Breitling marks its 140^th anniversary with a new calibre, the B19. Based on its longstanding B01, the B19 adds a perpetual calendar on top to create the most complicated in-house calibre in the brand’s stable.

The B19 is making its debut in three different models, all clad in 140^th anniversary livery: the Premier B19 Datora 42, Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar, and Super Chronomat B19 44 Perpetual Calendar.

Initial thoughts

One of the most sophisticated chronograph constructions in the mid range of the price spectrum, the B01 gains a worthy upgrade with the perpetual calendar. Granted the additional complication adds substantial height to the case – all of the three models are well over 15 mm high – but that’s acceptable for a self-winding chronograph with perpetual calendar.

Interestingly, the B01 base movement of the B19 has been upgraded over the standard version with some improvements (no doubt courtesy of Kenissi, which bought the rights to the B01 construction), though it’s uncertain if these will make their way into the plain B01.

Though all three are identical mechanically, they look and feel different. The Super Chronomat is super chunky and the largest of the three, while the Navitimer and Datora are slightly more compact and definitely more retro in terms of style. The old-school, four-register calendar layout arguably suits the vintage-inspired style better.

All three retail for US$59,000, which is par for the course for this double complication in a gold case, but it’s well above Breitling’s sweet spot for pricing, putting the watches in competition with less complicated but finer offerings from higher end brands. As a result, the anniversary edition has a niche appeal, but the regular production version – that is unannounced but inevitable – will certainly be a better value proposition.

B01 upgraded

The B19 is arguably the most refined take on the concept for Breitling, since it combines the in-house calendar mechanism with the in-house B01. In the anniversary editions, the B19 is upgraded with a solid gold rotor depicting Breitling’s historic Montbrillant manufacture.

Kitted out with a vertical clutch and column wheel in a well-thought-out construction, the B01 is Breitling’s flagship in-house movement. It’s also used by Tudor, which acquired the rights to the movement via its movement subsidiary Kenissi. The Tudor version of the movement has upgraded features originally absent on the B01, though the B19 now sports some of the upgrades.

The B19 also has an in-house perpetual calendar module that has been part of Breitling’s offerings on and off for some decades. The more common version of the calendar module was a simpler annual calendar version that was combined with an ETA Valjoux 7750 in the Navitimer 1461 and similar models that were in Breitling’s catalogue for many years.

All three anniversary editions share the same B19 movement as well as an 18k red gold case, but are otherwise quite different.

The Premier B19 Datora 42 140th Anniversary is a 42 mm by 15.6 mm watch with a black dial and matching black registers, making it the most compact of the trio.

The Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary is slightly larger at 43 mm wide and 15.62 mm high, but more striking with its pink-on-pink livery. The 18k red gold case is matched with a solid, 18k red gold dial and a black slide-rule bezel.

Finally, the Super Chronomat B19 44 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary is 44 mm in diameter and 15.35 mm high. The red gold case sports a red gold bezel with a black ceramic insert. The more modern styling is matched with a partially open worked dial that reveals some of the calendar mechanism below.

Key facts and price

Breitling Premier B19 Datora 42 140th Anniversary
Ref. RB19401A1B1P1

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 15.6 mm
Material: 18k red gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. B19
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and perpetual calendar
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 96 hours

Strap: Black alligator strap with 18k red gold folding buckle

Limited edition: 140 pieces
Availability: Now at Breitling boutiques and retailers
Price: US$59,000

Breitling Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary
Ref. RB19101A1H1P1

Diameter: 43 mm
Height: 15.62 mm
Material: 18k red gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. B19
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and perpetual calendar
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 96 hours

Strap: Black alligator strap with 18k red gold folding buckle

Limited edition: 140 pieces
Availability: Now at Breitling boutiques and retailers
Price: US$59,000

Breitling Super Chronomat B19 44 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary
Ref. RB19301A1G1S1

Diameter: 44 mm
Height: 15.35 mm
Material: 18k red gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. B19
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and perpetual calendar
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 96 hours

Strap: Rouleaux-inspired rubber strap with an 18 k red gold folding clasp

Limited edition: 140 pieces
Availability: Now at Breitling boutiques and retailers
Price: US$59,000

For more, visit breitling.com

Having released Chinese Zodiac editions annually for the past 12 years, Vacheron Constantin presents the Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac “Year of the Snake”. The serpent is the sixth Chinese zodiac sign for the upcoming year that begins with the Chinese New Year on January 29, 2025.

Available in pink gold or platinum, the new zodiac edition illustrates the brand’s metiers d’art expertise with hand-engraving and enamelling on a dial that depicts a cobra.

Initial thoughts

Vacheron Constantin has developed a niche with its Métiers d’Art offerings, some of which, like the Wind God and Thunder God pair of repeaters, are exceptional.

