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 Post subject: Buck Rogers Love
PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2018 8:03 pm 
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I know most hate the "buck rogers" font and the dial square. I just love how they stand out when light plays over my watch. The bezel numerals, the dial square(looks like a car battery IMO), the wings logo and the Sec Hand Tip all compliment nicely with an unusual aura(sharp futuristic aviation look) that I have never seen in other watches. Many comment that it looks dated. To me it looks original.

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 Post subject: Re: Buck Rogers Love
PostPosted: Thu Oct 25, 2018 12:44 pm 
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Chronomat01LE -- I gotta tell you, I have long admired the fact that you have a distinct point of view, and, despite the fact that most would disagree with you about "Buck Rogers" and "The Square", you have voiced your point of view eloquently over time. Good for you!

And, this may come as a surprise, but I am in complete agreement with you on all counts. :shock:

Initially, I was put off by Buck and The Square -- but, over time, I started to come around. So much so, in fact, that I now own a couple of Chronomats that feature both of these controversial elements. As to The Square -- while graphic depictions tend to accentuate it as a prominent aspect of the dial, in reality, it has a much more subtle presence. For me, the effect of The Square is to provide a dynamic aspect to the dial, so that it always seems to take on new dimensions when looked at from different angles, or in different light. In that sense, it adds a depth to the experience that is rather unique. I have come to really like it.

Now, as for Buck Rogers -- yes, that font is certainly a polarizing feature. Again, though, I have ultimately come to embrace it. Slowly but surely, I found that I was really drawn to the fact that the Buck Rogers font made the Chronomat different -- something out of the ordinary when it came to timing bezels. Gradually, I found that I really started to value the fact that Breitling wasn't afraid to think outside the box and take stylistic chances. It's what differentiated Breitling as a brand for me in terms of appreciating some of the Schneider-era pieces. So, while I initially rejected the Buck Rogers font because it was so different, I ultimately embraced it for exactly the same reason. Go figure... :wink:

Anyway, if you don't mind, I'll add a couple more specimens to this thread... :)

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 Post subject: Re: Buck Rogers Love
PostPosted: Fri Oct 26, 2018 2:03 am 
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Jim: Great Chronomats you have and I love especially the Jet Team version. Thanks so much for your kind comments and it's really not easy to come by someone who is able to appreciate this timepiece.

Most watch enthusiasts have already molded in their minds what a luxury watch should look like(the usual standard look), that any contrast from this "mold" is deemed as "dated" or tasteless. In the world of horology, watch collectors like "they are the same, but they are not the same" look. Very very minor cosmetic changes as compared to their predecessors, that only WISs can tell the difference. This is defined as timeless to them. I have complained before, but come to appreciate that Breitling often retains the iconic elements but does more obvious changes to many new model versions aesthetically. It's like you will not often see the same exact looking timepiece on other wrists because every model versions have their own distinct look, and some own the older versions, while some new, but you will know that they belong to the same model line. For eg, you can own a Chronomat Evo and a Chronomat 44. You can tell that they are the same model, but you can wear the Evo yesterday and the 44 today without feeling that you are wearing the same watch. Can't say the same if you had worn a ceramic sub yesterday and the older sub today. To me, watches are for wearing and collection is secondary. I cannot imagine having a collection of watches with similar generic look. I would do that as a collector, if I am very very rich.

I try to appreciate a watch from all aspects, before I decide whether to buy the timepiece. If it is a pilot's watch, I would judge the piece from a pilot's perspective, if it's a diver's watch, I would judge the watch with a "diver's suit". I read all the negative comments about the Chronomat 01, and even tried to hate it. Haters are simply put off by the "non-standard" look. Sometimes putting it on the wrist is all you need, and I cannot describe how much I like that look on the wrist. It's like the design seems "off" from the first look, however as you zoom into the details, you realize that every detail seems there for specific reasons, until when you relook again at the whole piece on your wrist, it is no longer a fine jewellery that you are wearing, but a high tech functional device that you would use for your missions. It is not the feel that would go outdated after a while, but the feel that your "device" is always up to date.

Eddy Schopfer is a veteran designer and I believe he and his team expected the controversy when they designed this model back then. It's like the Evo and past Chronomats were so well received and all they needed to do was just to use back the same design with a few touch ups on their Chronomat 01/44. What's so difficult about that and why did they implant all these new polarizing elements into this model, especially when it is such an important timepiece in Breitling's history(first in house model)? Why change to numerals on the bezel, why the buck rogers font, why the square in the dial, why so many fonts in the dial? And all these elements actually made their manufacturing process more costly and difficult, not easier. They did not specifically explain the purpose of all these elements. Through the years of using my Chronomat, I discovered the functional sense and purpose in some elements and was pleasantly shocked at the amount of thoughts and details they put into designing the watch. They really wanted the Chronomat 01 to be optimally functional, while having a distinctive look that is not "just another watch". It is a very difficult task to balance function and form. To me they have placed function before form in the design but have managed to incorporate beauty into the piece to achieve the best possible balance. Show me a model that says it's an aviation, land and diver watch, find me a model that looks futuristic and sporty in the light but classic and refined in the dark, get me a model that looks aesthetically good on any strap and bracelet. It's kinda weird, but it's original, until it's so uniquely beautiful. It's just a matter of whether you get it or you don't.

