Enjoy this throwback video from before Watchuwant became WatchBox!

The Breitling Chronomat Blackbird is a true throwback. A traditional 40mm brushed-steel professional watch with a matte black dial, this is the chronograph that reminded the world that Breitling also grasps the power of "stealth" in aviation... and aviator's watches.

From the late 1990s, the Breitling Blackbird Chronomat filled the role of a quietly confident "stealth" fighter within the Chronomat catalog. In the process of becoming Breitling's best selling model line, the Chronomat rose to fame as a high-polish, blindingly bright metallic accessory for aviators and armchair aviators alike.

But not all Breitling collectors were enthralled by this approach, so the Solothurn-based watchmaker issued the Chronomat Blackbird, a brushed steel model whose very name evokes the covert-ops world of the legendary Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird spy plane.

The brushed steel case, bezel, and matching five-link "Pilot" bracelet are substantial pieces whose robust wrist feel impart user confidence while leaving fatuous flamboyance stranded on the runway. A complementary matte black dial keeps this subtle stunner below the radar of posers, jokers, and anyone who follows the Kardashians on Twitter.

Full Arabic numerals in white are matched by a set of white hands that jump from the black dial base. This look takes the Breilting Chronomat line back to its roots as a mid-century cockpit companion for aviators whose requirements were legibility and durability, not fashion flair. The romanic numerals stand distinctly apart from the smaller calibrations of the tachymeter on the rehaut. A simple date window provides practicality at three o'clock.

Breitling's five-link "slash cut" Pilot bracelet is a long-running classic. With only occasional refinements, this basic design has spanned parts of three decades thanks to its superb comfort, contemporary style, and functional durability. The clamshell clasp is aesthetically well-matched to the Pilot bracelet and closes with a satisfying "snick."

Within the 40mm (15mm thick) case, Breitling's caliber 13 keeps time with the consistency of a jet engine. The Valjoux/ETA 7750 base movement is a well-known workhorse, and in "Cal 13" guise, the movement has been refined to achieve COSC Swiss Chronometer certification. With automatic winding, a jump date, a chronograph, and proven resistance to the slings and arrows of life on active wrists, the Cal 13 is a worthy counterpart to the 100-meter water resistant Blackbird case.

See this Breitling Chronomat Blackbird A13350 in high resolution with full Breitling factory packaging, manuals, paperwork, and accessories on:
https://www.thewatchbox.com/watches/breitling