As we creep up on the 40th anniversary of the Breitling Chronomat — originally launched in 1984 as part of the brand’s centenary celebration — we’ve seen the brand pour a little extra love into the Chronomat collection. In addition to a new 40mm GMT last year, a variety of color schemes, and limited editions, the Chronomat has been stretched and squeezed into cases ranging from 32mm in diameter to 44mm-wide to create a little something for all wrist sizes. The latest addition at the top of the Chronomat size spectrum is a new Breitling Super Chronomat B01 44 U.S. Edition.
The new Super Chronomat combines the appealing warmth of rose gold with a deep sun-brushed navy blue dial, a classic combination in its own right. Black-snailed chronograph subdials increase contrast for legibility and look at home paired with the black ceramic bezel insert, crown, and chronograph pushers. These black accents also separate the parts of the watch you will interface with regularly from the standard time-telling dial and hands.
The rider tabs which add protection to the sapphire crystal, also allow for a layer of customization. The 3 and 9 o’clock tabs are interchangeable to alter your bezel from an elapsed time scale to a count-down scale depending on your needs — or to swap with a friend if you decide to make your watch unique.
Rendered in 18k red gold, the Super Chronomat is not your lightweight sports watch, despite its capable features. Clocking in at 330 grams on the matching Rouleaux bracelet — 100 grams on its own — you won’t be forgetting this watch is on your wrist. If the mass wasn’t enough indicator of its heft, the 44mm-wide case is 14.4mm-thick and 53.5mm lug to lug. These proportions, while far larger than my wrist can handle, should result in a very balanced wearing experience.
Visible through the sapphire exhibition caseback is the COSC-certified chronometer Breitling Manufacture Calibre 01 movement. The 28,800 bph beat rate and 70-hour autonomy are specs you may be familiar with from recent releases like the Top Time and Tudor Pelagos FXD Chronograph. The column-wheel chronograph has proved itself to be robust and reliable as it has become increasingly prevalent and modifiable for date functions and fitment into smaller case sizes. However, with Tudor continuing to put the same movement in lower-priced watches, many enthusiasts are questioning the pricing scheme of Breitling’s base model chronographs.
The precious metal case and bracelet of the new Breitling Super Chronomat 44 will certainly shift the conversation away from the value of the movement. Both case and bracelet are predominantly brushed with polished accents to add a flash. A screw-down caseback, crown, and pushers allow the case to achieve 200 meters of water resistance which is more than most owners will likely need. Breitling seems to have its finger on (or near) the pulse of niche sports watch segments. The diving chronograph is one of them despite the chronograph’s limited functionality due to screw-down pushers.
As a limited run of 140 pieces for the United States, I doubt many of these watches will end up gathering dust in stores. However, as a summer release well into a culture shift from red-gold back to yellow-gold, I can’t help but wonder why the brand would choose a color scheme that doesn’t stand out from the rest of the Super Chronomat collection. Perhaps we will see more significant updates next year in the 40th Anniversary releases. The Breitling Super Chronomat B01 44 U.S. Edition is only available in the United States for $26,000 USD on the Rouleaux style rubber strap or $44,000 USD on the solid 18k red-gold Rouleaux bracelet. Learn more about Breitling and its latest releases on the brand’s website.
