No 241 - Breitling Colt

This is a perfect example of a watch that shouldn’t have been bought. I knew from the start that this was a terrible decision. I really have a hard time with dive watches being 38mm so what were the odds that I would have gotten along with this one? 38mm just feel and look way too small. It’s a perfect size for a dress watch but for a dive watch with a bezel, uh uh. I just went for this one without thinking clearly just because the black matte dial looked so bloody cool, the condition was great, it was a full set and the price was ridiculously low (like $550 or something). So, once again I was tricked by beauty but even though I knew this was a given failure, I reasoned it was worth giving it a chance since I was confident to at least get my money back fairly easy.

#241 - The Breitling Colt, ref. A57035.

So, did it work out? Of course not. It had this cool military style dial that I liked and the indexes and hands had started to turn beige so it looked really sweet but the size was all wrong. Also, I hate that Pro-I bracelet. It might be comfortable but damn it’s ugly. I was hoping it could have done well on a rubber or a nato but still it felt like a ladies dive watch. The Mrs didn’t want it either, so I flipped it and just as expected I got my money back. Being a quartz watch it would have made a perfect vacation watch for her to have lying around in the closet but she decided to pass on that offer. I can't blame her.

Wrist shot in weak kitchen light.

Full set.

So what did I learn from this mistake? No more 38mm dive watches period. The fun thing is that if this one would have been 40-41mm then it could have candidate as a possible favorite. I mean look at it, it sure is beautiful. So close but no cigar.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 193 - Breitling Aerospace UTC

This is my favorite in the Aerospace series. I love the big lumed italic indexes. I managed to get a hold of one with the UTC module and gold riders on the bezel and besides that it was a full set. What a badboy! If I’m not mistaken I traded this one for my twotone Tudor chronograph, the 79273P. This version of the Aerospace was affordable back in 2013 and still is. Finding one around $1100-$1400 is not unusual and if you’re lucky you can even score one with the UTC module. God those modules are cool! It certainly catches attention. Everyone is like “Oh! What’s the meaning of that cute little watch?” Buying an Aerospace or an Emergency again without the UTC module (or Co-pilot) is a no go for me. I just have to have it.

#193 - The Breitling Aerospace, ref. F65362.

I think the functions in this version of the Aerospace compared to my old Repetition minutes were pretty much the same. I still haven’t had an Aerospace from the newer line but I definitely will someday. I really like the one with the so called tuxedo dial but the latest version, the PVD-version of the EVO night mission, is just insane. Especially with yellow dial. Sick! That one could easily become my new favorite. I have not changed my mind regarding the Aerospace. I still think it’s a superb and useful watch.

Waiting for Pizza.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 140 - Breitling Emergency

I remember back in 2006 when everybody started talking about this crazy guy on Discovery Channel who was dropped in the wild to find his way back to civilization and was only to rely on what nature had to offer. The guy was none other than Bear Grylls and the show was called Man vs. Wild (Born Survivor in some countries I think). This was just when I had started to pay real attention to watches and while everyone else were discussing all the disgusting things Bear was eating I was more interested in the Breitling Emergency on Bear’s wrist that I immediately noticed. “Wow! That must be the ultimate survival watch if Bear’s using it.” He was using both a yellow faced and a black faced Emergency but the yellow one was the one that got stuck in my mind. In the later seasons he became sponsored by Bremont and wore their ALT1-P chronograph and Supermarine diver. He was also seen using several different Casio’s.

Buying a used Emergency is a little different from buying other used watches. The watch has to be registered in Breitling’s customer register. The seller I bought mine from didn’t mention this which meant that if I would have activated the distress signal by mistake he would have been held accountable. I however chose to get it re-registered in my name at a Breitling AD and when I later sold it I demanded the new owner to do the same and to show me a copy of the re-registration papers. This service was free of charge from Breitling and went very quick to accomplish.

#140 - The Breitling Emergency ref. E76321.

Wore it on my favorite Breitling rubber.

When I finally decided to seriously start looking for one I couldn’t find a yellow one so I settled with an orange faced. I was confident that an Emergency would turn me into a natural born survivor machine the moment I put it on my wrist but no. It was awesome to wear though. Big, sure, but due to the titanium case and rubber strap it weighed close to nothing.  Looked super cool in my opinion! But was it really such a good watch for survival? Not so sure about that I’m afraid. I wouldn’t say it felt fragile in any way but with a WR of only 30m I’d hardly dare to wear it in the rain under my rain jacket. If I’d be shipwrecked on an island I think I’d be better of wearing a tough solar G-Shock instead. I suppose the Emergency is pretty useless after the distress signal has been activated and the battery is finished. 

A cup of coffe in the sun post lunch.

