It started as soon as I got home from picking this Chronomat B01 up from the Breitling boutique. Both my wife and daughter simultaneously said, “Now that’s a nice watch!” It’s quite different from the “Is that a new watch?” that I usually get when wearing something for review.
The funny thing is that nearly all the positive comments I received when wearing this steel and rose gold Breitling Chronomat B01 42 came from people outside our Breitling replica watches UK bubble. I wore this watch during Watches and Wonders, for example, and many frowned upon it (and me), including brand representatives.
Well, forget them! I like the looks of the watch. It brought out my inner 1980s/’90s child in a modern guise. And just like me, the watch got bulkier and better looking. The Breitling Chronomat B01 42 is a very obvious descendant of the 1983 Chronomat designed for the Italian Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team. Blending the words “chronograph” and “automatic,” the civilian version debuted in 1984 to mark Breitling’s 100th anniversary.
The iconic rider tabs, meant to protect the crystal, were prone to getting knocked off. The new bezel has rider tabs that feel much more integrated (but detachable). In addition, this version’s bezel, hour markers, hands, crown, and pushers are made of 18K rose gold. This adds a substantial premium compared to the €8,950 full-steel cheap fake Breitling Chronomat watches. This bicolor version of the Chronomat B01 retails for €13,400.
The Breitling Chronomat B01 is available in 42mm and 44mm cases, with the latter also referred to as the Super Chronomat B01. The larger version uses ceramic for the bezel, pushers, and crown and comes on a rubber Rouleaux strap instead of a bracelet. The 44mm version is not for me, although it does fit my 18cm wrist. The Chronomat B01 42 is suitable as an everyday watch, which I discovered in the past few months while wearing this chronograph. It appears larger than 42mm on the wrist, mainly because the crown guards make it look bigger.
I picked the Chronomat B01 42 version with the blue dial. There’s also a version with a gray/anthracite dial and black sub-dials, which perhaps has a more timeless look, but the blue-dial version speaks to me more. If you go full steel, there are even more colors. Blue and rose gold combine very well, just like green and yellow gold. Certain combinations are just a given.
After wearing this Chronomat B01 42 for a while, I’m still wondering why I received so many negative comments from those who are “into” watches and praise from those who are not. Was it due to snobbery toward two-tone best selling fake Breitling watches, the Chronomat, or Breitling in general? Honestly, I didn’t expect to get that kind of feedback; I thought it was reserved for brands like Hublot. The Breitling Chronomat B01 42 in steel and gold is definitely in your face, which might have triggered some people. It’s like pulling up in a Mercedes 560SEC, I guess.
The most important thing for me is that this watch puts a smile on my face every time I put it on my wrist. I also firmly believe this is the only thing that counts when buying a watch, regardless of the brand or watch. Within our Fratello team, Ben Hodges bought the full-steel Frecce Tricolore version of this watch, and he often tells me how much he enjoys wearing it.
Is there something I would have changed about this watch? Well, yes, and it has to do with the bracelet. Although I am a big fan of this bracelet, I wonder why the last few links near the clasp aren’t steel and gold but only steel. Another thing I would have changed is the clasp. It’s a butterfly type that looks very generic and is something I often see on copy Breitling watches for sale that cost much less. With the bracelet closed, it is of no concern. Still, for €13,400, I expect the clasp to be a bit more “custom” than this.
Overall, I had a lot of fun wearing this Chronomat B01 42! Of all the top clone Breitling watches I’ve worn, I think this one received the most comments from both those who loved it and those who hated it. I had fun with both types of comments and didn’t bother defending the watch anyway. I’ve learned that, in most cases, discussion is pretty useless, especially concerning taste. I used to have a Breitling Navitimer (a long time ago) and still own an Aerospace E-series, but I think I like this Chronomat best. This will probably rub a lot of diehard Navitimer fans the wrong way, but I think the Chronomat is just as “Breitling” as the Navitimer. The Chronomat is an institution and an iconic 1980s design that can’t be mistaken for anything else.
Lastly, the Breitling Chronomat B01 42 is water resistant to 200 meters. It also has a screw-down crown and, as written earlier, a unidirectional bezel with a dive scale.
