprised by) my knowledge of the brand, given that I don't own a Breitling, and curious as to what was in the TAG Heuer bag I was carrying... and the red dial S/EL I was wearing. Catalin was the guy who could show me the Emergency, and so I sat down in the leather chair at the leather coated table and had a glass of champagne from a stitched leather champagne flute (okay I made that last bit up).

Breitling Emergency

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Man this thing is HUGE. I mean I knew it was going to be big on the wrist but I simply wasn't prepared for this. The biggest watch I've ever tried on was a 50mm Oris Diver and that was remarkably wearable... this on the other hand is hilariously oversized. But as Catalin pointed out, this is a serious tool watch used for serious exploring and things of that nature, and he's got a point - you can get 95% of the aesthetic for half the price, just by switching to a less hardcore version of the same / a similar watch. But as it stands this Emergency was on offer for £10,080 (down from £15040), or approximately a third off the list price.

(Incidentally, I think the picture above is not quite the right one, the mother of pearl on the V76325G6 is white/silver not blue, but it was the nearest I could find).

I really like the Emergency and the idea that you can summon help just by pulling on a crown is pretty cool, but I just can't seriously imagine an occasion when I would wear a watch that is so colossal and at the end of the day £10,000 is some serious investment... which could probably secure a pre-owned Carrera tourbillon! But I can't help but snigger at the 'mother of pearl' dial, I mean it looks fantastic, but it does rather undermine its 'Manly Tool Watch' credentials. I guess if you're hanging off a mountain somewhere with a broken leg, waiting for help to come, then at least you've got something pretty to look at... :)

Thankfully the Breitling boutique had a much more affordable option in a rather unusual and eye catching colour to boot!

Breitling B50 Cockpit

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While the Emergency was somewhat comically excessive in its sizing, this 46mm B50 Cockpit was surprisingly compact and wrist friendly; so much so that I actually thought it might be 43-44mm in diameter! This piece also comes with a mother of pearl dial, this time in green, which I found rather splendid and unusual, especially matched with the green rubber strap and blacksteel case.

I've always admired Breitling's rubber straps, especially the ones with the branding on them and the ones on these two watches were excellent. Similarly, the clasps are exceptional and really do convey the feeling that this is a top notch watch. If I ever get a Breitling in my collection I can absolutely guarantee that it will be on one of these straps, they really are the business.

I didn't enquire as to the functions available on the two watches, mainly because I will never use them. As I explained to Catalin, I already have the TAG Heuer Chronotimer because the analog / digi dial is appealing (and because you can pick them up for less than £1000!) and I rarely use the functions on that, so to waste Catalin's time asking him to go through everything the watch can do is a bit unfair. I dare say this can do a whole lot more than the Chronotimer, but for me the value is in the overall look and with its chunky but very sleek blacksteel case this is definitely a winner for me.

The B50 Cockpit is also available covered in black diamonds!!!

The only sticking point (of course) is the price, which although significantly discounted (£4930 down from £7360) is still a whole chunk of money for me to drop on one watch... and I still don't know how I feel about corrupting my otherwise pure collection with a non-TAG Heuer. My wife has nine TAG Heuers and one Oris, and while it's a beautiful piece, I still don't really feel it 'belongs' in my house!

From what I was told in the boutique, it sounds like Breitling is looking to take it's brand back in house as far as distribution goes, which is probably not a bad idea really. It would make a lot of sense for the brand to pull back from the mass market and make itself a little more niche and desirable instead of chasing the run of the mill watch buyer.

Personally I'm not a fan of Breitling's direction of travel when it comes to design, 'Retro' styling is all well and good, but sooner or later the wheels are going to come off that bandwagon and people are going to want something 'new', and I must say I find the Aviator 8 watches rather unlikable and the Aviator Super 8 incomprehensibly ugly. Still, when Breitling do get it right they make a very nice watch, I just hope the ranges that I like aren't going to be decimated as the brand streamline their product range in the name of retro chic.

As for the boutique, there are definitely bargains to be had here... but that's probably just as well given Breitling's notoriously spongy value retention in the pre-owned market.

ON THE WRIST: Breitling Exospace B55 Chronometer

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Selfridges / London, 9th March 2019

I've long admired Breitling's ani/digi watches, and indeed it was probably the root of my decision to buy my TAG Heuer Chronotimer, which offered a similar combination dial at a fraction of the cost. Still, it was nice to finally get my hands on one of Breitling's 'Superquartz' pieces and I certainly went big here with the Exospace B55. Measuring a whopping 46mm, the Exospace B55 has a lot of wrist presence, rather too much really, even for my substantial 7.3/4" wrist. This measures just 1mm larger than my Carrera Heuer 01 Skeleton but it feels a whole step bigger. I guess the blue strap probably doesn't help matters, although I quite liked it, I must admit I'd prefer a black one. 

Unfortunately I was served by an absolute tool of a salesman, and I think that's maybe why I've left it so long to review this piece. Clearly it's not Breitling's fault that the guy working in Selfridges presents their company in a bad light, and I have to say that my experiences in the Breitling boutique on Bond Street have been very positive. Unfortunately that means that my memories of the day are somewhat vague, and in truth I didn't actually have the watch on for all that long.

I do remember being somewhat disappointed that the watch isn't as 'black' as I'd hoped. It actually has a gun-metal grey kind of look, which I'm not sure really goes with the blue rubber strap, but still, each to their own. Actually, thinking about it more, a black strap would make the case look even lighter so that's probably not the answer either. Maybe white would work best? If Roger Dubuis and Richard Mille can do white rubber straps, then why not? Hmm, probably not now, since Breitling are consciously moving towards being a more 'conservative/backwards' looking company.

This, on the other hand, is a very forward looking and technical watch, with a perpetual digital calendar, a flyback 1/100th of a second chronograph (not really sure how you can have a flyback digital chronograph though...), seven daily alarms, a countdown timer, countdown/count-up clock, bluetooth connectivity and more. The watch also features a ratcheting, bi-directional bezel marked with simple minutes.

In addition to it's fairly epic size, it's also relatively (if not outlandishly) thick at 15.25mm, which means that you certainly won't forget you're wearing it even though as it's made of titanium it's not especially heavy. All in all it's a hell of a thing, but I can't honestly say I was reluctant to give it back to the salesman. Truthfully, while the Chronotimer isn't as 'impressive' overall, it has more than enough digital capability for me and still has a great deal of wrist presence due to it's chunky case and mirror finished, skeletonised hands. 

Then there's the price, the Breitling Exospace B55 is not a cheap watch at £6710 (I believe it was £6300 back in March so there must have been quite a price hike in the meantime!) and bearing in mind you could easily pick up a mint pre-owned Chronotimer for less than a grand on eBay, well... it's a hard one to justify for me.

Obviously the Exospace B55 isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, and I'm sure it appeals to a certain specific kind of customer, I just hope Breitling don't go so far down the retro-road that they start shutting down these avenues to concentrate wholly on mechanical movements and endless variations on the Navitimer; because while I could find better things to spend £7k on, I'm kinda glad that this exists.