Breitling Endurance Pro IRONMAN World Championship Watches
Within the modern Breitling lineup, the Breitling Endurance Pro collection is the brand’s most purpose-built sports watch, pairing lightweight cases with thermocompensated SuperQuartz movements to create a modern version of the classic sports chronograph. Since 2021, Breitling has had a partnership with the IRONMAN racing series as its official luxury watch sponsor and over the past couple years, the brand has created a number of different IRONMAN-themed models that celebrate one of the world’s most famous and demanding triathlon competitions. As its latest new release of 2023, Breitling has created two new limited edition Breitling Endurance Pro IRONMAN watches, with one model crafted from carbon composite, and the other positioned as a premium version of the Endurance Pro that features a case made from brushed titanium. The first of the two new 2023 IRONMAN-themed models is the Breitling Endurance Pro IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Edition, which is essentially just a new colorway of the original Endurance Pro IRONMAN that we previously reviewed here. Similar to the Endurance Pro IRONMAN Finisher model, the new Endurance Pro IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Edition features a case made from Breitlight (carbon composite) that measures 44mm in diameter by 12.5mm-thick, with an overall lug-to-lug profile of 52.49mm. Just like the standard production models, the new IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Edition features a flat sapphire crystal above its dial, a rubberized crown and a pair of pushers on the 3 o’clock side of the case, and a screw-on caseback that helps create a 100 meters of water resistance. This means that Breitling’s Endurance Pro watches are more than capable of standing up to any swimming stages that might be part of your triathlon. With that in mind, unlike the Endurance Pro IRONMAN Finisher model, the new Breitling Breitling Endurance Pro IRONMAN watches 70.3 World Championship Edition embraces a turquoise colorway with bright yellow accents on the chronograph hands. Additionally, similar to the various Endurance Pro University Edition models, the new Breitling Endurance Pro IRONMAN World Championship watches feature the IRONMAN logo within the sub-dial at the 6 o’clock location. With that in mind, rather than having the “Breitling” name on its 22mm-wide two-piece rubber strap, the new Endurance Pro IRONMAN World Championship models have the “IRONMAN” name in large letters on either side of their straps. Beyond that, the rest of the new Breitling Endurance Pro IRONMAN watches World Championship Edition watches remain largely unchanged, with a bidirectional solar compass bezel and a pulsometer scale printed along the contrasting ring that surrounds their anthracite-colored dials. Meanwhile, the other new model joining the lineup is the Breitling Endurance Pro IRONMAN World Championship Edition, which is a premium rendition of the Endurance Pro that swaps out the Breitlight carbon composite case of the standard models for one that is made from brushed titanium. While the turquoise-colored Endurance Pro IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Edition is intended to be a tribute to the IRONMAN competition in Lahti, Finland (which takes place from August 26 to August 27, 2023), the titanium Breitling Endurance Pro IRONMAN World Championship Edition is dedicated to the men’s competition in Nice, France (which takes place on September 10, 2023) and the women’s competition in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii (which is held on October 14, 2023). In addition to having a brushed titanium case, the new Breitling Endurance Pro IRONMAN World Championship Edition also features a different colorway than the rest of the models from the collection. Similar to its turquoise-colored sibling, the new Breitling Endurance Pro IRONMAN watches World Championship Edition also features an anthracite dial, although bright blue takes the place of turquoise, and the yellow highlights on the hands have been swapped out for equivalents that are finished bright orange. The rest of the watch, including its dimensions, is very much in-line with its carbon composite siblings. While the turquoise Endurance Pro IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Edition features white text on its bezel, these same markings appear in black on the titanium Endurance Pro IRONMAN World Championship Edition to offer better contrast against the gray tones of the metal. Powering both of the new Breitling Endurance Pro IRONMAN World Championship Edition watches is the brand’s Caliber 82 thermocompensated quartz movement, which features a 30-minute chronograph that is capable of measuring times down to 1/10th of a second, along with an automatically changing date display located at the 4:30 position. Based upon the core architecture of an ETA movement design, the battery-powered Breitling Cal. 82 offers standard chronograph functionality, although it also features a split-timing feature, which can be activated by pressing the lower pusher while the chronograph is still running. Additionally, just like nearly all of the brand’s contemporary movements, the Breitling Cal. 82 is a COSC-certified chronometer, which means that it is accurate to within approximately ten seconds per year. Breitling has launched a series of new limited-edition watches in partnership with IRONMAN, the largest operator of mass participation sports in the world. The collaboration includes two new ultralight sports watches, with production limited to 250 pieces for each watch.
The release marks a continued relationship between the sporting organization and the Swiss watchmaker, with some of the first collaborative pieces launching in 2021 — since then, Breitling has become the official partner of the IRONMAN triathlon, one of the organization’s toughest events.
Each of the new watches features an IRONMAN branded strap and logo touches on the face, with distinct colors representing specific racing events. Colors include black and red which are part of the core collection, alongside new limited examples in turquoise and blue. Notably, the blue offering was designed to recognize the men’s competition in Nice, France and the women’s competition in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii and is made from high-performance titanium.
“The Breitling Endurance Pro IRONMAN watches range was designed to stand up to the toughest challenges,” said Breitling CEO Georges Kern, adding “It’s the result of our brands’ shared spirit of performance and precision. Completing the IRONMAN is the dream of a lifetime for so many people; it deserves an extraordinary way to be remembered.”
Each of the Endurance Pro models offers 100-m of water resistance, is powered by the Caliber 82 and utilizes a COSC-certified SuperQuartz movement. The limited-edition range is available now on Breitling’s official site and at select boutiques.
