Breitling 01 Movement Review
It is well established that Breitling has been one of the premier watchmakers throughout history and have always lived on the edge of innovation. After all, it was Breitling that mastered the first automatic chronograph in 1969. In the modern era, Breitling’s premier in-house calibre is the Breitling 01 movement, also known as the B01 movement. This chronometer is proudly housed in most all of their chronographs in the Navitimer, Premier, Chronomat, and Top Timer collections.
The B01 movement features a chronograph that measures 1/4 second precision and up to 12 hours of timing. The date wheel for this movement is enjoyed by many. When the watch strikes midnight, the date wheel instantly flips to the next date. One might think that this feature is common but in all reality it is quite rare. On top of all that, the B01 power reserve is impressive coming in a 70 hours, which is enough to keep it in a constant rotation of other watches to wear.
Overall there is much to like about the Breitling 01 movement but what stands out the most to owners is the reliability of this workhorse type movement. It is a movement that does everything its designed to do close to perfection and is highly supported by the manufacture.
Breitling 01 Movement Accuracy
Achieving the legendary status of chronometer, the Breitling B01 movement has been tested for precise accuracy and has surpassed the qualifications required for this grade. Although Breitling doesn’t officially state what the exact precision of the Breitling 01 movement is, tested B01 movements have been rated to -4/+6 seconds per day or better. This information is accurate because I’ve owned a Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 for the better part of a year and the watch has always been precise.
Breitling 01 Specs
| Calibre | Breitling 01 (Manufacture) |
| Movement | Self-Winding Mechanical |
| Power Reserve | 70 Hours |
| Chronograph | 1/4 Second, 30 Minutes, 12 Hours |
| Vibration | 28,800 |
| Jewels | 47 |
| Calendar | Date |
| Accuracy | -4 / +6 Seconds Per Day |
How Does The In-House Calibre B01 Movement Compare
The Breitling 01 manufacture movement is well made and keeps precise time. With that being said when you compare it to in-house calibres like the 9900 from Omega or the 4131 from Rolex, unfortunately the B01 falls a bit short. That is still something to be proud of if you’re Breitling because Omega and Rolex are the absolute best at what they do within the same relative price range as Breitling. Omega’s Master Chronometer certification is second to none and the complete precision and accuracy of a Rolex is simply unbeatable.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Accuracy
- Power Reserve
- Reliability
- Breitling’s Watchmaking Heritage
Cons
- Lack of finishing
