Hamilton’s New Military Watch May Be Its Best Yet, But You Can’t Buy It Here

There’s one problem with the all-black watches everybody loves: while they might look cool as fashion accessories, they don’t function well as watches because of compromised legibility. Mostly, you can’t have a black-on-black watch design and a solid, easy time-reading experience — but the new, limited collab watch from Hamilton and Japanese fashion label N.Hoolywood just might be the best of both worlds. It also takes the form of one of our favorite field watches…but is unfortunately hard to get your hands on.

Based on watches the brand made for American soldiers, Hamilton’s Khaki Field collection offers a range of colors but mostly remains pretty straightforward and traditional. Add Japanese designer Daisuke Obana’s vision to the mix, however, and you’ve got an edgy, modern design that manages to feel authentic to the watches’ roots at the same time. It’s the second collaboration for the two brands, and this time it’s part of the N.Hoolywood’s collection based on military post exchange (PX) stores.

N.Hoolywood took the basic military feel of the Khaki Field and doubled down by giving it a stealthy black treatment with matte finishes. The Arabic numeral hour markers are black against the black dial, as with other such “phantom” watches, so they’ll appear almost like shadows, visible only in certain lights. All that blackness, though, makes the white Super-LumiNova-coated hands, outer track with its triangle hour markers, and the inner track with military time stand out even more. It all looks unexpected, pragmatic — and just plain cool and unique.

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The Khaki Field Auto — which the watch is based on — is a more practical alternative to the basic Khaki Field Mechanical that we love to recommend as the field watch go get. With automatic winding, the Auto offers more detailed case finishing and construction as well as a slightly upsized 40mm diameter. It also offers a case back window to view the H-10 movement with 80 hours of power-reserve, and for the N.Hoolywood model, the window is plainly printed with the words “Watch, wrist: General Design by N. Hoolywood/Hamilton” and some of the watch’s specs.

On an appropriately deep black NATO-style strap, the Hamilton x N.Hoolywood Khaki Field Auto is limited to only 300 examples at a price of around $1,060 each. Unfortunately, it can only be purchased in Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

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This Might Be the Weirdest Perpetual Calendar Watch You’ve Ever Seen

The watch in front of you might at first appear cryptic. Is this arrangement of lines and dots some form of analog Morse code or an alien language? Nope — it’s independent brand Ochs und Junior’s captivatingly creative take on the perpetual calendar watch, the Calendario Cent’Anni, and it’s a lot more intuitive to read than you might think.

The Swiss brand is known for its unusual, minimalist aesthetic and alternative time display concepts — so what exactly are we looking at? The hours and minutes are easily recognizable and the same as on any traditional watch, and they’re starkly contrasted against the dial along with the indices. The series of 31 windows indicate the date when filled with color via a rotating disc beneath the dial. (They’re be easiest to read on the version of the watch that demarcates every fifth day with Arabic numerals.)

At 6 o’clock just below the month disc is a small seconds disc. Then, toward the center of the dial, you’ll see a disc with a dot indicating twelve markers, which are the months. And finally within that turning disc is a tiny disc with four positions that turns every year to indicate a leap year, which occurs when it aligns with the dot. This perpetual calendar will (theoretically) only need adjustment after 100 years, hence the “Cent’Anni” part of its name.

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It’s not only the watch’s visual display that’s clever and minimalist, but also the horology under the dial. Ochs und Junior used an automatic movement from Ulysse Nardin that only indicates the time and date but gave it some significant modifications: The brand took this movement and was able to give it the more involved functions and indications you see here with only nine additional components. That’s interesting and efficient, for sure, but it’s also practical horology, because fewer moving parts mean fewer opportunities for things to go wrong, and easier servicing if they do.

All this fits in a 40mm titanium case with short lugs that should make its ergonomic wearing experience feel as well thought out as its dial. Ochs und Junior typically offers customizing options for its clients, but the Calendario Cent’Anni comes in set designs, which include a black dial with or without date markers as well as a white dial. Each variation has the same price of around $16,475, and is available to order directly from the brand online.

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This Is One of Our Favorite Watch Dials of the Year So Far

Combining history, high-end watchmaking and multiple current trends at once, this is a watch that should get any horological geek’s attention: The Swiss brand Czapek & Cie. has partnered with watch enthusiast website Fratello on a limited edition version of its sporty Antarctique watch with a winning combination of its naturally compelling design and a green dial (and some other unique touches). It’s one of our favorite recent models in the popular genre of high-end steel sport watches.

