zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

I think Breitling makes excellent watches but with the B-1 (and B-2), I find there is way too much clutter in the face. I'd prefer a 'cleaner look'. Although the built in flight computer is functional, it is a bit small to be see well. If you are a pilot like I am, you should be carrying your own FC anyways :-)

It all boils down to what you want. I think you are getting equally high quality in both watches. If the X-33 was designed in conjunction with NASA, it would have the necessary functions the astronauts need, putting aesthetics aside.

I am looking to get an X-33 down the road. There is a certain 'rawness' about it that makes it appealing.

: I never thought I'd be doing this, but...

: I was at Oshkosh last week and happened to sit
: down at lunch across from the Breitling
: sales guy. So, as an Omega fan, I put it to
: him directly: Why should I buy a Breitling?
: His answer was pretty lame: Breitling is the
: inventor of the chronograph.

: I thought, So? (As a professional pilot, I have
: absolutely no use for a chronograph
: function; as for timing approaches, I simply
: rotate my wrist and check my sweep second
: hand. Duh!) But then he invited me to his
: display to see his watches and take home a
: "Chronolog" (their catalog).

: Now, I've long considered their watches full of
: a lotta superfluous fluff (honestly, can
: anybody my age actually read the E6B
: bezel... even if he needs to?). However, the
: quartz B-1 model, with the digital UTC
: display, really does strike me as a nice
: watch (with not too much fluff; after all, I
: could use the chrono function to time my
: trips, I guess).

: My questions: How might the Breitling B-1
: compare to the X-33 in all terms? The prices
: of both are sobering, at least to me; after
: all, we're talking QUARTZ here. Also, I've
: heard that quartz movements may not be as
: long-lived as mechanical. Is this true?
: Seems to me a modern quartz that costs three
: thousand bucks outta last at least one human
: lifetime!

: Again, I never thought I'd actually CONSIDER a
: Breitling, so somebody help me! Is the X-33
: superior, perhaps, or not?

: Thanks,
: JB