Even by April this year, when I meet with Breitling CEO Georges Kern in Delhi, it feels like the celebrations to commemorate the 140th year of the brand have already reached a fever pitch. Although Kern assures me that that’s not the case—there is a pop-up museum, a book launch, jubilee models, and a plethora of activities planned throughout the year—a lot has happened at the brand within the first four months of 2024. The most talked-about among them was Breitling’s announcement that it had partnered with Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard’s Climate Impulse project, the first nonstop around-the-world, zero-emission flight in a green hydrogen-powered airplane. Shortly before that, Breitling had unveiled the Aerospace B70 Orbiter, a watch that marked 25 years of the first nonstop balloon flight around the world (also piloted by Piccard)—it actually contained a segment of the original Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon visible through the transparent caseback. Prior to that, the brand had launched the limited-edition Chronomat 36 Victoria Beckham collection with the British designer.
Kern’s visit was also part of Breitling ‘140 Years of Firsts’ celebrations, where he met with the brand’s retail partners, customers, and the press in the country, to speak to them about the idea of the brand, its evolution in the recent past, and where it is headed to in the coming years. WatchTime India caught up with him for a one-on-one conversation...
WatchTime India: This year Breitling celebrates its 140th anniversary, and currently, there is a lot of talk around the Climate Impulse project. What made Breitling associate with it?
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der July - September 2024-Ausgabe von WatchTime India.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der July - September 2024-Ausgabe von WatchTime India.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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"Moser has always been very strong, and it can be very polarising.You either love it or hate it."
Recently, H. Moser & Cie joined hands with Studio Underd0g to create two passion fruit-inspired watches (more on page 72), once again proving its unconventional, collaborative approach to watchmaking.
A WELLORDERED CELEBRATION
Sinn celebrated 25 years of its model 356 by introducing a handsome version of this pilots' chronograph that has a symmetrical dial with a subtle colour gradient
WELCOME TO THE CLUB
With the Nomos graduation watch launched back in 2007, the Club had almost left its teenage years behind. Reason enough for the manufacturer in Glashütte to revise this watch's design for the first time ever, but without altering its character. Our test shows how well the Club is maturing.
AT NIGHT MISSION
Breitling has relaunched the Avenger collection and sharpened its profile. The new pilots' series brings fresh new chronographs into the picture, along with an automatic and a GMT version. And now, the Breitling in-house Caliber 01 makes its appearance in a slightly smaller fuselage. Our test shows what the new Avenger B01 Chronograph 'Night Mission' version has to offer.
Sportsmanship
A closer look at the latest colour options for Parmigiani Fleurier’s Tonda PF Sport, a high-frequency chronograph in stainless steel that aims to offer “simplicity and sophistication in sportive elegance”.
ODE TO JOY
For Delhi-based watch collector Ravi Sethi, the pleasure of collecting lies not just in timepieces but also in the people and community that help further it
TWICE AS NICE
Montblanc's manufactures in Le Locle and Villeret in Switzerland are giving the brand an edge few other watchmakers can match. We visited both facilities to understand how two approaches one futuristic and the other steeped in tradition have resulted in a wide range of Montblanc offerings that can cater to every kind of watch lover.
Purpose and Drive
In conversation with the 2024 Rolex National Geographic Explorer Fernando Trujillo on the causes, effects, and results of a life spent protecting the Amazon River dolphins
WRITTEN IN THE STARS
A close look at legendary watchmaker George Daniels's Space Traveller watches, which combined different concepts of time reading
HOT DOG
Richard Benc's Studio Underdog is bringing a quirky, colourful approach to horology