For any budding watch nerds who aren’t yet familiar with Czapek, it’s the name of the watchmaker that co-founded the brand now known as Patek Philippe as Patek, Czapek & Cie. back in 1839. Czapek split with Patek to form his own company in 1845 that only lasted 24 years, but was re-launched in 2012 — and has quietly been a delight of independent watchmaking fans since.

The Antarctique is the brand’s take on the popular genre of “lifestyle sport watch,” with a steel case designed especially to fit its proprietary bracelet a là Gerald Genta’s classic Royal Oak and Nautilus watches. (This “integrated bracelet” concept has seen a resurgence in popularity, especially among higher-end watchmakers.) The stainless steel case measures a moderate 40.5mm wide and 11.3mm thick and houses the brand’s own SXH5 automatic movement with a microrotor. This is standard for the collection, but the new model stands out for its dial.

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The version of the Antarctique called the Passage de Drake has a cool dial texture dubbed “Stairway to Eternity,” and it usually comes in the common color choices of black, white or blue. Another way that the Fratello version feels particularly on-trend is that it adds a green “Veridian” variation with a pleasing kind of teal tone. A subtle difference from the rest of the collection is that the 12 o’clock Arabic numeral is here replaced by a double index — like on earlier models from the Antarctique collection — for Fratello.

Czapek doesn’t mass-produce zillions of watches: This limited edition will only have 50 examples, so you’d better act fast if you want one. For a little sense of personalization, buyers get to specify if they want a seconds hand in plain steel, with an orange tip or one that’s fully orange. In addition to the steel bracelet, the watch comes with a proprietary rubber strap, all for a price around $24,600 including European sales tax.

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American Watches Worthy of Your Wrist

The watch scene in the United States, long a predictable and quiet market of watch lovers and buyers, is changing. That’s thanks in part to America’s own kind of volatility: a crucible of American watchmakers and small brands, rising and falling, growing and changing, duking it out for a whole new market of Americans who want to wear a watch made by an American company. The American Watch Renaissance is real. It’s also complicated.

“It’s total chaos,” said Nick Harris, a former Seiko modder who went to Seattle’s Watch Technology Institute and started his own brand, Orion, when I asked him what it’s like to be a small American watchmaker today. “It’s a madhouse.”

American watchmaking has laid dormant since the 1940s, when prominent US watchmakers, already on the decline, were forced to turn their factories to wartime production. Switzerland, neutral during WWII, capitalized, and American watch brands never recovered. American buyers got perfectly comfy with their Rolexes and their Seikos. Then, in 2011, Shinola woke some of those buyers up with watches that used Swiss quartz movements but were put together in its Detroit factory. A small army of brands has followed suit.

It’s not always been rose gold and sunburst dials. Shinola got shellacked by the FTC in 2015 over “American-made” labeling; there’ve been fights over “in-house” claims by up-and-coming brands, and big names like Niall have winked out of business in an instant.

The biggest trends, though, have been great for consumers. Quality mechanical watchmakers of the old school like RGM have quietly stayed the course, keeping traditional, luxury-level watchmaking alive Stateside and inspiring young tinkerers. Larger, mainstream brands, Shinola included, are all-in for mechanical watches. Smaller first-wave brands like Weiss are continuing to grow and break into the public consciousness. The affordable market has shattered into a sea of microbrands run by up-and-comers like Harris, some of them successful, and each with its own dynamic vision and accessible models.

The result for buyers today is more great watches at every price range, from $100 to $10,000. Below are some of our favorites.

Brew Watches

Brew Retromatic

brew-watches.com

$495.00

It’s no easy feat to stand out among microbrand watch companies today, but New York-based Brew Watch Co. makes it look almost effortless. The Brew Retromatic offers a unique style and set of features that are otherwise hard to find in the watch industry, and more so at its price point. Non-round watches are rare, and those that you actually want to wear are far rarer. With an adroit design and Swiss automatic movement for under $500, the Retromatic is nearly in a class of its own. The best part is that it’s approachable in personality and price, but still offers the mechanical movement and level of detail that watch nerds value.

Movement: Sellita SW200 automatic
Diameter: 36mm
Water Resistance: 50m

Nodus Retrospect III

Noduswatches.com

$475.00

Based in Los Angeles, Nodus represents a crop of young American brands offering the features they know fellow watch enthusiasts appreciate at affordable prices made possible by quality Asian suppliers. Founders Wesley Kwok and Cullen Chen are longtime friends who started the brand together with their own life savings, rather than going the more common Kickstarter route. Nodus is going strong today, and a look at the Retrospect dive watch will tell you why: Its design is rock-solid, it’s powered by a Seiko NH35 movement, and it’s got serious features like sapphire crystal and 200m of water resistance.

