Breitling is the latest watchmaker to create its own version of a timepiece which connects to a smart phone. Its view on the current fad in horology comes from the Professional collection and it bears the name Exospace B 55 Connected. The watch relies on a proprietary superquartz caliber that allows the piece to connect to a smart phone via Bluetooth Low Energy technology. This way, it can send information acquired by its functions to a phone, as well as receive various notifications and adjustments from it. The large 46 mm wide black titanium piece includes a precise chronograph with several features that are especially useful to pilots, as well as a host of other functions such as alarms, effortless switching through various time zones, automatic backlight activated with the tilt of a wrist, and others. Breitling Professional Exospace B55 Connected is paired with a two-tone rubber attachment and it comes at the price of around $8,900.
With the launch of the novelty, Breitling has joined the ranks of watchmakers who have created their own timekeepers that are compatible with smart phones. Despite it being fully functional, even without an assorted smart phone which is coupled through a special app, the timepiece has an ability to make the best of this connection. It can be adjusted by the connected phone and display various notifications about different types of messages and calls from it. The Bluetooth connection with the connected smart phone works both ways. This way, the phone can receive and display information that was gathered with the various supported features of the timepiece.
Expospace B55 Connected was in accordance with the brand’s history of a watchmaker with the close connection to aviation. Additionally, it is also from the Professional series which includes modern pieces that are intended to be used as instruments. This is why its B55 Connected piece has several features that are especially convenient for pilots. In a way, the piece is a concept of a futuristic pilot watch in the brand’s vision.
One of the mentioned convenient features for pilots is ability to transfer data measured by the chronograph feature. The chronograph of the watch is capable of recording as much as 20 elapsed times, has a flyback function, it includes a countdown/up feature and several other ones (like the lap time) that are helpful to aviators. There is also a simultaneous view of time in two different time zones which is likewise very useful when traveling. Additionally, the watch has a one directional rotating bezel with rider tabs that can be used as reference points which mark departure time. This is not among the modern features of the piece, but it is, nevertheless, very useful. There is also a very helpful backlight illumination which is automatically activated when the wearer tilts his or her wrist to the angle of 35 degrees. Needless to say, this can be very helpful during time-sensitive situations that pilots can come across.
All of the features of the timekeeper are enabled with its B55 Superquartz movement. The caliber was entirely conceived, designed and made in the company’s workshops from the scratch (it is not the same B55 caliber that was previously used in a couple of models that are now discontinued). The thermo-compensated quartz electronic caliber features the accuracy of within 1/100th of a second, it includes an end-of-life indicator, an electronic tachymeter for computations, and seven different alarms, indicated with different respective tone. Its rechargeable battery has a power reserve that can last for as much as two months.
Breitling Professional Expospace B55 Connected is placed inside a round housing made of blackened titanium. Its diameter is 46 mm, while the thickness measures to 15.25 mm. Despite these generous dimensions, the watch weighs just 80 grams without the strap, thanks to the use of titanium. The black ratcheted titanium bezel surrounds a crystal made of sapphire which is treated with glare-proof coatings on both its outer and inner sides. The case back which is fixed with screws is made of solid titanium and it features engravings that show the brand’s name, logo, as well as the name of the model. Its crown is non screw-locked, as well as made with two gaskets and an integrated pusher. Supported water resistance of the timekeeper is 100 meters (330 feet).
The newcomer from the Professional series possesses a black-colored analog-digital dial. It features three central hands, where hour and minute ones are blue and with luminous coatings (the former is skeletonized), while the seconds one has the counterweight in the shape of the brand’s logo and it boasts a red tip. There are also two digital displays and Arabic numerals on the flange (3 and 9 positions feature applied markers, while the rest of them are painted).
The Breitlings newcomer with the ability to connect to a smart watch is made with a new type of attachment called TwinPro rubber strap. This is basically two-colored Diver Pro strap. Available color combinations for the model are blue on black, antracite on black and gray on black.
