Breitling is a brand that has its name written in golden letters in aviation history. A variety of their models support this claim with their functionality and design.
Few years ago Breitling joined the black case trend; first with their SuperOcean models and soon the Chronomats came to follow.
During the first couple of years, a line called Blacksteel was launched under their “limited edition” offerings, and the brand was presenting a different model each year.
The watch features very solid plating. Based on my experience, even after years I think this case will show much less signs of wear than steel or titanium cases.
The case measures at 44mm x 17mm and weighs 129 grams. Although it is not a huge problem, nevertheless because of the watch’s height it does not feel too comfortable on wrist.
The watch features a nice cambered glass. Through this design the bezel becomes a bit more durable against outside impacts.
Unfortunately the AR coating on the outside of the glass is very sensitive against scratches, one has to be careful about that.
The crown, well, it reminds me of a mosque’s dome. I wonder why they chose such a design for this kind of sport watch. For me the same disharmony shows itself on the dial.
For the bezel, the subdials, the tachymeter ring around the dial, the date indicator Breitling used different fonts for all of them. I guess it is a different design philosophy of their own.
The watch however offers a good 200 meters of water resistance.
The sapphire crystal glass on the case-back allows you to see the mechanism. Inside the watch works Breitling’s completely in-house automatic caliber B01.
I must admit the caliber’s visual appeal is very strong. The movement ticks at 28800 v/h and when it is fully wound it offers 70 hours of power reserve.
The chronograph is governed by a column wheel system and has a very soft usage. The watch is also officially certified by COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute); thus the watch ticks between +6/-4 seconds a day.
Like their cases and dials,
Breitling’s watch straps come in a wide variety.
This model offers two different types of rubber straps.
Although when you first wear the watch it feels comfortable, due to hot weather your wrist can get sweaty and the strap can give an unpleasant smell.
The watch comes with folding buckle and unfortunately you will only be able to adjust the strap by cutting it.
With the Chronomat 44 Raven model, Breitling has chosen to manufacture a timepiece for more specialized needs.
I think the most successful part of the watch is its refined mechanism.
The color combination of the watch increases visibility in almost every condition, thus I think it is a very good choice for those with a sporty and active lifestyle.
