Watchlords

If there is one brand that is going through a period of change, it is Breitling. In 2017 it not only got new owners but also had Georges Kern, long-time CEO of IWC, appointed as its CEO. Kern didn’t waste any time and dove straight into the rich history of the brand, on which he plotted its course for the next few years.

The first result of this is the Navitimer 8 collection. While we have gotten used over the years to more intricate styled Breitlings, this collection has a surprisingly clean look. While some may call it un-Breitling, it is, in fact, the opposite, as it has a lot of styling elements that we can find in vintage Breitlings. Kern even went so far as also to revise the logo, going back to an older logo without the famous wings.

https://www.hautetime.com/how-breitling ... ure/86883/

Well, I don't like the Navitimer 8. For that matter, I'm not particularly fond of Breitling. And truth be told, I hate what they were making for the last 30 years or so. However, I must say that it's most uplifting to see them start a de-blinging process. Concerning the applied "winged B" logo, well...good fucking riddance, I never liked it. The closer their designs get to what tool watches are supposed to be like( after all, they claim to make tool watches alright), the better. With Breitling, any shift away from being the brand of choice for Russian nouveau-riche douchebags is most welcome.

MKTheVintageBloke wrote:Well, I don't like the Navitimer 8. For that matter, I'm not particularly fond of Breitling. And truth be told, I hate what they were making for the last 30 years or so.

Conversely I think their best output came in the early 2000s. All chronometers, the Superocean had specs that made a Seamaster wet its pants, and the solid bracelets had dive extensions. A proper dive watch, and half the price of an IWC at the time. Most won't remember, but it was a contendah in its day with only average lume counting against it (the Seamaster's was better).

However the styling made a lot of people, who wore watches like that to show off, puke .

However, I must say that it's most uplifting to see them start a de-blinging process. Concerning the applied "winged B" logo, well...good fucking riddance, I never liked it. The closer their designs get to what tool watches are supposed to be like( after all, they claim to make tool watches alright), the better. With Breitling, any shift away from being the brand of choice for Russian nouveau-riche douchebags is most welcome.

Yes they made a lot of two-tone shiny-shiny way back, but that was the 1980s for you. Everyone made shite back then . Here are some hits from the last 20 years.

1998:


2001:


2002:

koimaster wrote:If there is one brand that is going through a period of change, it is Breitling. In 2017 it not only got new owners but also had Georges Kern, long-time CEO of IWC, appointed as its CEO. Kern didn’t waste any time and dove straight into the rich history of the brand, on which he plotted its course for the next few years.

The first result of this is the Navitimer 8 collection. While we have gotten used over the years to more intricate styled Breitlings, this collection has a surprisingly clean look. While some may call it un-Breitling, it is, in fact, the opposite, as it has a lot of styling elements that we can find in vintage Breitlings. Kern even went so far as also to revise the logo, going back to an older logo without the famous wings.

https://www.hautetime.com/how-breitling ... ure/86883/

Kern has Terned the Colt into a Ingenieur-lite:



However someone forgot to make the bracelet endlinks match the case. Have a look. This is a production model. All recent Colts have had the same. I wouldn't buy any of their current stuff; it's either pug-faced, clumsy, too big or too shiny, or just too damn simple for the money (Heritage Superocean I'm looking at you!).

However the B logo that everyone thinks is new has actually been in practically continuous use on various limited editions, specials and Heritage models since Schneider took over. The Montbrillant has used it all the time, and early Chronomats also had the "B". Their 1980s dive watches - all forgotten now - also a B.

A few of them - and I'm surprised they didn't make more use of this - had the rest of the reitling the same way as the B. I liked this on the Premier and one or two other oddballs from the past.