Reply With QuoteFor me the Zenith wins it all day long. Lovely!
In my little collection there seems room for two re-issue chronographs from two great watch houses. I hesitate to use the word iconic as it appears too often these days, but I think these two actually do represent the two brands at their most obvious and excellent achievements - both designs have been in their lineage for many years. So without further hesitation may I present to you:
Zenith - Chronometro Tipo CP2 for PuristPro, Special Edition Limited to 1/50: 03.3341.4069 driven by the Caliber 4069 with silicon escapement - this is a faithful re-edition for a chronograph designed for the Italian Army in the mid-1960s - it must of appeared huge back then at 43mm - but now appears non-too big. This is re-issued with the El Primero movement but otherwise close in design to the original with the two registers and central sweep chronological hand. It is COSC certified and wrt to 100m - supplied with green nubuk strap and green NATO strap with deployant buckle.
Breitling - Navitimer 806 1959 Re-Edition ref: AB0910 Limited No 412 / 1959: I have already said quite a bit on this model in previous posts - to re-iterate this re-edition is one of the 1959 an 'all blacks' before the reverse panda version in 1968.
and reverse
40mm case on the Breitling but see pictures the lugs are similar length to the Zenith. Both curve down the case - notice the beaded bezel on the Breitling compared to castellated bezel of the Zenith
buckles with insignia from the two houses
final pictures
On their own
Hope you liked this little pictorial comparison.
Martyn
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 27th October 2019 at 23:31. Reason: Edit
For me the Zenith wins it all day long. Lovely!
They are both superb. I prefer the Zenith's simplicity and, something I never thought I'd say, the Breitling's size.
For me as well one day I will buy one.Originally Posted by Skip
I admire the Breitling but I am not clever enough to use it as intended.
Zenith for me too, but both superb
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Which is your current favourite?
Both look great re-issues.
It's just a matter of time...
I have the Tipo CP2 [non PuristPro edition] and absolutely love it. For comfort and legibility it beats everything else I've got.
At the moment - The 806 - because I bought it most recently - and also with a scientific background I have always admired complicated dials. Apparently you can convert directly from hours and minutes to minutes on one of the scales which I learnt recently.
The Zenith though is very readable! I think it a shame they have brought out so many variants of the CP2 re-edition - it has kinda watered down the exclusivity.
Martyn
Two really nice reissues - the Zenith is the standout for me. I'm not much of a Breitling fan but have to say they've done really well with that model.
Interesting tail, much prefer the Zenith, looks far more impressive front and back.
We need voting buttons
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Thanks for sharing, the “like that” list gets longer.
The Zenith does it for me!
Breitling
I like both watches but the Breitling edges it for me .
The Zenith is ace, have you had other versions of the CP2 in the past?
. I did briefly have the 'standard' CP2 which was 1 of a 1000 (non-flyback or bronze)
Here is is :
Lume shot:
Me too. The B is a tad faux for my taste.
the Breitling re-issue and original - I wouldn’t call it artificial - the developers went to great lengths to get it as original as possible to the 1959 edition even down to the number of beads and shade of the hand applied lume.
pic from the web:
By comparison is the TIPO CP-2
Thanks ref: fratellowatches
You could say equally about the Zenith?
I appreciate all the comments - though I wasn’t looking for a “this or that” choice!! Just comparing the two watches that I thought were iconic for the two brands. Comments most welcome of course.
Martyn.
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 30th October 2019 at 00:23.
I had to smile at that - Breitling have gone to extraordinary lengths to make a true replica and people find it 'faux'...
I'm pretty sure if they'd made it bigger, with a date window, etc, people would have moaned about that too.
I think the Breitling is wonderful and applaud them for their dedication to the original design.
When I bought my 809, I could have bought a 1962 with the black subdials for a little more (I prefer the white subdials of the later models), which is my birth year - I wish, now, I'd bought both! I certainly couldn't afford either at today's prices!
The Zenith's nice enough, but I'd take the Breitling if I was buying one.
Nice though, OP, to have the pair to chose from
M
Last edited by snowman; 30th October 2019 at 11:38.
I handled the Zenith recently. (Not the Ltd edition one). As soon as I rotated the bezel it reminded me of a 400£ watch.
Out of the two, I would take the Zenith due to the less fussy dial.
Great review
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