Introducing the new Breitling Premier B25 Datora watches

Equipped with a Breitling Manufacture Calibre and boasting two new stunning dial colours –Breitling welcomes back its calendar and moonphase complications in the form of the much-loved Datora.

Breitling has relaunched the classic and elegant-looking Datora of the 1940s watch with a choice of two new dial colours in copper or silver and a choice between a stainless steel or an 18ct rose gold case. The models are both powered by the Breitling Manufacture Calibre B25 and impart that all-important vintage look with a luxurious brown alligator leather strap. 

Why the Premier watch is so different

It was an important announcement for many devoted Breitling fans when just a few years ago the Swiss brand revealed it would be returning a name familiar to those who know the manufacturer’s esteemed history. The Breitling Premier collection was born during the Second World War. It enjoyed great success throughout the 1940s and since then the watches have been widely sought-after for their vintage-inspired charm. Despite making its debut during World War II, the Premier is a far cry from the brand’s extensive range of pilot’s watches and diver’s watches. It offered civilians a chance to dip into the world of Haute Horology without the tech-heavy side to the brand’s instrument watches.

Breitling has waited nearly 80 years to welcome the Premier watch back into its current catalogue. Essentially it brings the same objective to the forefront of its design but the emphasis is now on honouring the work of the manufacturer’s founders – three generations of the Breitling family. The first of the founding squad was Leon Breitling who founded the company and designed a patented tachymeter scale that could measure any distance between 15 and 150km/h, which went on to feature in the 1906 Vitesse pocket watch. The second squad member was his son Gaston who, along with his son, Willy developed the push-pieces for the chronograph to assist with the effortless handling over its start, stop and reset functions. Willy also established the Huit Aviation Department back in 1938, named after the eight-day power reserve that the brand’s onboard clocks and other dashboard instruments had at the time. The Department was dedicated to making some of the world’s highest quality pilot’s watches in history.

Breitling has been producing technical timepieces since its inception in 1885, developing masterpieces like the monopusher chronograph in 1915 and later adding the 4 o’clock pusher by 1933. Its perfection of the chronograph flourished in the 1940s, however, during the same time as the Premier collection. The Premier series is home to icons like the split-second chronograph and the Duograph, but also the Datora – a watch equipped with a calendar and sometimes a moonphase complication.

Breitling began applying the name “Datora” to its chronographs from then onwards. The Breitling Datora ref. 785 from 1950 featured a legible day-date complication at 12 o’clock, balanced by a trio of chronographs positioned in the 3-6-9 layout. Others such as the Breitling Datora ref: 799 from 1945 featured the moonphase complication at the top of dial encompassed by a date ring acting as its frame. The new Premier B25 Datora 42 watches are versatile and sporty and this time see the moonphase and date ring repositioned to the 6 o’clock location.

Not so long ago, CEO of Breitling, Georges Kern explained a little about what to expect in new Premier watches like the Datora:

“This is the first modern Breitling collection dedicated to everyday elegance. With outstanding quality and performance, these watches bear our unmistakable brand DNA, but they have been created with a focus on style that beautifully complements their purpose”.

The new Breitling Premier B25 Datora watches

The two new Premier B25 Datora watches from Breitling are dressed in stainless steel and 18ct rose gold outfits. Both are powered by the same movement but feature different coloured dials. The copper-coloured display has been paired with the steel casing while the silver-coloured face marries with a luxurious 18ct rose gold case. Both models measure a confident 42mm diameter and feature a cambered sapphire crystal glass front for guaranteeing readability at all times. This glass – the hardest material after the classic diamond – calls upon a highly sophisticated team of experts that use specialised equipment to apply glare-proof technology to both sides of the glass. Both Breitling Premier B25 Datora watches are also integrated with 100-meter water resistance and feature a sapphire-backed case for viewing the movement at work. The cases are also equipped with a non-screw-locked crown and two gaskets for ensuring a watertight environment.

The dials of the Breitling Premier B25 Datora watches feature the chronograph 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and a small second function at 9 o’clock. The 6 o’clock location features the moonphase complication decorated in deep blue and gold tones, surrounded by a date ring. The details on the counters are adorned in a deep blue hue to match a central chronograph hand in the same colour. The B logo is present in the counterweight of the chronograph hand, while the central hour and minute hands have been treated with a layer of Super-LumiNova. Polished Arabic numerals identify each hour marker around the hour track and have been surrounded by a tachymeter scale bordering the periphery of the dial. Accompanying the Breitling lettering and B logo at 12 o’clock is a legible day-date feature.

Both versions of the Breitling Premier B25 Datora are powered by the Breitling Manufacture Calibre B25 – a COSC-certified self-winding engine that performs at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour. The movement also supplies the wearer a useful 48-hour power reserve for those occasions off the wrist and, as aforementioned, is put on display through a transparent exhibition caseback. The movement also features a column wheel for an overall smoother, fluid performance.

The copper-dial version of the Breitling Premier B25 Datora ref: AB2510201K1P1 retails at £9,250 and is executed on a dark brown alligator leather strap with a folding clasp. The silver dial version ref: RB2510371G1P1 is priced at  £17,950 and is also fitted on a dark brown alligator leather strap. For more information on either model or to check out the rest of the Premier collection, visit us here, or call our sales team on 01335 453453