Introducing: The Breitling Premier Heritage Collection

by Patrick Gilbertson April 06, 2021

The first launch that we’re covering in what’s shaping up to be a very exciting week of new releases comes from Breitling in the form of the all-new Heritage collection coming under their ‘Premier’ line of watches. 

One month on from the launch of the polarising Chronomat South Sea (that modern, female-focused release with diamond bezels, lacquered dials and an aggressive marketing campaign) we have a pre-Watches & Wonders release that better reflects and sustains Breitling’s classic aesthetic and historical significance.

Inspired by the ‘Premier’ watches of the 1940s, Breiting has launched 3 new models with both steel and precious metal options for each - 6 new references in total. 

An original 1940s Breitling Premier Chronograph ref: 787 - (Credit - Hodinkee)

The Chronograph

The Premier Heritage Chronograph comes in with a case size of 40mm and is powered by the Calibre B09, a manually wound version of the Breitling B01. Like all of the movements featured in this collection, the B09 is COSC certified meaning the accuracy should be within the realms of -4/+6 seconds per day. Colour choices include a cheeky pistachio green dial in a steel case (my personal favourite of the whole launch) and a creamy, opaline dial in an 18k red gold case - they both work really nicely. 

Specs

The Premier Heritage B09 Chronograph 40mm, Steel/Pistachio - ref: AB0930D31L1P1

The Duograph

You’ll notice these releases get more complicated as we go through them, the new Duograph features Breitling’s Calibre B15 (the B03 minus a rotor) which integrates a split-seconds (or rattrapante) function that’s operated through the chrono pushers and 3 o’clock crown. Split-second chronographs measure two elapsed times at once (intermediate and split time), which is shown via two overlapping hands on the central chronograph. The Duograph is available in both steel, with a blue dial, or in 18k red gold with a black dial.

Specs

The Premier Heritage B15 Duograph 42mm, 18k Red Gold/Black - ref: RB1510251B1P1

The Datora

Finally, we have the Datora, an automatic chronograph that also displays the day, date, month and moon-phase. Again, the Datora is available in both steel and 18k red gold with the former featuring a pinky-copper dial and the latter a cream dial. As with all of the watches in the collection, the Datora’s dial features Arabic numerals and a lumed syringe-style handset. While some will call the steel Datora a homage of the Patek 5270P-001, at 1/15th of the price, many will welcome the availability of the elegant, yet complex 5270 salmon aesthetic, still from a heritage brand but at a far more accessible price point. 

Specs

Aside from these general-release chronographs, Breitling has also released a Boutique Special in collaboration with Bentley. Featuring the B21 movement, this special 1/25 Premier Chronograph features an open-worked tourbillon, a deep-green sunburst dial, and a price tag of £39,900. For more information on the Boutique special, click here. 

Premier B21 Chronograph Tourbillon 42mm Bentley Boutique Special, 18k Red Gold - ref: RB21201A1L1P1 

With Watches & Wonders beginning tomorrow (7/4), we’ll be bringing you the latest info on all the releases from our favourite brands - stay tuned for that. What’s your thought’s on this latest crop of Breitling Chronographs and which is your favourite variant from this line-up? Let us know in the comments below. 

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