When James Bond in Thunderball is sent on a top secret mission to the Bahamas to recover two stolen Atomic bombs, he uses a Breitling watch equipped with a radiation detector to help him achieve his objectives.
When Bear Grylls of Man vs Wild parachutes down into the Alaskan wilderness and must find his way back to civilization, he sports a yellow faced Breitling “Emergency” watch.
When the Bentley Racing team, at one time legendary around the racing roads of Le Mans, France, recently regained the 24 hour racing victory with a number 1 spot for the first time in 80 years, they were wearing Breitlings.
Breitling, a private Swiss watchmaking company with a penchant for the precise and luxurious, is now a partner with Bentley in the watchmaking business. The company has three separate wings: diving, aviation, and luxury. Bentley, of course, has collaborated solely in the luxury wing, creating the partnership brand “Breitling for Bentleys.”
The first collaboration watch was the Bentley Le Mans chronograph, created by the company in honor of the legendary 24 hours of Le Mans race. It is powered by a self-winding movement with 24-hour display, a hint at the length of the race. The Bentley Le Mans chronograph is also equipped with a variable tachometer. This device makes it possible to measure average speed, whatever the time passed, the distance covered or the speed reached. The device is set going by the rotation of the outer bezel, which drives a pinion and arbor acting on the inner bezel, and guarantees precise measurements of speeds.
Since the Le Mans chronograph each Breitling for Bentley watch is designed in close association with the Bentley design team and is certified to Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres standards. The collection is large enough to suit a variety of styles, yet small enough so that each watch is treated as a motorized masterpiece, one which takes nearly a year to build and test before it ever leaves the studio.
Phoenix Valley luxury car enthusiasts can take a look at the new 2012 model year line up at Scottsdale Bentley. For those who may also want to take a closer look at the fine Breitling for Bentley watches, they can do so at Hamra Jewelers, located at 15435 N. Scottsdale Rd.