Movement: Seiko NH35 Automatic
Diameter: 40.5mm
Water Resistance: 200m

Shinola The Runwell Automatic

shinola.com

$1,095.00

When it was founded in 2012, Shinola was a game-changer for American watches, touting its local Detroit staff as part of the city’s Renaissance, and the watches they assembled with Swiss quartz movements as a return to an American-made ethos. Since then, some would say the American watch movement has left them behind, moving on to younger, smaller brands, and moving toward the mechanical. Shinola shows signs of catching up, however, with mechanical watches a permanent part of the company’s lineup — including the brand’s flagship model, the Runwell.

Movement: Sellita SW200-1 automatic
Case Diameter: 39.5mm or 45mm
Water Resistance: 50m

Autodromo Intereuropa Manual Wind

autodromo.com

$1,250.00

Auto-inspired watches are nothing new. Yet designer Bradley Price has breathed new American life into the trope, blending a consistent design language spoken by both car and watch enthusiasts with quality finishing and reasonable prices (thanks to Hong Kong manufacturing). That formula has been a winning one for buyers, and it’s taken a number of different forms in its association with all things automotive. The Intereuropa falls on the classic side, recalling the colors and flowing lines of Italian cars from 1949-1964 — the era of the race it was named for. It’s 39mm wide and nice and thin, housing an ETA 7001 manually wound Swiss movement and listing for $1,250.

Movement: ETA 7001 manual
Case Diameter: 39mm
Water Resistance: 50m

Pelton

Pelton Sector

peltonusa.com

$1,499.00

The founder of Pelton watches, Deni Mesanovic, is one of those clearly talented individuals with a wide-ranging skill set and gobs of entrepreneurial energy. His watch business followed a business designing and building microphones, and he’s since also expanded to luxury eyewear and leather goods. He assembles the watches himself, but more notable is that he actually crafts many components in-house. His Sector watch is perfectly representative of the brand, with handmade dials that each require about six hours of work. As each is made to order, however, they take a few weeks to be delivered.

Movement: ETA 2824-2 automatic
Case Diameter: 40mm
Water Resistance: 100m

Oak & Oscar

Oak & Oscar Olmsted 38

oakandoscar.com

$1,575.00

Oak & Oscar’s founder Chase Fancher ditched a real estate job in 2015 to start his Chicago-based brand. His newest watch, the Olmsted, is the second permanent member of the collection (the rest were limited editions). It was inspired by the founder of landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmsted, and takes the brand in a decidedly field-watch direction: with its 100m water resistance rating, double domed sapphire crystal, sandwich dial with plenty of lume and dependable ETA movement, it’s another example of what Fancher considers the “perfect everyday, go-anywhere kind of watch.”

Movement: ETA 2892-A2 automatic
Case Diameter: 38mm
Water Resistance: 100m

Haven Watch Co

Haven Watch Co. Chilton

Havenwatchco.com

$1,799.00

Haven, a brand proudly based in the American midwest, is new on the scene as of 2019, and brings some fun and color to the watch world with its Chilton chronograph. Drawing on funky chronograph designs of the 1960s and ’70s, it features numerous vintage-inspired elements and details to appreciate, for those so inclined. Take its box-style sapphire crystal, for example, or its panda and reverse-panda dials and vibrant highlights. And unlike many chronographs that tend toward the large side, it’s just 37.5mm wide. Based on this first watch, it’s worth looking forward to Haven’s future as well.

Movement: Sellita SW510M manual
Case Diameter: 37.5mm
Water Resistance: 30m

Monta

Monta Atlas

montawatch.com

$1,850.00

Monta was founded in St. Louis where its cofounders were, respectively, working in finance and running a company making high-end rubber watch straps. Only a few years later, Monta is one of the stars of American watchmaking, known for offering the look and feel of name-brand Swiss watches at microbrand prices. The Atlas, the brand’s fourth collection, combines field watch styling with a GMT complication powered by a Sellita 330 Swiss automatic movement. Most of all, it’s the combination of refined details and a purposeful tool watch vibe that give any Monta model its sense of value and character.

