Breitling Premier

With their colorful dials, narrow bezels, and thin hands, Breitling Premier watches are timeless classics. Introduced in 2018, this collection follows in the footsteps of the eponymous Breitling series from 1943. The historical collection was especially geared toward fashion-forward and affluent clientele. The name "Premier" reflects the manufacturer's target audience for these watches.

The Premier has always represented elegance, while collections like the Chronomat and Navitimer embody the Swiss brand's sporty side. Top Premier models are limited to runs of a few hundred pieces and feature the in-house caliber B01 with a chronograph function. There are also several Breitling for Bentley editions designed after the famous British luxury vehicles.

You'll also find Premier chronographs with Valjoux-based movements alongside three-hand models with a day-date display or small seconds. Those with a small seconds feel especially tidy thanks to their lack of a date window. Prices for these watches sit at a relatively affordable 3,600 USD due to the use of the Breitling caliber B37, which is based on the ETA 2895-2. Finally, all current Premier models are chronometer-certified.

Prices for a Breitling Premier range from around 2,200 USD for a well-maintained vintage watch to about 24,000 USD for a mint-condition limited edition in 18-karat gold. One limited edition is the Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Bentley Centenary. As its name implies, this timepiece measures 42 mm in diameter and houses the caliber B01 in its red gold case.

One highlight is the chronograph with a brown burl elm dial. Breitling has limited this model to a run of 200 pieces. Its dial was inspired by the dashboard of the "Blower Bentley" from 1929. Today, this vintage race car is among Bentley's most valuable classic vehicles. The watch features black subdials, and a white tachymeter scale on a black background runs around the dial's edge. Finally, the brown quilted calf leather strap resembles a Bentley seat.

With 1,000 copies in existence, the stainless steel edition of this chronograph is much easier to find. It will set you back around 9,500 USD.

The Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Bentley Mulliner is another limited edition with a run of 1,000 pieces. Breitling released this model in honor of the Bentley Continental GT Convertible Mulliner. Today, Mulliner is a special department within Bentley that handles personal commissions. The Breitling chronograph's design takes cues from the Bentley Continental GT Convertible Mulliner's interior. For example, the watch's vertically brushed dial is inspired by the car's Breitling dashboard clock. The dial's edge is a blue ring with a white tachymeter scale, while the subdials at 3 and 9 o'clock are a matching shade of blue. The chronograph seconds hand and 60-second scale offer a few small splashes of red. Breitling mounts the final timepieces on a blue alligator leather strap. You can call this model your own for about 7,600 USD.

Models With the Caliber B01

Top Premier models use the in-house caliber B01. Breitling introduced this movement in 2009, thus achieving another bit of independence from ebauché manufacturer ETA. The B01 features a 70-hour power reserve, as well as a chronograph function and date display, and ticks at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (vph).

The Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 is available with several dial and band options. Most models have a stainless steel case and cost around 6,800 USD. Many also feature multi-colored dials. For example, there are watches with a white dial and black subdials (also known as a panda dial) and others with a black dial and white subdials (reverse panda). Those with an anthracite or blue dial have black 30-minute and small seconds subdials as well. A ring around the dial's edge matches the color of the subdials.

The Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Bentley British Racing Green stands out from other standard-edition Premier watches thanks to its green dial. It comes on a nubuck leather strap embossed in the style of a Bentley seat. This model requires an investment of roughly 7,100 USD.

The red gold edition costs about 17,500 USD. Its silver dial and red gold hands and indices underscore this watch's classic aesthetic.

They have an hour counter at 6, a small seconds at 9, and a minute counter at 12 o'clock. There's also a date display, which Breitling integrates into the hour counter on the Premier Chronograph 42. Unlike B01 models with their subdials and dial's edge in matching colors, the B13's subdials are the same color as the main dial. More specifically, they come in blue or black. Both versions have a white outer ring with a tachymeter scale. In terms of the band, you can choose from stainless steel, calf leather, or alligator leather.

New, the Breitling Premier Chronograph 42 sells for about 5,100 USD on a stainless steel bracelet or alligator leather strap. The version on a calf leather strap costs some 240 USD less.

If you prefer classic three-hand watches with a small seconds, you should take a closer look at the Breitling Premier Automatic 40. At 40 mm in diameter, this watch looks good on any wrist. Breitling crafts most models out of stainless steel, though there is also an 18-karat red gold variant available. The latter features a silver dial and a brown alligator leather strap and changes hands for roughly 12,500 USD. Prices for the stainless steel editions begin around 3,600 USD. These versions come with your choice of a silver, blue, or anthracite dial.

All Premier Automatic 40 watches use the caliber B37. This movement is based on the ETA 2895-2 and has a 38-hour power reserve.

As its name suggests, the Premier Automatic Day & Date 40 features day and date displays. The date sits at 6 o'clock directly opposite the day display at 12. You'll find the caliber B45 ticking away inside the 40-mm stainless steel case. This movement is a modified ETA 2834-2 and provides the watch with a 38-hour power reserve. The dial is available in black or silver. You can also choose from a stainless steel bracelet, calf leather strap, or alligator leather strap. Prices depend on the band and fall between 3,600 and 3,900 USD.