Breitling has announced a new model in the Avenger line: the Blacksteel Chrono. This new chronograph brings some interesting new technology -- as well as a great new look -- to the dive-chronograph market.

The Blacksteel Chrono's pushers use a magnetic system to active the chronograph features rather than relying on a physical connection between the pusher and the chronograph system inside the watch. This magnetic magic allows the chronograph to be functional to a maximum depth of 1000m -- a considerable innovation as very few chronographs can be used while submerged, let alone at 1000m (a record now held by Breitling).

Breitling is powering the the Blacksteel Chrono with its SuperQuartz movement (Breitling 73 - COSC certified) which is ten times as accurate as traditional quartz moments. The blackened steel and red on black dial design is a refreshing change of pace compared to the somewhat flashy styles Breitling normally produces. This 45.5mm Breitling comes fitted with a sapphire crystal and a rubber strap, and is limited to 2,000 pieces.

By James Stacey

As a former pilot, there are two watches that represent the absolute finest gear for flying: the Omega X-33, and Breitling Aerospace. Both are quartz and analog/digital, and have very different looks. Today's post is about a very similar watch that has a much more reasonable price tag to the Aerospace, the Victorinox Swiss Army Classic XLS MT. I've not yet confirmed this, but I strongly suspect that it has the exact same movement as the Aerospace, the ETA 988.432, making it one heck of a deal. Specifications of the Victorinox are:

• Swiss made, Swiss quartz movement.
• Anti-reflective-coated sapphire crystal.
• Stainless steel case, PVD-coated 'gunmetal'.
• Luminous hands and hour markers.
• Crown guard.
• Countdown timer, alarm clock, stopwatch, dual time zone, multiple languages.
• Water resistant to 100m.
• 45mm by 12m, quite large.

List price is shown as $1,095USD, but I would expect a discount from that. Let's compare to the Breitling Aerospace:

Breitling's newest watch to come out of Basel this year is the Avenger Seawolf Chronograph. Combining the versatility and reliability of the Avenger line with the water resistance of the Seawolf, Breitling seems to be getting as serious about diving as they are about aviation.

Breitling is touting the new Avenger Seawolf as the worlds only chronograph to be water tight and operational at depths up to 1,000 meters (3300 feet). This is impressive, but not entirely true. The Sinn U1000 also has the ability to remain operational at the same depths as the Breitling, but that just means they are in good company.

Breitling has developed new proprietary technology that makes their calibre 73 SuperQuartz operational at extreme depths. By using magnetically activated pushers, the pushpieces can be activated through the case with no direct contact with the module inside, keeping the watch perfectly sealed. The SuperQuartz movement is also thermo compensated which means it can account for the changes in temperature that make most quartz modules lose or gain time. The result is that the Avenger Seawolf is some ten times more accurate then a standard quartz movement.

In addition to the standard chronograph feature, the Breitling Avenger Seawolf has a "regatta timer" that will measure in ten minute scales for the beginning of a yacht race. The case is brushed stainless steel, and incorporates a helium release valve for extreme saturation diving, and a sapphire crystal.

Being a diehard Breitling fan, I really think they have a winner on their hands as this piece is gorgeous, functional, understated, and impenetrable.

By James Stacey

The Breitling Emergency has got to be one of the most unique watches I've ever seen. Breitling primarily makes watches for aviation professionals, and therefore outfits them with appropriate functionality like chronographs, circular slide rules, multiple time zones, etc. But these are all features designed to keep you in the air, on course, and on time. What about a feature designed to offer pilots and crew members assistance when they encounter the unexpected? That's where the Breitling Emergency comes in.

The most salient feature of the Breitling Emergency is its ability to broadcast an emergency distress signal. Unscrew the protective cap on the right side of the case, fully extend the antenna, and the Breitling Emergency will broadcast on the 121.5 MHz aircraft emergency frequency for a full 48 hours. The range of the transmission is about 100 miles, which seems reasonably impressive for a watch. An interesting technique might be to outfit an entire crew with these watches, then in the event of an emergency, spread out to create a combined coverage area of several hundred miles.

Be careful when showing the Breitling Emergency to your friends, however. Apparently, the FAA will slap you with a $15,000 fine if you broadcast a false distress call which will probably result in you having to sell your expensive watch.

For more information, check the Emergency out on Breitling's site.

Breitling is of course known for their automatic Swiss-made aviation timepieces, but they make some great quartz watches, as well. The Airwolf is the newest addition to their Professional line and has the following features:

• Alarm.
• Stopwatch with a resolution of 1/100th of a second and split times.
• Countdown timer.
• Dual time zones (with independent alarms).
• Perpetual calendar.

Although this appears to be a pretty standard feature set for a digital watch, the Breitling Professional line is anything but standard. They are very high quality watches with, in my opinion, some of the most distinctive styling out there.

The Airwolf is clearly related to the B-1, however the Airwolf's bezel is directional while the B-1's bezel provides an additional analog countdown timer. The Airwolf's design is also slightly different, and the pushers are ergonomically curved. Overall, I think the Airwolf is a better looking watch, but both are beautiful.

The Airwolf has a glare-proof sapphire crystal, and is available with either a blue dial and leather strap, or a black dial and a steel bracelet. There's not a lot of information available yet, but what there is you can find on Breitling's site.