What is the appeal?

[Yellowhat]

People -

I don't mean to set off a riot by yelling "this movie sucks" in a crowded theater, but can some one help me with the appeal of the Non-Navitimer Breitlings?

I'm just not getting it. ANd I'm not just referring to the reps. Even the genuine article holds no appeal (to me).

Here's my point: Breitling gets famous for designing a truly groundbreaking timepeice that aids aviators in calculating fuel consumption and other important math problems while airborne and they become synonymous with aviation timepieces. Then they make Navitimers for 30 years and stay famous. Fifty versions later, they decide, hey let's get into the non-aviator chunky watch business and make a bunch of plain old vanilla rotating bezel diver knock-offs and name them steelfish and blackbird and the like.

Now I'm partial to mechanicals so the idea that anyone would go and pay Breitling money or Omega money for one of these quartz gens is a complete outrage. Nice that they have automatic versions as well, but they poisoned the pot when they came out with the quartz versions IMO. Even the style ofe these watches wreaks of shopping mall quartz chronos that are a dime a dozen.

You guys snap them up if you like. I'm only about that Navi. And in the Rep world, I think the best way to go is the 6-9-12 Serie Speciale just because of the datewheel issue. They ain't perfect, but they aint $5000 either. I can't tell you I do a lot of fuel consumption calculations either, cause the only bird I fly is a glider... but I think I have lodged my greivance. Breitling could and should do better than these diamond crusted Bentley's and whatnot.

There. I've thrown the first grenade. What do people think?

YH 8)

 

[gmnorris]

Me and my 6-9-12 Navi SS agree whole-heartedly.

Although the Bentleys are pretty stunning... a big date might be my next...

 

[donnay458]

calling Mr. Brietling. calling Mr. Brietling. calling Mr. Brietling. Dave123 whare are you . please respond, over?

 

[fakemaster]

Uh...to make money. How long do you think they would stay in business if they sold one watch?

 

[brtelec]

I have always liked the Navitimer, but I am partial to most of the Breitlings, even the vanilla ones. I am the opposite when It comes to watches, I do not care for a watch that is overly cluttered. Especially if it is cluttered with bullshit that serves little or no purpose.

 

[fakemaster]

Have to change with the times. Othewise we'd still be driving Pintos.

 

[brtelec]

Have to change with the times. Othewise we'd still be driving Pintos.

What the hell is wrong with my pinto? :shock:

 

[fakemaster]

 

[guanaco]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, for example, some enjoy watches with lots of diamonds in them and other sorts of crap meanwhile other enjoy simpler, much cleaner watches. I for one like Breitlings a lot, specially the SFSO and the BCE, navitimer as well. But hey, whatever floats your boat!

Picture Unrelated:

 

[hk45ca]

i have a navi 3-6-9 because it is more balanced and has a better look to it and i like it allot but it is too flat under the crystal and has no depth at all and at 42mm it is very difficult to actually use the calculation feature, especially when you are trying to fly a aircraft. the bigger bentley is much easier to read because of it's size. for overall looks i like the evo the best and the chrono super avenger next. if you don't like a iced out watch then get one without it. they make them all day, personally i would take chris angel's super avenger over any navi ever made in the history of breitling. there is absolutely nothing on it that is not covered with diamonds and it is worth an absolute fortune. i am sure the luxor hotel paid to have it made.

the super quartz watches aren't something i would buy but every professional pilot i know that has a breitling has a super quartz. they aren't interested in something as inaccurate as a mechanical movement. you may find some well calibrated mechanical movements but they are still to inconsistent. they speed up or slow down depending on how you lay them down, there is nothing consistent about that.



this super avenger in the middle has 34 carrots of diamonds set on it. these aren't watches they are jewelry, if you have the money to roll like this you could care less if somebody out there doesn't like it. lol 8)

 

[Hambone]

In matters of taste, there can be no argument. :|

 

[hk45ca]

In matters of taste, there can be no argument. :|

exactly.

 

[takashi]

Well... Breitling creates a pretty good and distinctive diver's watch too. The Avenger series (especially the Seawolf) have gained much respect from many.

 

[jkirke]

In matters of taste, there can be no argument. :|

hit the nail on the head. just a matter of taste. i've only owned one Breitling (so far--Franken Super Avenger build in the works), the Blackbird. it wasn't even the dial that sold it for me. it was the caseback. SIMPLE engraving. not a lot to it. and having been a Panerai collector for a while now, I really became obsessed with "stunning but simple" designs when it came to watches. Now that I've owned the Blackbird for almost a whole week, i'm in LOVE with the dial as well. the Big Date complication, the stunning engravings on the bezel (minus the nearly perfect pearl placement), the subdials (and the fact that my buddy works at the AD, took the BB in over his lunch break, compared it, and it's FRIGGIN SPOT ON {again....minus the pearl and bezel click}). It's a truly beautiful watch------TO ME.....but it's not for everyone.

i'm sure that after looking at plenty of pics of the Navitimer series, and gaining the level of respect for them that I have for the Panerai 112, the UPO all black, and the Breitling BB and SA, i'll pick one up myself.

until then, i'll stick with what is attractive to me. like tequila and cheap hookers in Tijuana.

 

[fakemaster]

the super quartz watches aren't something i would buy but every professional pilot i know that has a breitling has a super quartz. they aren't interested in something as inaccurate as a mechanical movement.

Undeniable truth. Amazed they haven't run you out on a rail yet.

 

[watchbuff]

Had a NAvi, I loved it. I have a B-2. It still uses the E6B computer for diatance and fuels calculations etc. If you are a pilot and don't have those resources in the cockpit already, turn in your wings. My PDA has all the flight computer functions as wel as most modern aircraft make the calculations for you. That was groundbreaking in the days of the ADF and RMI approaches.

Navitimer made Breitling big and I agree the quartz models even though are nice, have no soul. My B-2 automatic is basically a NAVI for nouveau pilots.

 

[hk45ca]

the super quartz watches aren't something i would buy but every professional pilot i know that has a breitling has a super quartz. they aren't interested in something as inaccurate as a mechanical movement.

Undeniable truth. Amazed they haven't run you out on a rail yet.

well, since i am part owner of the airport they make allowances for my quirkiness in these areas. i am quite sure behind my back they talk about how crappy my mechanical movements are. lol :lol:

 

[Dizzy]

Different people like different things.. i like eating sandwiches and maybe you dont like sandwiches. I like the breitlings becasue they are a somewhat affordable watch, they are big and heavy the way i like and i love the way they are designed, especially the Bentleys.

@fakey - nice pics.. gotta love those rolling gasoline bombs they built to look like a car.

dizz

 

[brtelec]

The first bad car accident I was ever in was in a Pinto. We were not hit from behind, we flip the car down an embankment end over end. Good thing we were all passed out at the time, including the driver!

 

[Hambone]

The first bad car accident I was ever in was in a Pinto. We were not hit from behind, we flip the car down an embankment end over end. Good thing we were all passed out at the time, including the driver!

This reminds me that when it is time for me to leave this earth, I want to go peacefully in my sleep, like my Grandfather did,
not screaming like the passangers in his car. :shock: