The Chronomat holds a significant place in Breitling’s history. Introduced in 1984, when extra-thin quartz timepieces were the order of the day, Breitling placed a bold bet on an impressive mechanical watch that proved to be a winner and became an icon of its era. Nearly 40 years later, the redesigned Chronomat is set to appeal to today’s generation of men and women of purpose, action, and style.
The new Breitling Chronomat is truly an all-purpose sports watch, at home both on the red carpet and at the beach. Its features recall the classic namesake from the 1980s and make it instantly recognizable. The eye-catching Rouleaux bracelet with a butterfly clasp perfectly expresses Breitling’s modern-retro style, as does the signature rotating bezel with rider tabs. The new Chronomat celebrates a significant time in Breitling’s history while projecting a clear vision for the future.
When the Breitling Chronomat was launched in 1984, it marked a welcome return to mechanical Swiss watches, which had all but disappeared when quartz watches dominated the marketplace in the 1970s. Inspired by the Frecce Tricolori watch, which had been developed and launched in 1983 in collaboration with the famed Italian aerial squadron of the same name, the Chronomat celebrated Breitling’s centenary in style and marked the return of the mechanical chronograph on which the brand had built its global reputation to its rightfully prominent place. This technical legacy, combined with particularly stylish design codes, made the Chronomat the ultimate sport-chic watch of its era, an expression of aesthetics and confidence that made the chronograph “cool” again.
