Breitling

The Breitling families

The Navitimer is the one that defines the brand: a 1952 pilot's chronograph with a circular slide rule bezel that will still do airspeed and fuel-burn calculations if you know how. The Chronomat was built in the 1980s as a pilot's chronograph with a rider-tab bezel and an integrated Rouleaux bracelet, and the modern version is the most wearable everyday Breitling.

Avenger is the oversized, high-legibility tool line. Superocean is the modern diver, while Superocean Heritage takes the 1957 design and softens it into something you can wear with a jacket. Premier and Top Time cover the mid-century dress and racing chronographs, and Endurance is the lightweight quartz option.

Movements and sizing

Breitling runs both in-house and supplied movements. The B01 chronograph calibre is the in-house column-wheel automatic with roughly 70 hours of reserve; other references use ETA and Valjoux-based calibres that are well understood and straightforward to service. Sizing is worth attention, because Breitling cases run large: a 44mm Avenger and a 40mm Navitimer are very different propositions on the same wrist.

Sizing and daily wear

Breitling cases have come down considerably from their 2000s peak. Modern Chronomat and Navitimer references sit at 40mm to 42mm and wear comfortably under a cuff, while older Navitimers and the Avenger line run 44mm to 46mm and read every bit of it. Superocean Heritage at 42mm is the easiest daily Breitling for most wrists. The slide-rule bezel on a Navitimer adds visual busyness that makes the watch look larger than the number suggests, so if you are buying unseen, send us a wrist measurement and we will tell you honestly how it will sit.

Condition and paperwork

Every Breitling is inspected in-house before listing, described as we find it, and recorded with box and papers where present. Pieces shown as price on request are available and quoted on enquiry. We also buy Breitling and take it in trade.