The Zodiac series is more accessible than the repeaters, but still relies on Vacheron Constantin’s in-house calibre with a unique display that indicates the time and calendar in windows, leaving the dial free for artisanal decoration.

The quality of work on the dial is high, although the snake is not a universally loved creature, unlike say the dragon, which will limit the appeal of this particular edition.

The king of snakes

The snake edition employs the same case as last zodiac models, which measures 40 mm in diameter and 12.72 mm in thickness. The movement also remains the same cal. 2460 G4 with a window-based display.

Instead of traditional hands, the watch displays the time, date, and day of the week through four windows on the dial. The apertures at 11 and one o’clock indicate the hours and minutes, whereas those at seven and five o’clock indicate the day and date respectively.

The window-based display frees up most of the dial for decoration. Here it is centred on a hand-engraved cobra sitting on rocks, both of which are solid gold appliqués. The cobra and rock are first engraved and then painted to enhance the texture and relief, a process that requires three days.

The discs for the time and calendar are colour matched to the dial

The cobra sits on a fired enamel dial that’s decorated with enamelling depicting the sky and foliage. The light blue sky that darkens towards the periphery is painted with grand feu enamel, while the foliage is executed in flux-coated miniature enamel. Each colour of the enamelling is fired individually, with the enamelling done section by section in a painstaking process.

The in-house cal. 2460 G4 is visible through the sapphire case back. Bearing the Poincon de Geneva hallmark, the movement features an open-worked 22k gold rotor with a Maltese cross logo of Vacheron Constantin. The movement offers 40 hours of power reserve and beats at 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz).

Key facts and price

Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Snake
Ref. 86073/000R-H034 (pink gold)
Ref. 86073/000P-H033 (platinum)

Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 12.72 mm
Material: Pink gold or platinum
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 2460 G4
Functions: Hours, minutes, day of week, and date
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 40 hours

Strap: Brown or blue alligator with folding clasp

Limited edition: 25 pieces per reference
Availability: Now at Vacheron Constantin boutiques and retailers
Price: Price upon request

For more, visit Vacheron-constantin.com.

Tudor’s latest release is the Black Bay Chrono Blue, a boutique-exclusive with a familiar “Panda” dial with snowflake hands, but now in “Tudor Blue”. Just like its pink dial, limited production counterpart, the new chronograph is equipped with a “5-link” bracelet, which is basically Tudor’s version of the Jubilee bracelet.

Initial thoughts

Tudor is a brand that combines appealing, functional design with historical basis – and an exceptional price-performance ratio. Though still excellent value, the Black Bay Chrono Blue is not revolutionary; the only novel element is the blue dial.

However, it remains a strong option for anyone looking for affordable sports chronograph with a high-spec movement. I prefer the look of the original black-and-silver “Panda” dial, but I would lean towards the new variant simply because it is the only regular production model equipped with the “5-link” bracelet that pairs well with the design.

Priced at US$5,675, the Black Bay Chrono Blue is a great value proposition. Its strongest feature is the COSC-certified MT5813, a calibre based on Breitling’s B01 but upgraded significantly by Tudor and likely the best chronograph movement at this price point.

Tudor blue

The stainless steel case is 41 mm in diameter and 14.4 mm in thickness. Water resistant to 200 m, the case features a screw-down crown engraved with the Tudor rose logo and screw-down pushers. The case is satin-brushed on its tops, and mirror-polished on its sides. The lugs are cut with polished bevels for additional contrast.

The aluminium bezel insert with a tachymeter scale matches the dial

The highlight of the new model is the blue sunburst dial with silver chronograph registers. The “snowflake” hands and the applied indices are filled with Super-LumiNova for enhanced legibility in dark environments.

The “5-link” bracelet features the brand’s T-Fit micro-adjustment function, allowing the wearer to adjust the bracelet by millimetres on the go, without the use of tools.

Under the solid case back lies the MT5813. Based on the Breitling B01, the movement features a column wheel and a vertical clutch.

Boasting 70 hours of power reserve and a silicon balance spring, it is COSC-certified and beats at 28,800 beats per second (4 Hz).

Key facts and price

Tudor Black Bay Chrono “Blue” Boutique Edition
Ref. 76360B

Diameter: 41 mm
Height: 14.4 mm
Material: Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 200 m

Movement: MT5813
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and chronograph 
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 70 hours

Strap: 5-link steel bracelet

Limited edition: No
Availability: Now at Tudor boutiques
Price: US$5,675

For more, visit Tudorwatch.com.

For the milestone anniversary of its famed chronograph, A. Lange & Söhne hasn’t held back on commemorative editions. Starting with the Datograph Up/Down in blue and then the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen”, the German brand now concludes the anniversary with the third and final celebratory edition, the Datograph Handwerkskunst. 

