48

A look back to the 1940s, with a taste of today. The new Breitling Lady Premier collection rounds out Breitling’s Ladies collections in style!

The 1940s were a turning point for fashion. World War II had shaped the globe, and as the war was coming to an end, fashion was, and had changed as a result of a lack of resources, money and skilled labour. This meant clothes were less austere and more structured and functional. Materials like wool and rayon were used thanks to the material’s durability. Due to this, creativity flourished; however, this wasn’t limited to just clothes, but jewellery and accessories, including watches, followed suit. Fewer precious metals were used, but they were still created to imbue a sense of style and glamour. When it came to women, they had already adopted the wrist watch more so than men – possibly due to its practicality and jewellery-like nature, whereas men still wore suits, and the pocket watch still had its place.

Willy Breitling recognised this, and in the 1940s, he introduced the Premier line for ladies. Classic, elegant and understated with a sense of refinement. It is this style that Breitling has brought back with the introduction of the Lady Premier, in two sizes – a 32mm collection powered by a Superquartz movement and a larger 36mm collection powered by the automatic Breitling Calibre 10. Both are distinctive with the 32mm range on steel bracelets and more classic colours, with the 36mm collection on coloured alligator leather straps that complement the matching dials.

Lady Premier 32mm SuperQuartz

In the 32mm range, Breitling has crafted three models from steel in Midnight Black, Ink Blue and Mother-of-Pearl dials. The black and blue are diamond-set around the case and lugs (lab grown), whereas the Mother-of-Pearl retains the polished stainless steel look, which is offset nicely with the gold-plated hands and hour markers.

Each has a new tapered seven-row Chevron bracelet that creates a more dressy look when compared to the more linear men’s Premier bracelets. To me, this adds a more feminine style for those who want a more classic ladies’ watch that can transition from the office to a night out seamlessly.

Inside is the Breitling Calibre 77 SuperQuartz. A thermocompensated quartz occilator with 3-4 years of battery life that is COSC-certified, which with a SuperQuartz movement, would exceed these standards as a given. It is s good option for those who want a smaller, slimmer profile watch on the wrist, without having the hassle of replacing the battery every 18-24 months like many quartz watches need.

Lady Premier 36mm Automatic

In addition to the 32mm collection, for those who want something a little more sporty and modern, Breitling has a range of four 36mm models to choose from. One steel model in Aubergine, an 18k rose gold in Chocolate, and two steel diamond set pieces in Sage and Dove Grey. Each model has a colour-matched alligator leather strap that accentuates the colour combination nicely.

Those who want a slightly more classic look, the 18k rose gold model with chocolate dial gives an understated look, as does the Dove Grey – albeit with the added elegance of the diamond set topcase and lugs. For those ladies who want to shine, then the Aubergine in steel and the diamond set Sage make a statement.

In each watch beats the Breitling Calibre 10 – a COSC-certified automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve. Yes, it isn’t an in-house movement, but the watchmakers at Breitling do modify and adjust it to COSC specifications. As a daily wearer, the 42-hour power reserve, even though a little below the industry standard these days, should be adequate.

Initial Thoughts

Breitling has been on a run over the last few years with all its new releases, and Georges Kern has done a good job on driving the brand’s resurgence, with much of this based on heritage design cues. Personally, I love an elegant, classy ladies’ watch, and I kind of agree with Willy Breitling, who famously said, “When a woman puts on her watch, her whole personality is magically transformed.” Watches have this ability to make us feel better, elevate our style and look, and can even give us a sense of confidence.

On that note, with these new releases, Breitling has brought back a classic line to enhance its offering to women that talks to this sentiment. The collection offers people options tailored to their own style and personality, ranging from the elegant to the fun and vibrant. The two sizes add to this as well. Would I have liked to have seen a bracelet option in the 36mm automatic? Yes. Was it needed? Not necessarily, but I would think a bracelet option in the 36mm would add another layer, and we could see one added to these at a later date as brands often do. Overall, my gut feeling is that these will do well in the market and be a hit with potential buyers, and will give other brands’ ladies’ collection a run for their money.

References & Specifications:

32mm Lady Premier SuperQuartz

Australian Retail Pricing: Midnight Black & Ink Blue – A$10,490 / MOP – A$6,890

36mm Lady Premier Automatic

Australian Retail Pricing: 18k Rose Gold – A$22,890 / Sage & Dove Grey – A$13,590 / Aubergine – A$7,290

Availability: Available now via Breitling boutiques, retailers and online at Breitling.com