Breitling 140th Anniversary Limited Edition Model with New Movement and the Ever-Evolving Cal.01

Breitling has announced the Cal. B19, an in-house perpetual calendar chronograph movement that adds another "first" to its history. The honor of being the first to feature this movement goes to the Icon 3 model. Breitling's style is to create practical watches that can be worn every day, even when they are complicated.

Amazing 140th Anniversary Limited Edition Collector's Item

　To mark the brand's 140th anniversary, Breitling has finally announced the Caliber B19, a new engine that will be used in three of its 140th anniversary models. Its greatest feature is that it is Breitling's first in-house-developed perpetual calendar chronograph movement. Naturally, it is based on the flagship Caliber 01, which has been Breitling's flagship movement.

　A perpetual calendar is a complex mechanism that not only automatically adjusts for long and short months at the end of the month, but also automatically adjusts for leap years, which occur once every four years. Until now, Breitling had relied on external suppliers for its movement, the Cal. 29, which has this function. The same was true for the Cal. 19, the semi-perpetual calendar featured in the Super Chronomat. In that sense, the Cal. B19 movement announced by Breitling marks another "first" for the brand.

　But that's not the only groundbreaking aspect of the Cal. B19. Breitling, always striving for practicality, has incorporated two more practical innovations to celebrate the brand's 140th anniversary. The first is an extended power reserve. While the previous Cal. 01 had a running time of approximately 70 hours, the Cal. B19's running time has been extended to approximately 96 hours. This means that the power reserve has been extended by approximately one day, from approximately three to approximately four days.

　Another change is the adoption of a free-sprung balance, eliminating the regulator. This is also a first for Breitling in an in-house chronograph. While a regulator in a conventional movement makes it easier to fine-tune the rate, a strong impact can cause the regulator to move, affecting accuracy. However, both Breitling's existing Cal. 13 movement, which is based on a general-purpose movement, and its in-house Cal. 01 movement, have achieved high shock resistance while still retaining a regulator. However, this time, Breitling has chosen to eliminate the regulator and adopt a free-sprung balance in the new movement, further demonstrating Breitling's commitment to practicality as an instrument since its founding.

　Of course, to celebrate the 140th anniversary in style, the movement of the anniversary model is equipped with a 22K red gold rotor, which is engraved with the name of Breitling's Montbrillant factory, located at 3 rue Montbrillant in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The west wing of Montbrillant has been home to three generations of the Breitling family, making it a historical motif that truly marks the company's origins. Its importance is evident from the fact that the name has been used in model names and the company building has been featured in advertising. While the special designs and decorations of these limited edition models are certainly indicative of what makes Breitling unique, it goes beyond that.

　In other words, for the company, the latest is always the best. Even if it is a complicated perpetual calendar watch, the brand philosophy and beliefs that have been passed down for 140 years will never waver.

Cal.01 continues to evolve in its 16th year

　The first batch of Cal. 01 was produced in December 2008 and first installed in the Chronomat in 2009. It was Breitling's first chronograph movement developed and manufactured in-house. In the 15 years since then, Breitling has been quietly and tirelessly improving it!

　Breitling's first in-house developed and manufactured movement, the Caliber 01, has been known as an excellent, easy-to-maintain movement since it was first installed in the Chronomat in 2009. However, its evolution has not stopped, and improvements have been made constantly. "Many parts have been improved over the past 15 years," says Masaaki Nemoto of Studio Breitling, Japan's only technical trainer. "These improvements are not to address problems, but to make things better. While the appearance may be minimal, the materials and structure have changed, and some have been coated with new materials. For example, the two levers that control the connection with the vertical clutch appear slightly cloudy, due to the wear-resistant Teflon coating. This has significantly improved durability," says Nemoto.

　Despite being a movement created 15 years ago, its constant evolution is the reason it remains at the forefront of the industry as a base movement. Cutting-edge LIGA technology was introduced in 2021, minimizing the wobble of the chronograph second hand. The reverser, which bears the greatest strain on an automatic watch, has also undergone further refinements over the four generations shown in the photo. While the original winding mechanism was heavy due to the structure and shape of the crown, the current caliber is one step lighter, offering a stiffer yet smoother movement and improved durability.

"The reverser cannot be disassembled, so we replace it with the latest generation at every maintenance. Even the hands of Breitling watches are made hard to ensure durability, and when they are removed for a complete service, they are generally replaced rather than reused."

　Breitling has close ties with its Swiss headquarters and authorized maintenance service centers around the world, so information on new parts is communicated in real time, and oil application methods are also updated as needed. Even with the same Caliber 01, with such evolution, the number of maintenance changes is enormous, and unauthorized repair shops would have difficulty obtaining such new information and genuine parts. However, if you send it in for an authorized overhaul, it will always be returned in the latest, best condition.

　Let's summarize other key evolutions. First, the automatic reset hammer, with its patented double structure that eliminates the need for manual adjustment, has been streamlined to a single structure while maintaining the same functionality. Additionally, the teeth on the calendar disc that mesh with the date advance wheel's pawl were originally trapezoidal, but in the second generation, the corners were rounded to prevent deformation of the teeth due to misoperation. The font on the calendar disc is now a large Gothic font, marking the third generation. Furthermore, the current crown winding stem has been tempered for a different time period to increase viscosity, making it less susceptible to breakage. Similarly, the rotor and bridge screws were changed from tungsten steel to more resilient stainless steel in 2018, making them less likely to break. The barrel, originally gold, is now silver because the use of cadmium has been discontinued in consideration of environmental impact.

