BREITLING

Breitling Reveal Chronomat Automatic GMT 40 and B01 42 Erling Haaland Editions

Kicking things off (pun intended) is the Chronomat Automatic GMT 40 Erling Haaland, a 40mm Chronomat in steel with a platinum bezel and meteorite dial. You can clearly see the influence of Haaland in the choice of materials. A platinum bezel feels wholly unnecessary, especially for a travel watch like a GMT that’s prone to dings and scratches as it trots around the globe. However, this is a watch designed in part by a footballer so I think if any watch can be forgiven for footballer style ostentation, it’s this one. And let’s be honest, you’re less likely to ding it travelling by private jet.

I actually think the watch looks quite handsome. The silver tone of the platinum/steel case matches that of the meteorite dial while the GMT 24-hour scale separates them with a thin black ring. It gives the display a nice amount of structure, adding emphasis to each part of the watch while making the whole piece work cohesively together. The golden GMT hand adds another layer or prestige to the piece though it’s the seconds hand that features Haaland’s initials as the counterweight.

The individuality that comes from a meteorite dial with its Widmanstätten pattern is also attractive. The characteristic cross-hatched markings that are never the same between two watches. Breitling have sourced their meteorite from the most common source in watchmaking, the Muonionalusta meteor, which is one of the oldest materials on Earth.

Turning the watch over reveals a solid caseback engraved with Erling Haaland’s signature lotus goal celebration pose. You can also find the inscription of his name, jersey number (9) and a commemorative inscription of ‘One of 500’ marking it as a limited edition. Beneath the caseback is the Breitling Calibre 32 with 42-hour power reserve.

Second is the Chronomat B01 42 Erling Haaland, which is actually split into two separate limited editions. There’s a 250-piece edition available to the public and a 5-piece edition exclusive to Erling Haaland and his friends and family. Structurally they’re the same with a 42mm case in rose gold with a meteorite chronograph dial sporting black subdials. Like the GMT above it features Haaland’s initials on one of the central hands, this time the chronograph seconds.

The differences between the standard edition and the Haaland Signature version aren’t visible from the dial. Instead, you have to look at the side of the case where the Signature model has an inscription of ‘Erling Haaland 9’ that’s absent from the standard version. They also feature slightly different casebacks, with the Signature featuring a silhouette of the lotus celebration while the standard goes without. The limited-edition numbers are also different, which makes sense.

Powering both models is the B01 automatic chronograph movement with 70-hour power reserve. It’s their premier chronograph movement, finished nicely with Côtes de Genève and an openworked rotor. It’s equipped with hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph seconds, 12-hour timer, 30-minute timer and date functions.

As noted, the Signature edition is exclusive to Haaland’s wrist plus trusted friends while the standard version of the Chronomat B01 42 Erling Haaland is priced at £21,900 on rubber strap or £39,700 on bracelet. If you’re fed up of sitting on the meteorite Daytona waiting list or spending twice as much for a secondary market version, Breitling have got you covered.

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