Breitling

By: Patrick C Bedford

Breitling has unveiled its most recent horologic innovation to the amazement of the watch industry. The new B01 chronograph movement is the luxury watchmaker's first completely in-house manufactured complication. The new features in this movement distinguish it from any other Swiss movement on the market and set a new bench mark for watch-making excellence.

Breitling has always shared a close and essential relationship with aviation, sports, and industry. It is no surprise that the maker of the first wrist chronograph and first fully automatic chronograph would pursue a higher standard of precision in its designer timepieces. By appropriating itself of the entire movement manufacturing process for the B01, Breitling can now oversee every detail of the chronograph's development.

The B01 project has created a revolutionary specialized assembly process that guarantees the integrity of each watch's quality. Movement along the assembly chain is conducted by an ultra sophisticated computer program that monitors and routes each movement throughout the various paths of assembly. The program alternates the movement's components in two phases. The first phase is fully automated and conducted exclusively by precise robotic arms. This ensures a better quality product as these machines have greater precision than a human hand. The second phase directs the components of the movement to a separate facility where partial manual assembly is required. Upon exiting the assembly chain, the movements are sent to the C.O.S.C. for extremely rigorous testing and analyzes.

The caliber B01 is available exclusively in its C.O.S.C certified version, with accompanying documentation to prove its clearance of highly meticulous precision testing. It is considered a high frequency movement at 28,800 vibrations per hour. The new Chronomat B01 features this new movement, and encases it beautifully in stainless steel, steel & gold, or 18k rose gold. This timepiece has been developed with endurance in mind and boasts 500 meters of water resistance. Another feature that has created excitement over this new Breitling movement is an optimized column-wheel device that provides a clean start/stop function without a jump of the hand. The movement is equipped with a 70 hour reserve which is an impressive feat considering its sleek shape. A patented self setting device for the resetting hammers does away with the traditional need to have a watchmaker correct each individual movement.

As the crowning achievement of this great watch manufacturer's 125th anniversary, the caliber B01 ushers in a new era for chronograph movements, and validates Breitling as the world leader in precision time-keeping instruments for professionals.