For the third year in a row, Breitling is launching a Sylt Edition. The Chronomat GMT 40 Sylt Edition is limited to 288 pieces and is available exclusively in Germany. In addition, Breitling and the jeweller Spliedt in Kampen, a town on the northern German island of Sylt, are inviting customers to an exclusive pop-up store on the island from 22 July 2023 until the end of August. Unlike the past two years, this year’s watch is not a special edition from the SuperOcean Heritage collection. Rather, for the first time Breitling are opting for a Chronomat, which plays host to a new dial in honour of Sylt. The Chronomat is considered Breitling’s first pilot’s watch and the forerunner of the Navitimer. In 2020, the Swiss watch brand celebrated the Chronomat‘s comeback with a modern re-edition.
The 40 mm case of the Chronomat GMT 40 Sylt Edition is made of stainless steel. The screw-down onion crown and with two seals, the timepiece is able to offer water-resistance to a depth of 200 m. The stainless-steel bezel can be rotated in one direction and features the typical riders in 15-minute increments. The screw-in caseback features a beautiful engraving of Kampen’s landmark lighthouse, as well as the words ‘One of 288’ in reference to the watch’s limitation.
In keeping with the maritime flair of Germany’s largest North Sea island, the dial of this year’s Sylt Edition is navy blue with a sunburst finish. The 24-hour scale for using the second time zone is alternately navy blue and light blue. This is presumably in reference to the day (light) and night (dark) times. The hand for the second time zone is also light blue. Thus, the colour scheme of the dial for this special edition differs from the usual models of the Chronomat collection. At 6 o’clock, Breitling successfully execute the inclusion of a date window with a matching dark blue background.
The B32 calibre, which uses the ETA 2893-2 as its base, provides the necessary drive for the timepiece. It offers a bidirectional winding system that supplies the barrel with fresh energy up to a maximum power autonomy of 42 hours. The frequency of the balance is 4 Hz. Finally, with the distinction of being a COSC chronometer, corresponding power and accuracy values are also a guarantee.
The Chronomat GMT 40 Sylt Edition is now available exclusively in Germany. The sporty model is worn on a stainless steel Rouleaux strap. Limited to 288 pieces, the new Sylt Edition costs 5,900 euros.
