Tag: breitling chronomat evolution
breitling chronomat evolution
The Breitling Chronomat Evolution is the current evolution of the company’s flagship timepiece. As the leader of the Breitling Collection, the Chronomat rapidly asserted itself as the reference in the specialized field of mechanical chronographs.
The Chronomat Evolution is considered the Flagship model in the Breitling range. The first Chronomat model was launched in 1942, and was then the first chronograph to incorporate a slide rule, 12 years before the Navitimer. Rather than beeing a pilot’s watch, the Chronomat’s emphasis was rather on engineering and mathematics. Prime target beeing people working in science and industry.
The movement is the Venus 175, 17-jewels with a centre chronograph hand recording seconds, a minute chronograph register at 3 o’clock recording up to 45 minutes, and a running seconds hand on the sub-dial at 9 o’clock. The minute register has special markers for 3, 6 and 9 minutes, as long-distance phone calls were charged in 3-minute increments in most countries. Long distance and especially international ‘toll’ calls were very expensive at this time.
In 1969, the first automatic Chronomats were launched. They used the famous “Chrono-Matic” Calibre 11/12 microrotor-movement where Breitling and Heuer developed the base caliber and added the Dubois-Dépraz 8510 chronograph mechanism. The Chronomat proved to be a big seller, and powered by different calibers it stayed in the Breitling line up to the takeover by Schneider in 1978 During the late 1970ties there were even produced non-chronograph Chronomats, also some simple quartz models.HISTORY AND BACKGROUNDThe Chronomat Evolution is considered the Flagship model in the Breitling range. The first Chronomat model was launched in 1942, and was then the first chronograph to incorporate a slide rule, 12 years before the Navitimer. Rather than beeing a pilot’s watch, the Chronomat’s emphasis was rather on engineering and mathematics. Prime target beeing people working in science and industry.The movement is the Venus 175, 17-jewels with a centre chronograph hand recording seconds, a minute chronograph register at 3 o’clock recording up to 45 minutes, and a running seconds hand on the sub-dial at 9 o’clock. The minute register has special markers for 3, 6 and 9 minutes, as long-distance phone calls were charged in 3-minute increments in most countries. Long distance and especially international ‘toll’ calls were very expensive at this time.In 1969, the first automatic Chronomats were launched. They used the famous “Chrono-Matic” Calibre 11/12 microrotor-movement where Breitling and Heuer developed the base caliber and added the Dubois-Dépraz 8510 chronograph mechanism. The Chronomat proved to be a big seller, and powered by different calibers it stayed in the Breitling line up to the takeover by Schneider in 1978 During the late 1970ties there were even produced non-chronograph Chronomats, also some simple quartz models.
1940ties Chronomat. Considered to be one of the most beautiful Breitlings. The Swiss cross and number on the dial refers to the Swiss government patent for the slide rule design. Note the special 3-minutes lines on the chrono-minute dial. The Venus 175 movement on the right.The Chronomat was relaunched in 1984, marked the return of the mechanical chronograph. About ten years earlier, the Japanese quartz-watches had swept away almost all competition in the field of chronographs. The relaunched Chronomat was designed as a pilot watch, in close cooperation with the Italian Air Force Acrobatics team, “Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale Frecce Tricolori”. The new Chronomat had the famous rider tabs on the bezel, designed to be easy to grip while wearing gloves in the cockpit.As far as I know, most of the “new” Chronomats are powered by the 7750-based Breitling Calibre 13.Catalogue page from 1986. Fecce Tricolore and Navitimer Chronomat. The watch on the right has the “bullet” band that was extensively used by Breitling in the 1980ties.
During the 80ties and 90ties, Breitling moved on to make several special versions of the Chronomat. Yachting, Blackbird,” Breitling for America”, USAF 50 years and even Moonphase versions.. I wonder what practical use a pilot would have of a moonphase. This Chronomat version measured just 39.5mm compared to the 43.7mm of the Evolution.Cross-sectional view of the A13352. This version was made from 2000 to 2004, when the Evolution was launched. Note the design of the waterproof pushers
The breitling Chronomat Evolution replica was launched at Basel in April, 2004. Its first catalogue appearance is in the 2005 Breitling Chronolog issued from October 2004. The Evolution is bigger in diameter, thickness and weight than the previous models and is quite a departure from the original 1984 Chronomat. One previously iconic feature, the straight case sides has been dropped; the Evolution has conventional lugs.
Like many updates to Breitling watches that have a loyal following, initially the new watch is unpopular with some Breitling owners but this is really a reflection of the esteem that is held for the existing model. Within a year or so the Evolution is much more accepted with most potential owners now enthusiastic about this latest version of the Chronomat. One thing that was never in doubt is the quality; it is a superbly designed and built watch with an extremely accurate, reliable and sturdy movement.