Breitling has updated their Premier model, with a heritage-inspired design which is equipped with the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01
In 1943, Willy Breitling, the third-generation Breitling founder dreamt of a time after the war, when utility would give way to unbridled optimism and designed a series of elegant chronographs. He assigned them the best materials, the best finishings and the best calibers. He called his new line the Premier.
Reintroduced in 2021, the Premier Heritage chronograph collection revived Willy’s dream of seeing the functional chronograph made undeniably elegant and infinitely wearable — in his words, “the unmistakable stamp of impeccable taste.”
“We are committed to preserving Willy Breitling’s bold vision of combining the precision of a professional tool watch with the sophistication of a modern dress watch. The Premier embodied the hopeful energy that emerged in the postwar era, and we are proud to continue that tradition with a modern-retro version for our times.”
Georges Kern, CEO, Breitling
The six models are powered by the self-winding Breitling Caliber 01, a manufacture movement designed for maximum precision, reliability, and functionality. First released in 2009, it is one of the most highly regarded chronograph movements in the industry. As with all of Breitling’s mechanical calibers, each one has achieved the rigorous COSC certification for accuracy within -4 and +6 seconds per day.
The latest iteration of the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 found in the new Premier chronograph was redesigned in 2022 and features a trimmer profile and more compact oscillating weight that can be admired through the transparent sapphire-crystal case-back. The movement comes with a five-year warranty and provides an approximate 70-hour power reserve.
To create the design of the new Premier, Breitling preserved distinctive vintage-Premier design details, including the smooth fixed bezel, twin-register dial, streamlined rectangular pushers, and applied Arabic numerals. At 42 mm, the case diameter is slightly larger than the 40 mm found on the existing B09 (manual-wind) models.
The tone-on-tone subdials with chronograph minutes at 3 o’clock and running seconds at 9 o’clock lend a polished style, while new dial shades in salmon, blue, green, black, and cream add a contemporary twist to the stainless-steel models.
A further variation in 18K red gold features a classic cream dial. The watches come on a choice of classic alligator leather strap or sleek 7-row metal bracelet.
The launch of the new Premier B01 Chronograph 42 coincides with the publication of Premier Story, part three of the Watch Stories series that chronicles some of the world’s most celebrated timepieces. Author Fred Mandelbaum, Breitling’s official brand historian and the world’s foremost Premier collector, guides readers through Willy Breitling’s ultimately successful (but often tumultuous) quest to take the humble chronograph out of the aircraft cockpit and onto the wrists of the world’s style-setters — a journey that began 80 years ago.
Premier Story (CHF 59.00) is published by the watch book source Watchprint and is available for purchase at www.watchprint.com
Technical Specifications:
PREMIER B01 CHRONOGRAPH 42
REFERENCE
AB0145221B1P1, AB0145221B1A1, AB0145171C1P1, AB0145171C1A1, AB0145331K1P1, AB0145331K1A1, AB0145371L1P1, AB0145371L1A1, AB0145211G1P1 or AB0145211G1A1
WATCH MOVEMENT
Caliber: Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01
Diameter: 30 millimeters
Depth: 7.2 millimeters
Winder: self-winding mechanical, bidirectional with ball bearing
Power reserve: approximately 70 hours
Number of components: 334
Balance frequency: 28,800 a/h or 4 hertz
Chronograph: column-wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers
Display: hour, minute, second, date window
Certification: COSC-certified
CASE
Material: stainless steel
Diameter: 42 millimeters
Thickness: 13.6 millimeters
Height (upper lug tip to lower lug tip): 50.03 millimeters
Water resistance: up to 10 bar (100 meters)
Glass: cambered sapphire, glareproofed on both sides
Case back: screwed steel, sapphire crystal
Crown: non-screw-locked, two gaskets
Bezel: fixed
DIAL/HANDS
Black, blue, salmon, green or cream with tone-on-tone chronograph counters
Super-LumiNova® luminescent hour and minute hands
STRAP
Black, gold-brown, or brown alligator leather strap with a folding buckle (22/18 mm) or stainless-steel seven-row bracelet with a butterfly clasp
PRICE
RRP £7,400 (Bracelet)
RRP £7,150 (Crocodile)
PREMIER B01 CHRONOGRAPH 42
REFERENCE
RB0145371G1P1 or RB0145371G1R1
WATCH MOVEMENT
Caliber: Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01
Diameter: 30 millimeters
Depth: 7.2 millimeters
Winder: self-winding mechanical, bidirectional with ball bearing
Power reserve: approximately 70 hours
Number of components: 334
Balance frequency: 28,800 a/h or 4 hertz
Chronograph: column-wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers
Display: hour, minute, second, date window
Certification: COSC-certified
CASE
Material: 18K red gold
Diameter: 42 millimeters
Thickness: 13.6 millimeters
Height (upper lug tip to lower lug tip): 50.03 millimeters
Water resistance: up to 10 bar (100 meters)
Glass: cambered sapphire, glareproofed on both sides
Case back: screwed steel, sapphire crystal
Crown: non-screw-locked, two gaskets
Bezel: fixed
DIAL/HANDS
Cream with tone-on-tone chronograph counters to create the design of the Super-LumiNova® luminescent hour and minute hands
STRAP
Brown alligator leather strap with an 18K red gold folding buckle (22/18 mm) or 18K red gold seven-row bracelet with a butterfly clasp
PRICE
RRP £32,500 (Bracelet)
RRP £16,600 (Crocodile)
For more information please visit Breitling