With all the recent developments I developed a thinking and hope that this buck rogers Chronomat will get discontinued soon, or at least continue with a very limited supply. The limited versions on the website currently is actually a good thing and the restriction to only 2 tone models makes this model appears more premium. In my opinion the only thing they did wrong with the Chronomat 01 in the past was the poor marketing method and lack of control in the production and versions, and just flooded the market with many many pieces and variations, special editions and limited editions. Supply way exceeded demand and some ended up in garage sales. That was sometime back and it caused the Chronomat resale value to be horrible, when already not many appreciated the design, the poor resale drove even more consumers away. In my country I suddenly hardly see it in ADs these days. They still have the other wing logo Navis, Avengers, etc, and mostly colts and the lower end models. I feel that icons and premium models should not show up easily on ADs' displays.

Hope I will get to see more Chronomat 01 lovers and I would have bought more Chronomat variations like you, if I have the money;)

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 Post subject: Re: Buck Rogers Love
PostPosted: Fri Oct 26, 2018 7:26 am 
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@Chronomat01LE - to echo Jim's point, I too have always appreciated the fact you've stuck to your guns about the Buck bezel without getting defensive when you've found yourself in the minority. At the end of the day, differing points of view (when tastefully and eloquently expressed) are the true lifeblood of forums such as this.

Believe me, I've tried really REALLY hard to love the Buck font over the years, and while I've warmed to it a little over time (so much so that I actually came very close to buying one on 3 separate occasions - firstly, the same LE that you have that I even went so far as to pay a deposit, then a Flying Fish, and lastly the Frecce Tricolori LE), I've never managed to step over the line into ownership.

But I do think they'll become a classic in their own right in years to come. :thumbsup:

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 Post subject: Re: Buck Rogers Love
PostPosted: Fri Oct 26, 2018 8:39 am 
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Driver8 wrote:
@Chronomat01LE - to echo Jim's point, I too have always appreciated the fact you've stuck to your guns about the Buck bezel without getting defensive when you've found yourself in the minority. At the end of the day, differing points of view (when tastefully and eloquently expressed) are the true lifeblood of forums such as this.

Believe me, I've tried really REALLY hard to love the Buck font over the years, and while I've warmed to it a little over time (so much so that I actually came very close to buying one on 3 separate occasions - firstly, the same LE that you have that I even went so far as to pay a deposit, then a Flying Fish, and lastly the Frecce Tricolori LE), I've never managed to step over the line into ownership.

But I do think they'll become a classic in their own right in years to come. :thumbsup:


Thks for the kind words :lingsrock: Ya it's different opinions that make forums interesting. I see on YouTubes that there are people who input their dislikes on particular models in a tasteless manner, while mentioning their favorite ones with the hope of instilling prestige into their favorite brands or watches. Something like, " The design sucks and it will never become classic, unlike the ....(their favorite model)". There are also those who used to like a model but gave in to consistent bashing by the majority overtime and began to hate the model, and even the brand instead. Over the years I have learnt that it's not how many people agree with you or like the same watch as you do, but it's what really draws you to the watch that you will still like it even if the whole world hates it(like choosing yr wife;p). When you see a timepiece that makes you feel this way, you know that is the right grail for you. I hope you have found yours too:)

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 Post subject: Re: Buck Rogers Love
PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2018 5:31 am 
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Chronomat01LE wrote:
Jim: Great Chronomats you have and I love especially the Jet Team version. Thanks so much for your kind comments and it's really not easy to come by someone who is able to appreciate this timepiece.

Most watch enthusiasts have already molded in their minds what a luxury watch should look like(the usual standard look), that any contrast from this "mold" is deemed as "dated" or tasteless. In the world of horology, watch collectors like "they are the same, but they are not the same" look. Very very minor cosmetic changes as compared to their predecessors, that only WISs can tell the difference. This is defined as timeless to them. I have complained before, but come to appreciate that Breitling often retains the iconic elements but does more obvious changes to many new model versions aesthetically. It's like you will not often see the same exact looking timepiece on other wrists because every model versions have their own distinct look, and some own the older versions, while some new, but you will know that they belong to the same model line. For eg, you can own a Chronomat Evo and a Chronomat 44. You can tell that they are the same model, but you can wear the Evo yesterday and the 44 today without feeling that you are wearing the same watch. Can't say the same if you had worn a ceramic sub yesterday and the older sub today. To me, watches are for wearing and collection is secondary. I cannot imagine having a collection of watches with similar generic look. I would do that as a collector, if I am very very rich.

