80 years after the release of the first Breitling Premier, now comes a new collection of Premier B01 Chronographs in 42 mm cases composed of six new watches in stainless steel or 18K red gold and fitted with straps or matching bracelets in the metal of the case. These six new watches are all powered by the automatic Breitling manufacture calibre 01. In 1943, Willy Breitling had built a name for himself as a maker of aircraft instrumentation and tool watches that met the functional needs of wartime. But the third-generation Breitling founder also dreamt of a time after the war, when utility would give way to unbridled optimism.
Breitling’s specialty has always been the chronograph, and each of the brand’s three founding fathers had a role in shaping it. From the moment he started his business in 1884, Leon Breitling put his expertise into perfecting the pocket-watch timekeeper. His son Gaston introduced the first wrist-worn models that included an independent pusher at 2 o’clock. And his grandson Willy added the second pusher at 4 o’clock —establishing the form of the modern chronograph that is used across all of watchmaking today.
To create the design of the new Premier, Breitling preserved distinctive vintage-Premier design details, including the smooth fixed bezel, twin-register dial, streamlined rectangular pushers, and applied Arabic numerals. At 42 mm, the case diameter is slightly larger than the 40 mm case found on the vintage existing B09 manual-wound models. The tone-on-tone subdials with chronograph minutes at 3 o’clock and running seconds at 9 o’clock lend a polished style, while new dial shades in salmon, blue, green, black, and cream add a contemporary twist to the stainless-steel models.
A further variation in 18K red gold features a classic cream dial. The watches come on a choice of classic alligator leather strap or sleek 7-row metal bracelet matching the metal of the case.
As with all of Breitling’s mechanical calibres, each one has achieved the rigorous COSC certification for accuracy within -4 and +6 seconds per day. The latest iteration of the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 found in the new Premier chronograph was redesigned in 2022 and features a trimmer profile and more compact oscillating weight that can be admired through the display case back. The movement comes with a five-year warranty and provides an approximate 70-hour power reserve and a 100-meter water resistance.
Sticker Price $9,100 USD stainless steel on strap, $9,500 USD stainless steel on bracelet, $20,200 USD 18K red gold on strap and $39,700 USD 18K red gold on bracelet. For more info on Breitling click here.