A finely executed watch that will instinctively appeal to Lange fans, the yellow gold Datograph Handwerkskunst is unsurprising given the occasion. And like past Handwerkskunst editions – this is the eighth watch in the Handwerkskunst series – it is relatively inaccessible: the watch is limited to just 25 pieces and substantially pricier than the regular production Datograph.

The L951.8 in the Datograph Handwerkskunst

Initial thoughts

The original Datograph set the benchmark for a high-end, classical chronograph movement when it was launched in 1999. Exceptional both aesthetically and technically, then and now, the Datograph remains equally impressive 25 years later.

The Datograph Handwerkskunst has all the familiar traits that defined the model for the past 25 years. On top of that, it has an artisanally decorated dial finished with tremblage. And more significantly, the movement gets a substantial extra dose of black polishing on all the chronograph levers, enhancing an already impressive chronograph calibre.

Notably, the Datograph Handwerkskunst returns to the Datograph design of 1999. The tremblage dial has the neo-classical dial with Roman numerals found on the original, a design that suits the elaborate decoration well. This gives the watch a certain grandeur, and a baroque aesthetic that is less clinical than the conventional Lange style.

The dial decor also complements the yellow gold case as well; the alloy is also notable for being used only once before in the Datograph line.

Though the price of the new Datograph is on request, going by the recent pricing norms for the brand’s limited editions, this should be in the region of US$200,000, as compared to the regular production model that costs about half that. The price feels a little exaggerated for a Datograph with a decorated dial and frosted movement, but the extremely limited nature justifies the price.

Just like the two anniversary pieces launched earlier this year, the Datograph Handwerkskunst is a combination of familiar Lange elements. It isn’t imaginative but this does not make the watch any less impressive in terms of finishing and execution.

Craftsmanship

German for “craftsmanship”, handwerkskunst in the Lange catalogue has always been about watches with dials and movements decorated elaborately with artisanal techniques that are not applied to standard models. The Datograph Handwerkskunst follows a template established with prior Handwerkskunst editions, with the highlight clearly being the dial.

Made of solid 18k gold and plated in black rhodium, the dial showcases tremblage, an engraving technique that creates countless, microscopic divots on the dial with a special burin. The challenge is to achieve an even finish across finely-grained surface.

The dial is exquisitely crafted, with the darker tremblage surface pairing well with the yellow gold indices and markings that are in raised relief.

The Lange typeface and overall styling of the dial matches the tremblage, giving the watch a sense of fancy yet restrained German refinement that is found on other Handwerkskunst watches. And the relief indices on the grained surface are reminiscent of wrought-iron embellishments on the facades of neoclassical buildings.

A familiar chronograph

The classic case profile of the Datograph Up/Down is retained, and the yellow gold case has a diameter of 41 mm, with a thickness of 13.1 mm. This is only the second Datogaph in yellow gold after the limited production first-generation model.

The case finishing is excellent, with a styling instantly recognisable as Lange. The large chronograph pushers and crown are balanced by the trademark rapid date corrector placed at 10 o’clock. 

Beneath the dial sits the L951.8, an evolution of the original Datograph movement from 1999. The L951.8 runs for 60 hours, beats at a leisurely 2.5Hz and features a large, free-sprung balance. The Breguet overcoil hairspring is produced in-house by Lange, a laudable feat.

Though technically identical to the movement in the Datograph Up/Down, the L951.8 has a finishing unique to the Handwerkskunst edition.

Instead of the customary striped bridges, the L951.8 sports a frosted finish that was also employed in a handful of past limited editions. Another unique element is the balance cock relief engraved with a vine motif, which replaces the conventional intaglio engraving.

But the most notable decorative extra is the mirrored black polishing applied to all of the steel chronograph levers. This is a more time consuming and difficult technique than the straight graining found on the regular production version of the movement.

The movement features the iconic Datograph layout, which lays the chronograph works, levers and hammers almost bare, along with the horizontal clutch and instant minute counter works. Over the course of the years, the Datograph calibre has undergone. a number of tweaks and modifications, some of which added new complications, while others were incremental improvements of the base movement.

The calibre still remains the standard in terms of classical chronograph architecture, although objectively it is not as technically advanced as other movements, like the Patek Philippe CH 29-535 PS for instance.

Key facts and price

A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Handwerkskunst
Ref. 405.048F

Diameter: 41 mm
Height: 13.1 mm
Crystal: Sapphire
Material: 750 (18K) yellow gold
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: L951.8
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, flyback chronograph, and oversized date
Winding: Hand-wound
Frequency: 18,000 beats per hour (2.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 60 hours

Strap: Alligator with deployant clasp in 18k yellow gold

Limited edition: 25 numbered watches
Availability: At A. Lange & Söhne boutiques
Price: On request

For more, visit Alange-soehne.com.