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Nov 15, 2014, 04:55 AM
#1
Watch Geek
What model was it...
Breitling has really continued on with changing/deleting and introducing new models during the couple/few years I stopped paying close attention. Of course they introduced new movements (how many variants are now in house?) as well, and that played well with some of the changes.
But they introduced a model a few years back, one that had a unique read to subdials of the chronograph, giving it a much more (IMHO) intuitive readability. For someone with aging eyes like myself, it would be nice not to need reading glasses to read the chronograph time. And especially if bouncing around in a cockpit, seems like they had just the right tool, and have missed the boat in discontinuing it.
I may have to dig through some Chronologs if I can find them. But what was different/special about this one was that it could be read at a glance like a clock. IIRC, this was because there were a 60 minute hand and 12 hour hand on the same dial. So if at a glance you saw "2:15", elapsed time was 2 hours 15 minutes (and whatever seconds showed on the separate seconds sudial).
Does anyone know the model name of the one I'm talking about? I think it was part of the "Professional" line if that helps.
Last edited by T Bone; Nov 15, 2014 at 05:08 AM.
Regards, T Bone
Even a broken watch shows correct time once or twice a day. I ought to know, I have a few!
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Nov 16, 2014, 01:00 AM
#2
Member
Was it the Skyracer chronograph? That model had a different chrono dial layout, making it a little easier to read. Two chrono hands at 12 o'clock. One starts ticking and the other one advances every minute on the main dial.
edit- both IWC and TAG Heuer brought out similar chrono layouts, as well as Omega in recent years.
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Nov 16, 2014, 03:06 PM
#3
Watch Geek
Originally Posted by
Teeritz
Was it the Skyracer chronograph? That model had a different chrono dial layout, making it a little easier to read. Two chrono hands at 12 o'clock. One starts ticking and the other one advances every minute on the main dial.
edit- both IWC and TAG Heuer brought out similar chrono layouts, as well as Omega in recent years.
Thanks, yes that is it. Just Googled the model, the image I see has a sub dial at 9:00 with two hands, registers reading 12 and 60. The Skyracer user guide says those are minutes and hours. Another subdial at 3:00 with a register of 60 is running seconds for the time. Two thin hands on the center of the dial are Chrono seconds and another chrono minute counter (for more precise reading). A count down bezel completes the package. IMO, the additional minute totalizer would have been better utilized for a GMT/Zulu time function, but it's a great watch, sorry they dropped it. I may need to locate one.
Would love to see the Omega and T/H iterations. I really am surprised the readability of that set up did not propel it to the mainstream in chronographs.
Regards, T Bone
Even a broken watch shows correct time once or twice a day. I ought to know, I have a few!
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Nov 17, 2014, 12:03 AM
#4
Member
TAG Heuer brought out their Calibre S series sometime in 2006 (from memory). It was a quartz watch, but it had avery nifty chronograph function whereby pushing in the crown would turn the main dial into a chrono, so that 90 minutes, for example, would look like 1:30pm, three hours would look like 3:00pm, and so on. You could actually use the watch to show a second time zone, provided you started the chrono function at midday or midnight. Pretty clever, but I don't think they still use this particular calibre.
Omega use a similar two-dial set-up with the new Planet Ocean chrono and Speedmaster as well. I think they are the Calibre 9300 models.
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Nov 17, 2014, 12:20 AM
#5
Not a Zombie
I am soooo glad I read this thread!!! I was lamenting the Transocean at 38mm and now I find this beauty at a Wrist perfect 43mm.
Thanks
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Nov 17, 2014, 01:42 PM
#6
Originally Posted by
drickster
I am soooo glad I read this thread!!! I was lamenting the Transocean at 38mm and now I find this beauty at a Wrist perfect 43mm.
Thanks
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38 is too small for me. And I'm not a big guy.
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Nov 17, 2014, 04:52 PM
#7
Not a Zombie
I have a number of 40mm watches and they are a little small but still good in my eye. 38 is just too small.
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Nov 20, 2014, 12:12 PM
#8
Originally Posted by
T Bone
Would love to see the Omega and T/H iterations. I really am surprised the readability of that set up did not propel it to the mainstream in chronographs.
I'm with you on the combined hours/minutes sub-dial. I have a Speedy 9300 and really love the ability to read the elapsed chronograph time "at-a-glance". The other nice thing is that this allows for a two sub-dial layout, which is really attractive.
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Nov 20, 2014, 07:04 PM
#9
Watch Geek
Originally Posted by
Jazzmaster
I'm with you on the combined hours/minutes sub-dial. I have a Speedy 9300 and really love the ability to read the elapsed chronograph time "at-a-glance". The other nice thing is that this allows for a two sub-dial layout, which is really attractive.
Very nice, thanks! Now I have seen the 9300 online (did not know the model number to search for), and the two dial chrono (one with two hands) just seems even more "the way to go". Can't beleive it's not gotten into the mainstream (is there an echo in here? Think I heard that before- like when I said it above!).
Does anyone know the T/H model number? (Off to search the web for two dial T/H chrono's).
Regards, T Bone
Even a broken watch shows correct time once or twice a day. I ought to know, I have a few!
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Nov 21, 2014, 08:37 AM
#10
Member
Originally Posted by
T Bone
Very nice, thanks! Now I have seen the 9300 online (did not know the model number to search for), and the two dial chrono (one with two hands) just seems even more "the way to go". Can't beleive it's not gotten into the mainstream (is there an echo in here? Think I heard that before- like when I said it above!).
Does anyone know the T/H model number? (Off to search the web for two dial T/H chrono's).
If you do a search for TAG Heuer Calibre S, that should bring up the current models. They were made for the Link, Carrera and AquaRacer series when they were first released around 2006-2007.
The Omega two-register chronos are available in the Speedmaster and Planet Ocean ranges. I don't have the model number of the Speedmaster handy, but the Planet Ocean model number is 232.30.46.51.01.001. This is the stainless steel, 45.5mm model. These are very well-known amongst Omega collectors and fans.
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