I try to appreciate a watch from all aspects, before I decide whether to buy the timepiece. If it is a pilot's watch, I would judge the piece from a pilot's perspective, if it's a diver's watch, I would judge the watch with a "diver's suit". I read all the negative comments about the Chronomat 01, and even tried to hate it. Haters are simply put off by the "non-standard" look. Sometimes putting it on the wrist is all you need, and I cannot describe how much I like that look on the wrist. It's like the design seems "off" from the first look, however as you zoom into the details, you realize that every detail seems there for specific reasons, until when you relook again at the whole piece on your wrist, it is no longer a fine jewellery that you are wearing, but a high tech functional device that you would use for your missions. It is not the feel that would go outdated after a while, but the feel that your "device" is always up to date.

Eddy Schopfer is a veteran designer and I believe he and his team expected the controversy when they designed this model back then. It's like the Evo and past Chronomats were so well received and all they needed to do was just to use back the same design with a few touch ups on their Chronomat 01/44. What's so difficult about that and why did they implant all these new polarizing elements into this model, especially when it is such an important timepiece in Breitling's history(first in house model)? Why change to numerals on the bezel, why the buck rogers font, why the square in the dial, why so many fonts in the dial? And all these elements actually made their manufacturing process more costly and difficult, not easier. They did not specifically explain the purpose of all these elements. Through the years of using my Chronomat, I discovered the functional sense and purpose in some elements and was pleasantly shocked at the amount of thoughts and details they put into designing the watch. They really wanted the Chronomat 01 to be optimally functional, while having a distinctive look that is not "just another watch". It is a very difficult task to balance function and form. To me they have placed function before form in the design but have managed to incorporate beauty into the piece to achieve the best possible balance. Show me a model that says it's an aviation, land and diver watch, find me a model that looks futuristic and sporty in the light but classic and refined in the dark, get me a model that looks aesthetically good on any strap and bracelet. It's kinda weird, but it's original, until it's so uniquely beautiful. It's just a matter of whether you get it or you don't.

With all the recent developments I developed a thinking and hope that this buck rogers Chronomat will get discontinued soon, or at least continue with a very limited supply. The limited versions on the website currently is actually a good thing and the restriction to only 2 tone models makes this model appears more premium. In my opinion the only thing they did wrong with the Chronomat 01 in the past was the poor marketing method and lack of control in the production and versions, and just flooded the market with many many pieces and variations, special editions and limited editions. Supply way exceeded demand and some ended up in garage sales. That was sometime back and it caused the Chronomat resale value to be horrible, when already not many appreciated the design, the poor resale drove even more consumers away. In my country I suddenly hardly see it in ADs these days. They still have the other wing logo Navis, Avengers, etc, and mostly colts and the lower end models. I feel that icons and premium models should not show up easily on ADs' displays.

Hope I will get to see more Chronomat 01 lovers and I would have bought more Chronomat variations like you, if I have the money;)


Chronomat01LE -- I always enjoy your observations, and the above post, as usual, has some great insights.

The Chronomat 01 may well be an acquired taste, but, as you suggest, there is a lot there to like over time.

Honestly, when it comes to sport chronographs, I think the Chronomat 01 is hard to beat -- it is incredibly robust, has 500m WR (or 200m WR for the GMT), and is aesthetically interesting to boot!

So long as we are admiring some of its details, I also think that Breitling did a great job with the rehaut -- which incorporates different information in a clean, easily readable manner, and its depth adds a nice dimension to the dial.

Also, getting back to Buck Rogers for a moment -- the Chronomat GMT uses the Buck Rogers font exclusively for GMT purposes, both on the bezel and on the dial. Far from creating disharmony (which, I know, is the prevailing view), I find that the use of different fonts serves an extremely practical purpose of making the dial more readable at-a-glance. So, when I need to refer to GMT, my eye instantly goes to the Buck Rogers font for reference, as it is easily distinguishable from the tach font. For me, this is a nice touch.

I'll admit, I'm finding this thread cathartic... :D

:lingsrock:

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 Post subject: Re: Buck Rogers Love
PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2018 10:09 am 
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Moana43 wrote:
Also, getting back to Buck Rogers for a moment -- the Chronomat GMT uses the Buck Rogers font exclusively for GMT purposes, both on the bezel and on the dial. Far from creating disharmony (which, I know, is the prevailing view), I find that the use of different fonts serves an extremely practical purpose of making the dial more readable at-a-glance. So, when I need to refer to GMT, my eye instantly goes to the Buck Rogers font for reference, as it is easily distinguishable from the tach font. For me, this is a nice touch. :lingsrock:


Guess what? I actually wanted to say this in my previous post as an example to why polarizing elements were implant into this model but somehow forgot. You have brought up the same exact points that I had wanted to! Yes I believe that is the purpose and the "function before form" intent of this model. :lingsrock:

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 Post subject: Re: Buck Rogers Love
PostPosted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 8:12 pm 
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