Looking at the latest watch releases in the past few years and one pattern you’ll observe from different Swiss luxury brands is how they give their old models a modern update. On the surface, this seems only appropriate, provided the iconic status of their timepieces. They make it available to fans that haven’t had their hands on such collectibles. But, there’s actually more to that, explaining why these watches sell: nostalgia marketing.
80s Classic Breitling Super Chronomat Gets a 2021 Update
As we age, the food we ate, the films we watched, the music we listened to, and the games we played—they all make us feel something. Emotional marketing has already proven to be successful, but tapping into old memories is another invaluable strategy for engaging the market these days. This sense of nostalgia is being used by luxury watch brands to market their products and among them is Breitling with the release of its 2021 version of the Super Chronomat.
Breitling Releases 2021 Version of the Super Chronomat
Breitling has built its reputation on producing tool watches with bold displays, striking colors, interesting features, and distinctive high-quality bracelets. The first Breitling Chronomat was released in 1984 at the height of the fascination with jet aircraft. It was presented in a 39mm case and based on a 1983 design created for the Italian Jet Team, Frecce Tricolori.
The Chronomat chronograph collection was just updated last year with a reduction in the case size from 44mm down to 42mm. New for 2021, the Super Chronomat pays tribute to that original design and is advertised as an all-purpose, supercharged sports watch in a 44mm case. It is available in versions with a moon phase and an unusual Breitling four-year calendar, which are called the B01 44 and Four-Year Calendar, respectively.
• Breitling Super Chronomat B01 44
The B01 44 is 44mm wide with a display caseback and ceramic bezel insert—a first on a Chronomat. It features silver chronograph counters powered by the in-house, COSC-certified Calibre -01 which packs in about 70 hours of power reserve.
This chronograph is available in three variations. Two are presented in a stainless steel case with the option of blue or black dial-and-bezel combinations. The third features a coordinating brown dial and bezel with an 18K red gold case. However, if you’re looking for something more remarkable, there’s also a black dial version that features a UTC module in a Rouleaux bracelet. It’s a feature that Breitling first introduced back in the ’80s and allows you to keep track of a second time zone,
• Breitling Super Chronomat Four-Year Calendar
Meanwhile, as its name indicates, the Four-Year Calendar features a semi-perpetual calendar mechanism that requires adjusting once every leap year or every 1461 days. It’s available in two versions: one with a black dial, stainless steel bezel contrasted with a black ceramic bezel insert, and 18K red gold accents. The other sports a blue dial with an 18K red gold and a coordinating blue ceramic insert.
Both versions are 44mm in size, are water-resistant up to 100 meters, and run on the in-house, COSC-certified Caliber 19 movement. It has powered several Breitling models in the past and it not only offers a chronograph but also a calendar movement that accounts for the day, date, and month.
While the 44mm size of these watches may seem too big for others’ taste, the Super Chronomat looks elegant and stylish on the wrist. What’s more, they don’t fall short with complications—if anything, they are jam-packed with them.
They appeal to watch fans who prefer big, luxurious, and well-made chronographs, easily competing against similar watches from IWC and Omega. Retail price starts from $8,500 to $35,000, with the most expensive being the 18K gold on a bracelet version.
Breitling and the Return of Chronographs
When Breitling debuted the Chronomat in 1984, it paved the way for the return of mechanical Swiss chronographs in the market after quartz watches dominated the scene throughout the 1970s. Its bold proportions outdated its skinny quartz rivals, offering a new and stylish perspective for wearing watches.
Today, it’s doing it again with the release of the 2021 versions of the Super Chronomat and if you love their look on your wrist, they are already available for purchase. Watchshopping.com is an authorized dealer of Breitling, offering a wide range of timepieces to match every style, preference, and budget.
Takeaway
Nostalgia has a powerful effect on the way we shop. It allows us to appreciate not only the specifics of a design but the historic references of the watch as well. This phenomenon provides brands with the opportunity to reinterpret past designs with watches that, although new, remind us of the past.
What do you think of Breitling updating its original ’80s watches? Which of these new Super Chronomat watches appeal to you most? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
