The last time I wrote about Breitling, I mentioned that many of their watches really had not captured my attention, as they simply felt too cluttered for my tastes. This seems to have changed, much to the better, with the Transocean collection. I really quite liked the looks of the Transocean 38, and the new Breitling Transocean Chronograph 1915 looks to be more of the same.
No, this does not mean that I’ve changed positions and will be wearing all manner of chronographs – I still feel the complication has limited functionality for my own use case. That said, if you were going to wear a chronograph, the Breitling Transocean Chronograph 1915 is certainly a classy-looking way to go. The bi-compax layout is nicely balanced (and does not chop off any numerals), and is triggered by a mono-pusher.
Yup, that’s right – just a single pusher for start, stop, and reset. This hearkens back to 1915, when Breitling switched over from creating pocket watches (which had the crown and pusher combined into one) to making wrist watches. It was then that they decided to separate the crown and pusher functions, locating it at the 2 o’clock position. While several improvements were made after that initial model (including the dual-pusher layout we are more familiar with today), there is no doubt that the 1915 model had a special place in the Breitling catalog.
Given that it is now 100 years since that original piece, it makes sense that Breitling would introduce a commemorative model in the form of the Breitling Transocean Chronograph 1915. While it is a touch larger that the first Transocean we wrote about, the 43mm case should still be manageable. Limited to a run of 1,915 pieces, the watch is powered by the Breitling Caliber B14, which is hand-wound and carries a COSC certification.
In terms of styling, the Breitling Transocean Chronograph 1915 definitely has that vintage vibe. The dial is in a silver tone, with luminous numerals in an “antiqued” shade. I appreciate that they placed the chronograph registers such that the numerals are not cut off by them; unfortunately, the date window did not manage that same feat. Speaking of the registers, you will note that one is a small seconds, and the other is a 30-minute register for the chronograph (so no, you won’t be timing a marathon with this one).
While you can choose to get the Breitling Transocean Chronograph 1915 on a leather strap (which does keep the vintage look), I rather prefer the mesh bracelet option that have shown (something I have been more of a fan of since reviewing the Tissot Visodate Milais). Regardless of the option you go for with the strap, I think the Breitling Transocean Chronograph 1915 does a nice job of capturing the feel of the original model, while offering something that fits with modern tastes; pricing yet to be announced. breitling.com
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Breitling Transocean Chronograph 1915
- Price: TBD
- Who we think it might be for: You like your vintage, and you like your chronographs
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen?: While I like the Transocean collection in general, the chronograph (especially a 30-minute one) is not for me.
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: The interaction of the date window and the 6 o’clock numeral needs to be corrected – either completely remove the 6, or do not cut it off.
- What spoke to me the most about this watch: How it managed to capture the look and feel of the original 1915 watch
