Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Norton

In the early 1940s, Breitling was renowned for their precise aviation instruments, serving the British Royal Air Force and other air forces. In 1943, Breitling introduced the Premier collection, named for the French word “first.” This collection was designed to lead in watchmaking elegance, blending sophistication with practical versatility. After a long hiatus, the Premier was revived in 2018 with modern, high-end models, and continues to expand annuall with beautiful new variants. This historical journey highlights the Premier’s evolution from a pioneering chronograph line to a contemporary classic.

Design and Craftmanship

The Breitling Premier collection assimilates classic style with modern trends. Originally, these watches ranged from under 30mm to 38.5mm in size and were made from chrome, stainless steel, and 18K gold. Contemporary Premier watches retain this elegance while incorporating modern elements, including bigger dials with 40mm and 42mm models clean dials, and open sapphire casebacks along with vintage-inspired hands, and sleek dial options. The Premier’s distinctive rectangular chronograph pushers and elegant Arabic numerals mark Breitling’s refined entry into dress watches, combining timeless design with modern functionality to set a new standard in stylish timepieces. All Premier watches offer water resistance up to 100 meters with the COSC-certified Manufacture calibre B25. The watches in this collection feature a complete calendar chronograph that displays the day, date, month, and moon phases, adding a celestial touch to its precision. The collection also includes models powered by the in-house B01 movement, which offers a 70-hour power reserve with chronograph and date functions in the 42mm models. While the B09, found in the 40mm models, is a manual-wind movement known for its precision. Additionally, some models use the durable Valjoux 7750 calibre with a tricompax dial design.