There are a couple of versions of the Emergency. The one I had is the one I like the most; the superquartz. It looks better than the first version and the latest version, The Emergency II, is just too big and bulky for any human being to wear without looking ridiculous. Not even The Rock would pull that one off in a decent fashion. Then there was a version called Emergency Mission with analog sub dials instead of the digital displays. Didn’t like that one. I’m not 100% certain of this but I heard rumors that the frequency the Emergency is transmitting on had been taken out of use so I don’t know if the old Emergency lost its rescue ability. Without it it’s not that cool. Then you’re better off with a regular Aerospace which basically has the same functions except for the distress signal.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 81 – Breitling Avenger Seawolf E17370

Alright, so does anyone remember why I sold the blue titanium Seawolf? That’s right, it was way too big. As usual. But do you also remember how impressed I was with the details of the dial and the overall high quality? Exactly! And at this time I was a little obsessed with yellow dials and when I saw the E17370 on a black Hershey rubber I was completely sold and had to have it. I don’t know why I’m so crazy about big dive watches and keep insisting to buy them when I know I won’t be able to wear them. It really is insane!

#81 - The Breitling Avenger Seawolf E17370.

The yellow Seawolf I got a hold on was a full set with both the Pro-I bracelet and the Hershey rubber. I tried it on the bracelet once but only wore it on the rubber while I owned it. What a great high end beater it was. This Seawolf was exactly the same as the blue one I had but I liked this one so much more.  I wish I’d kept it as a vacation watch. It’s a perfect watch to wear with just a t-shirt and a pair of Vilebrequin.

Tried it on the Pro-I but if it should be worn on anything else than the Hershey rubber it should be the Pro-II bracelet.

I bought and sold my used yellow Ti Seawolf for $1300 in the summer of 2011. Today when I checked eBay the cheapest full set I found was listed at $2250 and on Chrono24 the cheapest one was listed at $3200. How crazy is that?

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 65 – Breitling Aerospace E65062

You just got to love those analog/digital multi-function watches. Especially the Aerospace from Breitling. What a watch! It’s almost like you turn into a fearsome fighter pilot the second you put it on your wrist. My first Aerospace was the Repetition Minutes and was from the late 90’s and came on a black Hershey rubber. I really wanted one with a bracelet and the UTC-module but this is what I found to a decent price when I decided to start looking for one.

#65 - The Breitling Aerospace Repetition Mintues.

Wrist shot on the black Hershey rubber.

I didn’t feel that the rubber look was working on this non-diver’s watch so I went out and bought a leather strap for it instead. Looked a little better but didn’t do the trick for me so I flipped it and decided to wait for a two tone version with the big bold italic numbers on the dial to show up.

On the new leather strap. Fake crocodile.

The Aerospace is really user friendly. It takes a little while to get a hold of the twisting and turning of the crown but once you get the hang of it the maneuvering of all the functions is easy enough to figure out without a manual. The Aerospace is a great everyday watch but especially an awsome travel companion and if you don’t have a hang-up on automatic/mechanical-watches-only then it’s perfect. 

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 61 – Breitling Avenger Seawolf E17370

This was my first Breitling. A blue dialed titanium Seawolf. Prior to this I had only been associating Breitling with flying and watches made for pilots but when I one day read 3000m on the dial of the Seawolf I was like “What the f**k! Is this for real? 3000m! That’ insane! This is not a pilot’s watch, it’s a diver!” Even though the appearance clearly states that the Seawolf isn’t made for flying I had never taken Breitling in consideration when looking for new dive watches to try out. But the Seawolf was the watch that made me re-consider things and I just had to have one!

#61 – The Breitling Avenger Seawolf ref. E17370.

1st of Advent 2010. Cuddling on the couch with some mulled wine. I know, not the kind of action a watch like this deserves but this was the only picture I had when wearing it.

With its width of 44mm and a height of more than 18mm it sure is big but thanks to the titanium it becomes wearable. But just as the Marathon JSAR I had it gave me the same problems. This was in November 2010 and I was still working extra in a warehouse picking stuff from shelves and when working at the crazy pace I did it kept banging into everything. My boss at that time was wearing a Breitling Headwind (really nice!) and I remember I walked up to him the first day when wearing the Seawolf and said “Hey! Nice watch but check out this bad boy!” and waived it in his face.

The Seawolf really made a good impression on me. It gave off a sense of being a very high quality watch and I was truly amazed by the details on the dial. Everything was so perfect and sharp. The experience with the Seawolf made me view the Breitling brand in a whole new perspective and it was all for the better. The titanium version was discontinued in 2008 and was replaced by the current steel version. I must say I preferred the Ti instead of steel. The steel just make it ridiculously heavy. Also I think the dial design was much better looking on the old Ti’s.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.