Movement: Sellita 330 automatic
Case Diameter: 38.5mm
Water Resistance: 150m

Vortic

Vortic Watches Railroad Edition

Vorticwatches.com

$2,995.00

“We hope to remind everyone that the United States used to be the world superpower of watchmaking,” says R.T. Custer, cofounder of Vortic Watch Company, which has found a unique way to prod that memory. Each of the brand’s watches is centered around an antique pocket watch movement, dial, and hands, refurbished and placed inside a custom-made case. The Railroad Edition uses only refurbished “railroad-grade” watches made by American companies like Elgin, Waltham, and Illinois. The watches are huge, of course — each around 51mm — and though they’re all different, each is chock-full of American watchmaking heritage contained within its display case back.

Movement: Custom, refurbished American-made mechanical
Case Diameter: 51mm
Water Resistance: N/A

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The Complete Buying Guide to Breitling Watches

Welcome to Brand Breakdown, a series of comprehensive yet easy-to-digest guides to your favorite companies, with insights and information you won’t find on the average About page.

Breitling, headquartered in Grenchen, Switzerland, remains one of the few independent large-scale Swiss watch brands. In addition to their global retail reach, they currently have fourteen boutiques located in the United States alone. If, however, you don’t live near an authorized Breitling dealer or prefer to shop online, this guide will help educate you on the brand’s vast catalog of offerings. Breitling has recently revised many of their collections and there is no better time than now to re-educate yourself on their wares.

To ensure a high level of time-keeping accuracy, all current Breitling watch movements are tested by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres, or COSC). Watch movements that pass multiple rounds of stringent COSC testing earn the coveted “Chronometer” certification. Every new Breitling watch is a COSC-certified chronometer with maximum average deviations of -4 to + 6 (mechanical) and -/+ .07 seconds (quartz) per day.

Modern Breitling offers a robust catalog categorized by eight product lines, each of which represent distinct variations of sport-oriented timepieces with roots in the tradition of fine Swiss watchmaking. Breitling’s modern luxury watches also come in a variety of sizes, styles, and functional capabilities.

Breitling’s History

Old Pocket Watches & Phillips

Breitling has been producing watches since 1884, and was the first watch company to move the chronograph activation button away from the crown in 1914. A significant game-changer came in 1932 when they added a second pusher to reset the chronograph. Breitling then innovated again in 1941 with the introduction of the Chronomat, the first watch with a basic circular slide rule on the rotating bezel, which was used for computations.

Civilian air travel boomed following World War II. By 1952, a more complex slide rule combined with a chronograph made the new Navitimer a favorite of both hobby and professional pilots who relied on analog technology. (This was famously documented when NASA astronaut Scott Carpenter flew the Mercury-Atlas 7 mission with a Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute on his wrist.) During this period, Breitling solidified its image as synonymous with aviation.

Famed jazz trumpeter Miles Davis was also known to wear a Breitling Navitimer — it’s easy to spot on his left wrist in photos from the 1960s. In Thunderball, James Bond wears a Breitling Top Time with a (prop) Geiger counter complication. On the mega-hit television show Seinfeld, a careful eye can spot Jerry Seinfeld almost always wearing a Breitling. (Seinfeld still wears a Breitling Aerospace when performing his live stand-up act.) On any given Sunday, you’ll find James Brown wearing a Navitimer on the pre-game show NFL Today.

Breitling is also rolling out their in-house caliber B01 movement that features in many of their modern chronographs. In 2017, they partnered with Tudor to exchange these B01 movements for the use of Tudor’s in-house MT5612 three-hand movement. The consumer transparency of the exchange program is non-traditional in Swiss watchmaking, and benefits the consumer by allowing both brands to add refinement to their luxury timepieces while maintaining a competitive market position.

Chronomat

Breitling

Breitling reintroduced the Chronomat in 2020 with a refreshed style that’s consistent with the original 1984 versions. One of the main identifying features of the Chronomat is the rouleaux (stacked cylindrical-link) bracelet — there are only a few specialty Chronomat models for which a metal bracelet is not available. Even the optional rubber strap for the Chronomat retains the stacked-cycling look. The rider tabs (trapezoids) on the rotating bezel at “0, 15, 30, and 45” provide additional grip and were designed to be easy to use while wearing gloves.

Breitling

Breitling Chronomat B01 42

breitling.com

$287.00

The Breitling B01 42 Copper, with its unique copper-colored dial, is a mainstay of the Chronomat line. Looking for less bold? Traditional colored dials are also available. You’ll also find other features that are used across the Chronomat line, such as like the rider tabs, rounded pushers and crown, and the rouleaux bracelet. If you have a hard time finding a comfortable bracelet, the Chronomat B01 42 is worth a look.

