Simply Abu Dhabi XXVI

1 7 0 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I B reitling went bigger than usual this year, which is saying something as the aviation experts are widely known for always delivering. Still, in 2017 we got their first ever in-house split-seconds chronograph movement. For brand experts, yes, Breitling did produce the split-seconds Duograph in the 1940s, but that particular timepiece did not have a proprietary calibre. The Navitimer is Breitling’s iconic mechanical chronograph and it has been widely lauded as one of the most important aviator watches since its launch in 1952. Consequently, it was the obvious choice to use this classic watch for this exceptional new movement. The major difficulty in a split-seconds chronograph movement concerns the level of energy. The constant stopping and starting of the split-seconds hand results in variable energy requirements that can prove detrimental to chronometric precision and reduce the watch’s power reserve. One way to mitigate this problem is to deploy an isolating system in the movement, which disconnects the split-seconds hand when it is stopped. Breitling has taken this path, but the brand’s engineers and watchmakers have also revisited the construction of the split-seconds mechanism in order to achieve a more reliable and effective solution. Two innovations to achieve this were developed and the patents are pending. Breitling Navitimer Rattrapante