Watch Spotting At Breitling: Part 2

By Charlie Dunne

Following up to Watch Spotting At Breitling: Part 1 (photos from the Breitling event where Scott Carpenter’s Cosmonaute was unveiled to the world), the festivities continued into the evening where collectors were able to spend time in a more intimate setting at Razzia Restaurant & Bar in Zurich. Breitling staff joined collectors at the bar area where watches were shared over drinks. Eric Wind and I had the pleasure of meeting Romy Hebden, Head of Corporate Communications, who sported her Breitling Superocean. We discussed the recent “Airborne Journey” that took place just months before in which Breitling launched a newly-redesigned collection of the Navitimer which celebrated the historic model’s 70th year anniversary. The watches were unveiled in an in-flight setting between Zurich and Geneva. Hebden would express enthusiasm for the future when I inquired how Breitling anticipates keeping the momentum of back-to-back events such as these. I felt assured that we would continue to witness Breitling’s unparalleled storytelling.

Romy Hebden, Head of Corporate Communications, wearing her Breitling SuperOcean.

Eric Wind would spend much of the early evening with a new friend Tomas Rosputinsky, the Slovakian based collector and editor at Fratello Watches. Eric and Tomas had corresponded for years and Eric is a big fan of Tomas’s writing on vintage watches for Fratello, but they had not met in person until this dinner. In vogue for the event, Rosputinsky wore his vintage Breitling Scott Carpenter which I had the pleasure of admiring the evening prior at a collector’s dinner hosted by Lindsay Paterson of Breitling and Fred Mandelbaum.

Louis Westphalen Breitling — Louis Westphalen, Head of Digital Engagement and e-Commerce, wearing the Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Limited Edition.

Earlier that afternoon, Louis Westphalen, Head of Digital Engagement and e-Commerce, would share with me his personal Breitling reference 806 Twin Jet from circa 1966. Upon a second take, I would notice the Mk 5 dial was signed “LIP”. Westphalen would inform me of the LIP X Breitling relationship and how the timepiece was featured in the new book ‘Navitimer Story: The epic saga of the Breitling chronograph’.

I would later notice Westphalen’s Breitling-branded backpack. Intrigued to learn the backstory on it he would inform of the special merch.

“This was a gift with purchase for the E-Commerce limited edition Superocean red, reminiscent of the old Abyss line. We had also done it in yellow, but the original Abyss also had a blue ring version. The bags are made by GRÜNBAG a Danish company that focuses on sustainable and durable bags. They are made from recycled material making for a waterproof backpack each with a unique pattern.”

- Louis Westphalen

Learn more about Breitling’s 2021 Sustainability Report Mission Report on the official website.

Breitling ECom Exclusive Superocean Automatic 42 “Red”. Image credit: Breitling.com

A discerning collector’s vintage Boucheron Reflet with the “*Clous de Paris” case.*

*Fred Mandelbaum (@watchfred) , Breitling collector, historian, and consultant to the manufacturer. As featured in Episode 16 of the Significant Watches podcast.*

A vintage Breitling Cosmonaute "Scott Carpenter" reference 809 and the new Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Limited Edition.

GaryG wearing his vintage Mathey-Tissot Type XX.

PR & Communications Manager Lindsay Paterson’s Chronomat 32 with the upgraded diamond bezel.

Three examples of the Scott Carpenter Navitimer 809 with wide bezel. This one on the far right is available for purchase on Wind Vintage.

A collector’s Piaget wristwatch in 18k white gold with magical angular-faceted numerals.

Jose Pereztroika Breitling — Jose Pereztroika (founder of perezcope.com) wearing his Breitling Navitimer.

*The Superocean Heritage* '*57 Pastel Paradise next to the vintage Superocean that inspired it.*

Over dinner, I had asked Breitling’s Digital Project Manager Nicolas Chambron about a baby-blue timepiece that caught my attention earlier in the afternoon. Chambron would guide my attention to the table next to us, pointing out the woman who wore what I would learn was the Superocean Heritage '57 Pastel Paradise. As he would inform me, the woman wearing the Superocean was in fact Mrs. Breitling, the wife Gregory Breitling. Particularly intrigued by the hour markers which mirrored those on a vintage reference 807 I had seen the previous evening, the Breitling team would open their iPhones to show me vintage advertisements that had served as the basis of the model’s design.

GaryG spotted wearing his *Rexhep Rexhepi in the Zurich airport.*

A Breitling Chronomat Frecce Tricolori. The collector would inform me that this 250 limited edition run was inspired by the 1983 chronograph developed for the Italian aerial squadron.

Vintage Breitling advertisement featuring the Breitling Unitime reference 1-260. Image credit: https://www.adpatina.com/

Interacting with the core models like the Navitimer, Chronomat, and Unitime would illuminate Breitling’s offerings as the quintessential timepieces for world travelers in the JetSet Era. When asked about Breitling’s marketing throughout this period, Nick Federowicz - founder of the vintage advertisement marketplace Ad Patina - would spotlight the manufacturer as one which defined the genre of watches.

“Just like Breitling’s famous slide rule does so much, this 1957 Breitling advertisement offers so much… It has a number of advertising elements that make it a great example of marketing aimed at capturing the imagination of would-be jet passengers and businesspeople during the Golden Age of travel. But it’s also effective in 2022 for nostalgic and historical reasons. This ad can inspire and inform a new generation, not only about the storied history of Breitling, but also, that runway full of old airline logos, can prompt one to explore the rich history of commercial travel.” - Nick Federowicz of Ad Patina

Westphalen admiring a vintage Breitling Unitime reference 1-260.

A British collector’s Breitling chronograph from the 1930s.

A gentleman wearing the Patek Philippe given to him for his wedding. Eric playfully nicknamed him “Mr. Patek” at the Breitling event.

Prior to sitting down for dinner, Mandelbaum would call me over to admire a watch which just arrived. He forewarned me that the strap was not of his choosing and that it would be immediately changed once he arrived home to some 18mm options in his office. The watch was an incredibly Duograph which featured magnificently-stepped lugs and a non-luminous dial. Witnessing the enthusiasm on Mandelbaum’s face as he shared with us his latest acquisition made me optimistic that I too would still find such joy in timepieces after decades of collecting. Days after arriving back in the US, Fred would proudly share a photo of his watch on a tan-bund strap via direct message on Instagram.

Special thanks to Breitling, Fred Mandelbaum, Nicolas Chambron, Louis Westphalen, Lindsay Paterson, Romy Hebden, Sylvain Berneron, Santa Kalna, Letizia Garrapa, Georges Kern, and the rest of the Breitling team for hosting us at one of the best watch events we have ever attended. Additionally, a very special thanks to Nick Federowicz of Ad Patina.

Charlie Dunne is the Director of Content and Research for Wind Vintage and has been published and quoted in numerous other watch publications. You can also find more of his writing on StrictlyVintageWatches.com.