Movement: Breitling Cal. B01 automatic

Dimensions: 42 x 15.1 x 50.5mm

Material: Stainless steel

Water Resistance: 200m

Strap: Bracelet 22/20mm

Price: $8,250 (bracelet)

Breitling

Breitling Super Chronomat 44 Four-Year Calendar

breitling.com

$14,600.00

If you love additional complications, but also like a sporty look, check out the Super Chrnomat 44 Four-Year Calendar: There are so many complications that you might want to consider keeping this watch on a winder so that you don’t have to reset all of them if the 42-hour power reserve runs out. It also has no shortage of allure, with 18k red gold accents, multiple subdials, and a commanding wrist presence.

Movement: Breitling Cal. 19 automatic

Dimensions: 44 x 14.5 x 53.5mm

Material: Stainless steel/18k red gold

Water Resistance: 100m

Strap: Rubber strap or bracelet 22/20mm

Price: $14,600 (strap); $15,200 (bracelet)

Professional

Breitling

The Professional line is a no-nonsense, function-first collection — these are tool watches designed for specific purposes and harsh environments. If you’re looking for a watch that’s gonna take a beating, the Breitling Professional models are a great place to start. (They’re tough enough for Bear Grylls to use on some of the most extreme wilderness survival adventures on the planet.) But don’t be fooled by the rugged utilitarian aesthetic — these are still high-quality luxury watches.

Breitling

Breitling Emergency

breitling.com

$18,695.00

The Breitling Emergency is a very large watch — it has to be massive to fit a dual-frequency emergency radio transmitter in the case. When its bottom crown is unscrewed, an integrated antenna system begins broadcasting a signal that will alert emergency rescuers to your location. (And it is not a gimmick — just trust us here.) While massive, the Emergency is about as authentic as it gets for wilderness, oceanic, or alpine backcountry survival gear.

Movement: Breitling Cal. 76 SuperQuartz

Dimensions: 51 x 21.6 x 63mm

Material: DLC-coated titanium

Water Resistance: 50m

Strap: Rubber strap or bracelet 26/20mm

Price: $19,950 (bracelet); $18,695 (strap)

Breitling

Breitling Aerospace EVO

breitling.com

$4,375.00

The Aerospace EVO is the ultimate sleeper-pick from Breitling — in many ways, it represents the apex of analog/digital quartz watches: The crown activates the controls for the additional digital functions on its otherwise analog dial, which include a second-time zone, alarm, chronograph, and countdown timer. With a little practice, the user interface is fairly intuitive. There is traditional lume treatment on analog portions as well as a blueish backlight for the digital areas.

Movement: Breitling Cal. 79 SuperQuartz

Dimensions: 43 x 10.8 x 52mm

Material: Titanium

Water Resistance: 100m

Strap: Bracelet 22/20mm

Price: $4,375 (bracelet)

Navitimer

Breitling

Without a doubt, the Navitimer is Breitling’s flagship watch. Iconic and easily recognizable, its distinctive feature is the slide rule, bi-directional bezel. (It’s usually white, contrasting with the dial and complementing the subdials.) The iconic look is also functional: Before digital calculators, slide rules were commonly used to quickly calculate multiplication and division. The handy slide rule bezel, in conjunction with Navitimer’s chronograph complication, was quickly adopted by pilots.

Breitling

Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43

breitling.com

$9,350.00

The iconic Navitimer still has the same overall design language and function as the original released in 1952: The friction bezel is bi-directional and is used by aligning the numbers on it with the unit index numbers on the dial to perform analog calculations. The Navitimer B01 also features Breitling’s newest in-house automatic chronograph movement. Despite a very busy dial, it’s also surprisingly easy to read at a glance. Don’t let the 43mm size intimidate you, as this watch wears smaller due to the downward angle of the lugs.

Movement: Breitling Cal. B01 automatic

Dimensions: 43 x 14.2 x 49.1mm

Material: Stainless steel

Water Resistance: 30m

Strap: Leather stap or bracelet 22/20mm

Price: $9,350 (bracelet); $8,650 (strap w/folding clasp); $8,350 (strap w/tang)

Breitling

Breitling Navitimer 1959 Edition

breitling.com

$39,900.00

The overall aesthetic of the Navitimer 1959 Platinum looks more vintage than modern: The big Arabic numerals, vintage logo, and lack of a date window on the dial easily distinguish the 1959 from its modern B01 cousin. The movement is still in-house, but it’s a hand-wound, in-house Breitling caliber B09. Completing the vintage vibe, the 1959 also features a domed Plexiglas crystal. It’s limited to only 59 pieces, so catch one if you can!

