10 replies to this topic

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I am a Rolex loyalist and own two of them but I have had my eye on a Breitling for a while. I am ready to pull the trigger on a Windrider Chronomat Evolution Model 446 but I don't know much about the brand. Anybody have any info on this watch or Breitling in general? Thanks.

[JJ Irani]

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[redsrover]

JJ's right on the money. Great watches, very reliable, but horrible resale. I have a titanium Breitling Aerospace (NOT the ugly new Aerospace Advantage) and it is a terrific everyday or weekend beater watch. Love the function of the Breitlings too. One criticism I have is the huge Lego-like quarter-hour markers on the rotating bezel. I took them off my Aerospace and much prefer the cleaner look. Go for it!!

[BreitSheik]

The Evolution is an excellent choice for today's trendy chronograph timepieces. Now with its more imposing case with a dial that makes a statement, you can't go wrong with this. Don't let JJ sway you otherwise, he's a Rollie nut

, although it doesn't have quite the power of a good resale value as a Rollie, you would never think of reselling it anyway once you put it on your wrist! It kinda casts a spell on you that your spellbound to keep it. Ask JJ, it changed me to a Sheikh when I wore the blinger

. I've never regretted it and am bound to keep this Sheikh watch forever. They are more exciting to look at (than just a plain Rollie) IMO

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Anyway, here is my review of mine ...
http://www.rolexforu....ight=Evolution
And also another comparative test report of it ...
http://www.watchtime....004_04_038.pdf

[Rockrolex]

Breitling is an excellent watch, George. But it's not for everyone. They run fairly big and they can look somewhat clunky (although not as clunky IMO as some others, e.g. the AP ROO). You need to like some degree of complications, because most Breitlings have one or more. I've got one - the only Breitling I ever wanted, because of it's many complications - month, day, date, chrono, moon phase, slide rule, and requires resetting once every 4 years. It's fairly big - 43.5 mm - but not as big as my Glycine Airman 9 (at 44 mm). In fact, I'm wearing it today:

[Ravens35]

I have a breitling crosswind, and I do like the watch. I've had it for 3 years and it is probably my most accurate watch. It is very heavy, compared to a rollie, which i like. Like others have said, resale isn't the best. I would only buy with a heavy discount, say 25-35%.

[JJ Irani]

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[Ravens35]

Mine has a blue face, so i guess it is a bit more legible to me.

[SLRdude]

I had to sell mine for personal reasons not that long ago, and I miss it dearly. Breitling makes a fantastic watch that really stands out. The lego looking hour markers are called Rider Tabs and they are designed to facilitate the operation of the bezel while wearing gloves out in the field or in the cockpit of a fighter. Breitling also has a division called Brelitling Chronometrie which basically rebuilds and refineshes every component of the base ETA ebauche. I have owned two Breitlings, and they were both scary accurate. They also make some of the nicest dials in the industry. I am not talking about the look of it, which of course depends on your taste, but about the fit, finish and attention to detail. They are just fantastic miles away from any watch in that price range. Breitling has brought numerous contributions to the watch world, and they have a long history and tradition. Pick one up slightly used, and you won't have to worry about the resale value. Like most wathces, it retains about 50..60% of original MSRP once used. Here are some pics of my ex Breitling, which I plan to replace as soon as possible.

Attached Images

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[haakon59]

Breitling is a solid brand and one of the larger watch companies as well. If my memory is correct, they produce around 400,000 watches a year. I believe that only Rolex, Omega, and Cartier produce more units. So obviously, quite a few people buy them. Most people I know who have commented on them and posts I've read in other forums indicate they are very reliable and sturdy. As someone mentioned above, they have quite a few models that are quite big. Their dials tend to be "busy" making some of the models difficult for me personally to read (middle aged eyes). Right now their Superocean is on my "must buy" list. Several people have commented to me about some of their styles radiating "blinginess" especially when the watch has a polished finish. I have tried on the Superocean and I like it, obviously. If you like the style, go for it--they make very good quality watches.