"We've been developing and manufacturing our own movements since Cal. 01, and with 15 years of accumulated chronometry know-how, we've gotten much better at manufacturing. Since the beginning in 2009, the quality has clearly improved, and even with the same COSC certification, there are differences in the small details. Watching this maturation process gives me confidence that we will continue to evolve in the future."

Breitling's Manufacturing Base: The Current State of Chronometry

　Cal. 01, Breitling's first in-house developed and manufactured chronograph movement, debuted in the Chronomat in 2009. As we've already explained, since its inception, it has continually evolved to enhance its practicality. The Cal. 01 is actually manufactured and assembled by Breitling's Chronometry division, responsible for the manufacture of Breitling's movements.

　Breitling's movement manufacturing base, Chronométrie, is located in La Chaux-de-Fonds, one of the birthplaces of Swiss mechanical watchmaking. Currently, Chronométrie is comprised of two main buildings. One is the old building, which handles assembly and casing, and the other is the new building, which manufactures parts. The new four-story building is not only the site of the manufacture and assembly of the main parts of the Cal. 01, but also plays the important role of developing and testing the movement and its oil.

　The in-house Caliber 01 is now synonymous with Breitling. The production department for its movement parts is one of the most iconic divisions at Chronometry. Housed within the spacious four-story new building, the production department is equipped with dozens of CNC (computer numerically controlled) machines, each costing at least one million Swiss francs, where plates and bridges are dry-cut 24/7. Dry cutting is a recently adopted technique that does not require the use of cooling oil to reduce heat generated during metal cutting. As part of its efforts to reduce its environmental impact, Chronometry also uses Fleury's Modulo, a CNC machine capable of dry cutting. For example, for cutting plates, a tool rotates at 25,000 revolutions per minute, allowing for the cutting of 250 plates per day. Of course, all metal shavings, such as brass, are collected and recycled.

　What was particularly interesting was the sandblasting of the baseplate. At Breitling, the cut baseplate is sandblasted to prepare the surface, but at the Chronométrie, this process has also been automated. I have often seen other companies sandblast each baseplate by hand, but this was the first time I had seen a fully automated process, including filling the baseplate and spraying beads onto it at 1 atmosphere of pressure.

　The various parts manufactured in the new building, along with parts delivered by some suppliers, are efficiently assembled on an assembly line staffed by watchmakers, and the preparatory process of setting rubies (hole jewels and bridge stones) and pins is also automated. With regard to the rubies, it was refreshing to watch the efficient handling of the machine tools' hands, from sorting them by size to arranging them on pallets.

　The ever-evolving core Caliber 01 currently has 346 parts, including rubies and pins. In comparison, the Caliber B19, the new perpetual calendar chronograph movement featured in the 140th anniversary model, has 374 parts. Chronométrie was already manufacturing the Caliber B19, but the company currently produces approximately 85,000 in-house movements annually. Including other general-purpose movements such as Kenissi and Sellita, Chronométrie produces approximately 220,000 units annually, a result of increased efficiency in each process within the manufacturing department. When the Caliber 01 was first released in 2009, annual production was approximately 3000 units, representing an astonishing 28-fold increase in in-house movements alone.

　Just as the Cal. 01 has undergone subtle evolution over the 15 years since its creation to enhance its practicality, it is clear that chronometry, at the forefront of production, has also been constantly improved and developed in both quality and scale.

A source of information for finding that one destined one
Breitling Boutique

　The best way to find the perfect watch is in the best possible space, with the perfect combination of facilities, customer service, and product selection. We introduce you to a professional Breitling boutique that will take the experience of buying a watch to the next level of satisfaction.

　Breitling is not a simple brand where your relationship with a store ends once you make a purchase. If you buy from an authorized retailer, you can say that a long-term relationship begins from the moment you make a purchase, with customer service renowned as the best in the industry, invitations to events, and a comprehensive maintenance system. Pursuing the ideal of an authorized retailer—where customers receive a thorough product explanation, choose a model that satisfies them, and feel reassured by impeccable after-sales service—the first Breitling specialty store opened in 2002, in fact in Japan, the first in the world. The first store was the Breitling Boutique Ginza, which moved to its current location in 2006. Since then, stores have opened in Osaka and Fukuoka, and there are now 14 stores across Japan.

　Each store deals exclusively in Breitling watches, so they have a wide variety of items in stock, new products arrive quickly, and rare limited edition models are given priority. Another big attraction is the existence of limited editions that can only be purchased at boutiques.

　The Breitling Boutique is a "holy land" that anyone interested in Breitling should visit first. Stepping inside, your heart will race as you enter the overwhelming world of Breitling. The interior, featuring sturdy steel, spotlights, warm brick walls, and leather, expresses the worldview of an "industrial loft" renovated from a warehouse or factory. In this casual, relaxing space, you will be greeted by Breitling specialists (authorized salespeople) who are well-versed in the brand's history, technology, and products. We hope you will discover your one-of-a-kind watch in this "superb space," where even the background music and fragrances are chosen in accordance with global boutique regulations.

We recommend making a reservation to visit the Breitling Boutique.

　To ensure a smooth service, Breitling boutiques offer an easy online reservation system where you can tell them in advance what you want to see, such as "I want to see the Navitimer," "I want to know more about the diver's collection," or "I'm looking for a gift for my partner."

　For example, if you want to try on a specific model or get advice on customization, it would be safer to make a reservation. Also, if you add the line "I saw the Japanese version of Kronos and made a reservation" when making a reservation, you will receive a special 140th anniversary bookmark (however, limited to one per group, first 20 people).