Movement: Breitling Cal. B09 hand-wound

Dimensions: 41 x 14.3 x 51.5mm

Material: Platinum

Water Resistance: 30m

Strap: Leather 22/18

Price: $39,900

Superocean Heritage

Breitling

If you’re looking for something aquatic with a touch of nostalgic legacy, the Superocean Heritage collection is worth checking out. The design elements reflect Breitling’s long history of producing dive watches dating back to the 1950s, with dials and bezels with more negative space for a cleaner look. Breitling has gone to great lengths to unify their straps and bracelets within collections, and you’ll find some of their best in the Superocean Heritage collection. Not only are they classically elegant, but they are also made to get wet! As a bonus, the three-hander watches in this collection feature the B20 movement, a modified Tudor in-house cal. MT5612.

Breitling

Breitling Superocean Heritage B20 Automatic 42

breitling.com

$5,100.00

It’s easy for a dive watch to get overly busy. Breitling kept it simple with cues stemming from their own 1950’s Superocean. There are two great features to this watch: The first is the robust COSC-certified B20 (Tudor MT5612) movement with a 70-hour power reserve. The second is the excellent steel mesh bracelet found in the Superocean Heritage line. It’s one of the best mesh bracelets in this price range, if not the best.

Movement: Breitling Cal. B20 automatic (modified Tudor cal. MT5612)

Dimensions: 42 x 14.3 x51.5mm

Material: Stainless steel

Water Resistance: 200m

Strap: Steel Bracelet (mesh) or Rubber 22/20mm

Price: $5,100 bracelet; $4,750 strap

Breitling

Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57

breitling.com

$4,835.00

The Superocean Heritage 1957 had collectors clambering when it was announced: The distinct concave bezel and retro hour markers at 12, 3, 6, 9 combine to produce a watch styled for Tomorrowland but designed in the mid-century. (Ironically, the projected style of the future is now the look of the past.) Despite the 42mm spec, there is quite a bit of bezel overhang and the case wears smaller, and the lack of date complication leaves the symmetry of the dial intact. In short, the Superocean Heritage 1957 is a few standard deviations from center — in a good way.

Movement: Breitling Cal. B10 automatic

Dimensions: 42 x 9.9 x 46mm

Material: Stainless steel

Water Resistance: 100m

Strap: Bracelet or leather strap 20/18mm

Price: $4,835 (bracelet); $4,630 (strap w/folding clasp); $4,380 (strap w/tang)

Avenger

Breitling

From DLC-coated cases to multi-time zone GMT functionality, the Breitling Avenger collection has you covered. While chronographs and time-only watches still exist in this collection, the Avenger watches have a distinct military feel — think of them as field watches, but with a distinct Breitling design. Most are available on a metal bracelet or on a leather strap that looks more like woven canvas. And while there are no precious metal watches in the Avenger collection, but there are few titanium options.

Breitling

Breitling Avenger Automatic 45 Seawolf Night Mission

breitling.com

$4,850.00

If you like large watches and modern military styling, check out the Avenger Automatic Seawolf. The lightweight titanium case offsets its 45mm diameter and the weight of the mechanical movement. Distinguishing features of this model include DLC-black coating, a large cylindrical crown, and dial numerals in the style of surplus military stenciling that are treated with Super-LumiNova for night visibility. The rugged Avenger Seawolf Night Mission is a fully capable dive watch with a helium escape valve and 3,000m of water resistance.

Movement: Breitling Cal. B17 automatic

Dimensions: 45 x 18.3 x 55.2mm

Material: DLC-coated titanium

Water Resistance: 3,000m

Strap: Leather 22/20mm

Price: $5,150 (strap w/pushbutton); $4,850 (strap w/tang)

Breitling

Breitling Avenger Automatic GMT 43

breitling.com

$4,500.00

The Avenger Automatic GMT 43 features a 24-hr hand to track a second-time zone. The unidirectional steel bezel with rider tabs and radial brushing can also measure elapsed time. This watch fits the “GMT-Diver” category, being capable for both ventures. (The twenty-four-hour scale is printed on the chapter ring for easy readability.) Details are not overlooked on this luxury tool watch, like the red top on the sweep seconds hand and the grenade-grip screw-down crown.

Movement: Breitling Cal. B32 automatic

Dimensions: 43 x 12.2x 52.6mm

Material: Stainless steel

Water Resistance: 300m

Strap: Bracelet or leather 22/20mm

Price: $4,500 (bracelet); $4,350 (strap w/push button); $4,200 (strap w/tang)

Superocean

Breitling

The Superocean is one of Breitling’s most popular lines for good reason — it builds on the company’s dive watch legacy to offer modern GADA (go-anywhere, do-anything) watches. There are seven dial colors to choose from as well as five sizes (36, 42, 44, 46, and 48mm), which should cover just about anyone. The majority of the Superocean watches are available on a metal bracelet or rubber strap with a choice of tang-type buckle or pushbutton folding clasp. You would be hard-pressed not to find a dive watch with a size/dial/strap combo from the modern Superocean collection that didn’t suit your taste.

