Breitling reputation. Please help !!

[Ravager135]

Breitling has been doing extremely well under the leadership of Georges Kern, particularly in the past two years. The most models can be purchased at a significant discount from ADs and grey dealers. The brand is most well known for its aviation-inspired pieces such as the Navitimer and Chronomat.

There was a period of time, however, that the brand was producing a lot of oversized, fully polished offerings that serious watch collectors were not fond of. Breitling also does not have great resale value when compared to Rolex. I always thought of Rolex as a step ahead of Breitling, but both brands are typically sold in the same locations and until recent years were closer in value, resale, etc. The Rolex market is just absurd now and it makes Breitling look a lot worse than it really is. For awhile, Breitling was thought of as loud and boisterous. They have really scaled back the size of their models without losing their ability to make a statement. Their Premier line releases this year are some of the most refined and thoughful models I've ever seen from the brand.

The Avenger and SuperOcean are Breitling's "modern" lines during a time where the brand seems to be heavily focusing on its heritage ie: Navitimer, Chronomat, Premier. The Avenger and SuperOcean are certainly the cheapest models Breitling has for sale (next to the superquartz-powered Endurance Pro), but I think both models also present some of the best value proposition on the market. You can get one hell of a watch in a SuperOcean for under $3,000.00. My collection is heavy on Rolex and IWC, but I also own Omega and Breitling and both of the latter two brands get plenty of wrist time.

[JBoone]

Good points made above by Ravager. I was never a fan of the brand until recently due to new direction of their designs.

I have only been into watches for about 6-8 years and just bought my first Breitling a few months ago - A Superocean 42. Good value in my opinion and great looking watch.

[Ravager135]

Originally Posted by JBoone

Good points made above by Ravager. I was never a fan of the brand until recently due to new direction of their designs.

I have only been into watches for about 6-8 years and just bought my first Breitling a few months ago - A Superocean 42. Good value in my opinion and great looking watch.

You picked the right time to get back into them. I bought a Navitimer in 2009. It was right before the brand really went off the rails. It was a two tone Navitimer that I wore during most of my time in the Navy. My problem with it was adjusting the date was a nightmare (there was no quickset on the older ETA movements) and the brand was increasingly known for 47mm+ sized watches that were way too overpolished. I grew to dislike the brand and abandoned them for 7-8 years. They come out with the B01 movement, refine the Navitimer, overhaul the Chronomat, and are now in the right direction.

I think what they noticed was that their best seller was the SuperOcean Heritage. Fans of the brand liked the vintage vibe of the piece. They loaned some of that to their other popular lines and are back in business.

[ks58]

I've liked looking at the Endurance Pro models, never owned a Breitling, but I may consider one to own soon. I'll need a good discount to ensure I don't lose a ton of value, but I want something super strong and durable in all conditions, and I think Breitling has one.