Someone recently asked me whether they thought replica breitling Bentley Barnato watches might come back in fashion. John and I spent time discussing this during an episode of the HourTime Show watch podcast and after giving it much thought the answer was a resounding “not likely.” So why am I mentioning this before I discuss what is arguably one of the coolest pocket watches around? Because this pocket watch you see before you won’t find a place in jacket pockets and be used to tell the time on a regular basis. It will be stored sweetly and safely and played with from time to time. The privileged few owners of these watches will still use a replica breitling Chronomat 41 watch as their primary (or at least secondary) means of telling the time. This and other pocket watches will merely be a collector’s item. Possibly really cool collector’s items, but still just that.
Pocket watches are increasingly attractive for high-end brands to make as limited edition models because of collective nostalgia and size. In 1989 Patek Philippe released its famous “Calibre 89″ pocket watch. At the time it was the most complicated timepiece in the world. Patek isn’t really in the market to make pocket watches but the size of a pocket watch allows sophisticated brands to show off their stuff. You can simply fit a lot more in to something the size of a pocket watch versus a http://ift.tt/1tvv3oc watch. For mechanical junkies like me, the allure of shoving in “the whole kitchen sink” is just to appealing from an aspirational standpoint. That still doesn’t mean I can see myself lugging it around.
A few years ago, the first really modern super high-end pocket watch came out released by Richard Mille. Called the RM 020, its rectangular shaped case defied the round shape rule that we associate with most pocket watches. It cost over $400,000 and contained a tourbillon among other complications. It also had a funky titanium chain that reminded me of robotic dreadlocks. Now Breitling releases their version of the pocket watch which follows the “it no longer needs to be round” rule.
Breitling doesn’t even call their model Bentley a pocket watch. There prefer the term “Navitimer ��ber Complication.” That does seem to apply better to something that looks like a watch gear assembled mobile phone. Too bad Celsius sort of beat them to the punch with a high-end watch that actually is in a phone. With the fold out section on the back of the Bentley that reminds me of those old Motorola StarTac phones, it is hard to not see the mobile phone connection. Go ahead, try to make a call with it.
Uber device it is. The Bentley is basically an accumulation of all of the complications that Breitling has developed over the years. It then adds a new calendar system. That doesn’t mean the Bentley contains every function they’ve put in timepieces, but all the unique elements that make an Breitling an Breitling are represented in this pocket watch… I mean this super device awesome complication time munching mega stick.