Breitling

Breitling Superocean Automatic 42

breitling.com

$4,000.00

The Superocean line from Breitling is a top seller for a reason: From beach getaways to boring meetings, this watch can handle it all. The 42mm version wears similar to a Rolex Submariner at a fraction of the price. (To sweeten the comparison, you can actually buy the Breitling Superocean without a waitlist scenario.) And unlike with Rolex, you don’t have to pay precious metal prices for a blue dive watch. There is serious competition in this dive watch price category, as the Superocean contends with heavy-hitters like the Tudor Black Bay and the Omega Seamaster.

Pro Tip: Buy the Superocean on the bracelet and buy a Breitling rubber strap ($75) and tang-type buckle ($150). For $225 total it’s like having a whole new watch for the summer or a vacation. It’s well worth it.

Movement: Breitling Cal. B17 automatic

Dimensions: 42 x 13.3 x 50.6mm

Material: Stainless steel

Water Resistance: 500m

Strap: Steel bracelet or rubber strap 20/18mm

Price: $4,200 (bracelet); $4,000 (strap w/pushbutton); $3,700 (strap w/tang)

Breitling

Breitling Superocean Automatic 44 Outerknown

breitling.com

$4,150.00

Outerknown is legendary surfer Kelly Slater’s clothing brand that embodies sustainability as a core value and not a marketing gimmick — the 44 Outerknown builds on the solid platform of the Superocean and then takes it up a level. Its single-pass ECNYL® yarn strap is made from upcycled plastic ocean waste, and it comes in a unique green colorway to differentiate it from the rest of the Superocean line. Don’t be afraid to paddle out into a set with this one.

Movement: Breitling Cal. B17 automatic

Dimensions: 44 x 14.2 x 53mm

Material: Stainless steel

Water Resistance: 1,000m

Strap: ECNYL® yarn single-pass 22/22mm

Price: $4,150 (strap)

Premier

Breitling

This is Breitling’s space to show off its high-level watchmaking — the collection feels more high-end in craftsmanship, and this is reflected in the price. Split-second chronographs, moon phases, and tourbillons are all found here. You aren’t going to find the level of case or movement finishing in a Breitling that you’ll find at Patek Philippe or A. Lange & Söhne. However, when timepieces from the Premier collection start getting mentioned in the same conversations as those high-horology watchmakers, suddenly its pricing becomes a relative value proposition.

Breitling

Breitling Premier B09 Chronograph 40

breitling.com

$8,400.00

The Breitling B09 Chronograph 40 has charming dimensions that many should find both desirable and wearable, though the visual draw is the light green-colored dial that Breitling has aptly dubbed Pistachio. The in-house, hand-wound B09 movement features a chronograph complication with a modern 70-hour power reserve, and the subdials keep the dial balanced and provide negative space with a two-register (bicompax) layout. The absence of a self-winding on the B09 keeps the chronograph 13mm tall, and it will slide under the sleeve of a dress shirt.

Movement: Breitling Cal. B09 hand-wound

Dimensions: 40 x 13 x 47.6mm

Material: Stainless steel

Water Resistance: 100m

Strap: Leather 20/18mm

Price: $8,400

Breitling

Breitling Premier B25 Datora 42

breitling.com

$12,950.00

The Breitling Premier B25 Datora doesn’t simply punch above its weight class — it goes Iron Mike with a first-round knock-out blow. With all of the information that it provides, it lives up to its triple calendar designation: Its in-house B25 automatic caliber features numerous compilations: chronograph, date, day, month, and moon phase. All of the complications are well positioned within the movement to provide an exceptionally balanced dial layout. Retailing at a fraction of the price of a triple calendar Patek Philippe, the Breitling B25 Datora gives you that ultra-high-end luxury experience without breaking the bank.

