The Breitling Premier Datora is Breitling’s take on a calendar chronograph with moon-phase. Featuring rectangular chronograph pushers and Arabic numerals, the heritage-revived Premier Datora displays a variety of details such as grooves on the case-sides, open sapphire casebacks and syringe hands. The Datora comes in stainless steel with a copper dial or in 18k red gold with a silver dial. “Datora” was a term used by Breitling in the 1940s and refers to a complete calendar chronograph displaying day, date, month and moonphase.
Breitling Premier B25 Datora 42 Copper
The Case and Dial
The stainless steel case measures 42mm in diameter and 15.3mm in thickness. It wears on the larger side for a classic style, coming in at 50mm lug-to-lug.
The thickness of the watch is expected of an automatic chronograph movement with calendar module. That said, the heft may take some warming up to if one was expecting a classic design.
The stainless steel case is mostly mirror polished, with casebands at the side of the case to break the flat thick surface. The side finishing is brushed, contrasting with the step bezel and lugs.
The dial color of the Breitling Premier B25 Datora is especially tasteful. Although salmon dials have been on the return, with Patek Philippe’s 5270P and Montblanc’s Montblanc Heritage Pulsograph, the Datora’s copper dial is still rather eye-catching.
Applied arabic numerals are used for hour markers, with 6 of the numbers cut up by the subdials. It isn’t particularly obvious initially, but might be uncomfortable for some over time.
The periphery of the dial is filled by a tachymeter ring and a minutes track. This helps to fill up the space from the end of the subdials to the case.
The ring size of the subdials are on the larger side, observed by the smaller space between each subdial and the closeness to the handstack. The Breitling logo is squeezed between the calendar windows and the central hands.
The subdials are embossed with concentric guilloche lines for an added texture. A pair of white metal syringe hours and minutes hands are lume filled which helps with visibility in the dark.
A 22mm alligator strap with deployant buckle is used on the steel model. It uses a curved lug bar, which helps it stay closer to the case without a gap when taut on the wrist. While many brands are catching on quick release or easy strap change mechanisms, the Breitling uses a standard lug bar which requires a tool for removal.
The Movement
An open caseback reveals the automatic movement powering the Datora. The Breitling Datora runs on the B25 caliber, a COSC-certified chronograph that beats at 28,800 vph and has approximately 48 hours of power reserve.
The movement is based on a Concepto C2000 movement, a derivative of the Valjoux 7750, designed by Concepto Watch Factory as an efficient ebauche for modular complications. The B25 uses a vertical clutch layout with column wheel, instead of the lesser regarded lever based movements.
Finishing is modest on the movement, with machined Geneva stripes and bevelled bridges.
Concluding thoughts
Overall, the Breitling Premier Datora has a good wrist presence, a useful complication and an attractive design. While the industry is favoring slimmer and smaller sized watches – closer to 39mm, the 42mm case will still be welcome by those with larger wrists and would rather benefit from a larger dial for visibility.
For slimmer alternatives, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Master Control Chronograph Calendar comes in at 40mm x 12mm vs Breitling’s 42mm x 15.3mm case size. The former is priced at US$15,200 while the latter at US$12,950.
Size aside, the Datora is ideal as a versatile timepiece; classic yet imposing, a modern homage that opts for a larger case with vintage styling.
Photo Notes
Photographed in the Breitling boutique in ION Orchard. Hasselblad H3D-39 with HC 4/120 Makro and HC 2.8/80 with H28 Extension Tube. Profoto strobes.