Movement: Breitling Cal. B25 automatic

Dimensions: 42 x 15.3 x 50mm

Material: Stainless steel

Water Resistance: 100m

Strap: Leather (w/folding clasp) 22/18mm

Price: $12,950

Aviator 8

Breitling

The Aviator 8 collection calls back to Breitling’s rich aviation history without living in the shadow of the Navitimer. Here, you’ll find lots of chronographs and 12-hour bezels, and many of the designs should seem familiar, as they often end up as homages. Don’t confuse familiarity with monotony, however — there are interesting offerings with unique function-first features, such as the eight-pronged bezel found on the Super 8. If you’re into classic aircraft like the Curtiss Warhawk or De Havilland Mosquito, the Aviator 8 is the Breitling collection that you should look at first.

Breitling

Breitling Aviator 8 Automatic Day & Date 41

breitling.com

$4,550.00

Breitling offers another watch in stainless steel that Rolex only sells in precious metal (in the form of the Day-Date): The Automatic Day-Date 41, which is a versatile sports watch for those who like to see the day of the week in addition to the date. Breitling chose a circularly brushed rotating steel bezel for this model, which is plain except for an inverted triangle that can be used to count down or measure elapsed time. It also features highly legible, large Arabic numerals and is available on several different straps with different buckle options.

Movement: Breitling Cal. B45 automatic

Dimensions: 41 x 11.1 x 48.7mm

Material: Stainless steel

Water Resistance: 100m

Strap: Bracelet or leather strap 21/18mm

Price: $4,550 (bracelet); $4,300 (strap w/folding clasp); $4,100 (strap w/tang)

Breitling

Breitling Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 Mosquito

breitling.com

$7,950.00

If you’re into vintage Breitling chronographs but enjoy modern reliably for daily wear, look no further: The Aviator 8 B01 43 Mosquito should remind you of those early pilot chronographs designed by Breitling. Orange-colored tips on the pencil-style hands and on the subdial details aid legibility in contrast to the otherwise black and white dial, while the black aluminum bezel insert pulls the overall design together and makes tracking an additional time zone easy. It’s powered by Breitling’s in-house B01 movement found in their top-tier chronograph models, and for added convenience, there’s a date window positioned at 4:30.

Movement: Breitling Cal. B01 automatic

Dimensions: 43 x 13.9 x 51.1mm

Material: Stainless steel

Water Resistance: 100m

Strap: Leather 23/20mm

Price: $7,950 (strap w/folding clasp); $7,750 (strap w/tang)

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Seiko’s Affordable Field Watch Is Finally Back…Kind of

When people speak of a “Seiko 5,” many are thinking specifically of a single line within that vast family of awesomely affordable automatic watches — the cult-classic, dirt-cheap, but seemingly discontinued SNK field watch. In today’s era of everything-old-being-new-again and everything Seiko being highly hyped (and not without good reason), it would’ve been pure folly not to bring the SNK back in some form, and the new SRPG is it.

Kind of.

The Seiko 5 Sports line is the brand’s (still recently) resurrected family of entry-level automatic sport watches — and like everything Seiko does today, it’s generally more refined and cohesive than beloved beaters like the original SNK and SKX dive watch.

The dive-style models that debuted the modern Seiko 5 Sports are the descendants of the SKX, and when the brand introduced models with smaller cases and sans the dive-style bezel (but otherwise with an identical design), many watch fans thought that it was meant to represent the SNK as a field watch-type of option.

But the people want proper field watches, and that’s what the new SRPG line delivers. It’s the first to join modern Seiko 5 Sports with a totally different case and design, and it’s the smallest diameter in the collection yet at 39.4mm.

If you know your cheap Seikos, however, you’ll recognize that the basic design of the SNK was passed over for another model from the old Seiko 5 line known as the SNZG: It was bigger than the new models, but otherwise most elements from the dial design to the hand set to the crown positioning at 3 o’clock are straight from the SNZG.

Courtesy

Courtesy

Seiko’s holding out on the SNK for now, but the new field watches should be crowd pleasers nonetheless. They have a classic military look, 100m of water resistance and should wear smallish, field watches often do. With day and date displays, they’re powered by the same movements as their contemporary siblings in the line, the in-house automatic 4R36 with 41 hours of power reserve.

Like its predecessors, the new field watch is among the most affordable Seiko 5 Sports. It’s priced at full retail the same as the “bezel-less dive watches” mentioned above, and only $20 less than the most affordable dive-style models.

Courtesy

At launch, it’s offered in seven variants with different dial colors, strap options and even a steel bracelet — but these will probably always feel the most appropriate on NATO straps. Available now directly from the brand online, the new Seiko 5 Sports SRPG field watches are $275 regardless of whether you choose steel bracelet (more value here) or nylon strap. (One gradient-dial version costs $315 and hints at more variants and special editions, just like we’ve seen explode among the rest of the Seiko 5 Sports offerings.)

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