Breitling’s newest watch is a modern tribute to Frecce Tricolori

Breitling honors the Italian Air Force with its new watch

By Nathan S.R Published January 23, 2025

Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 42 Frecce Tricolor — Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 42 Frecce Tricolor Breitling / Breitling

The new Avenger B01 Chronograph watch celebrates the partnership between Breitling and Frecce Tricolori Air Force, just as the name hints. Made up of 13 jets, the Frecce Tricolori is an Italian Air Force unit—a subdivision of the main unit—specializing in different kinds of air stunts and air shows.

The two brands, Breitling and Frecce Tricolori, go way back to the 20th century. Back then, Breitling focused on different types of watches, including aviation chronographs. The first airforce-inspired watch was rolled out in 1983 with advanced components, such as the rouleaux bracelet and rotating bezel. It had Frecce Tricolori’s logo and colors.

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The 2025 edition comes with various elements, which are inspired by the original watch model—a full-circle moment for the two brands. For starters, it has the primary colors of the Italian Air Force, like the original model from 1983. The dial stands out due to the green hue that accentuates other elements on the watch. At the 9 o’clock denotation, there’s a small logo similar to the one that was featured on the first Frecce Tricolori timepiece.

The original watch had a logo at 3 o’clock, but Breitling moved it to a new position. The brand still preserved the original design. It’s worth noting that this timepiece features three subdials at 3 o’clock, 9 o’clock, and 6 o’clock to enhance the functionality of the watch.

Each subdial is inspired by an altimeter. This new watch also comes with a black strap that blends smoothly with the green dial and complements the overall design.

The new watch costs $10,100.

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Nathan has devoted his life to collecting watches, studying horology, reviewing watches, and writing about timepieces. As a…

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Fashion & Style

The L’Aventure Marine Type 3 Chronometer masters land and sea

A 200m water-resistant chronometer with heritage styling, the Marine Type 3 is a diver’s watch with timeless appeal.

LAVENTURE MARINE TYPE 3

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Designed for the serious collectors who place a high value on both heritage and innovation, the Marine Type 3 features a gradient blue dial inspired by the ocean, paired with vintage luminescent markers for optimal readability. The sleek, tapered lugs offer a comfortable fit, whether on a rugged NATO strap or an elegant leather band. This watch tells time and a story of adventure and timeless craftsmanship.

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Vacheron Constantin introduces the Métiers d'Art promo shot

Vacheron Constantin has introduced the Métiers d'Art Tribute to the Celestial, a 12-piece series celebrating the beauty and mystery of the night sky. Each timepiece features a hand-guilloché illustration of one zodiac sign and its associated constellation, marked by diamond stars and powered by the ultra-thin Calibre 2160 tourbillon movement.
The collection represents the pinnacle of Vacheron Constantin's artistic craftsmanship, combining 270 years of watchmaking heritage with innovative decorative techniques. Each 39mm white gold case is set with 96 baguette-cut blue sapphires totaling approximately 3.87 carats, creating an uninterrupted circle of light around the dial.
The series showcases the manufacture's mastery of hand-guillochage, a technique developed by Vacheron Constantin's master guillocheur that transforms traditional abstract patterns into figurative art. Each zodiac sign requires approximately 16 hours of meticulous work, involving countless hand-guilloché triangles formed from densely packed straight lines, with each triangle set at a different angle.
The four zodiac signs representing human figures (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Aquarius) feature additional opaline details, while all twelve dials incorporate diamond-set constellations marking principal stars. The gem-setting process requires 27 hours of skilled work, with sapphires channel-set on the bezel to create the impression of floating stones.
Powering these artistic masterpieces is the self-winding Calibre 2160, comprising 188 components yet measuring only 5.65mm thick. The tourbillon movement operates at 2.5 Hz and provides an 80-hour power reserve, with a 22K gold peripheral oscillating weight allowing unobstructed viewing of the meticulously finished movement.
The dial construction involves eight separate steps, with each artisan required to preserve the work of preceding craftsmen. Movement finishing reflects Vacheron Constantin's commitment to haute horlogerie excellence, featuring perlage decoration, hand-bevelled bridges with Côtes de Genève patterns, and Poinçon de Genève certification.
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Fashion & Style

Seiko asks fans to choose next 1965 Diver colorway

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Seiko diver range in different colourways

Seiko has launched an unprecedented fan engagement initiative, allowing enthusiasts to vote on the next colorway for its beloved 1965 Diver throughout July 2025. This marks the first time the Japanese manufacturer has directly solicited fan input for a new watch design.
The poll features four ocean-inspired color schemes based on the limited edition 60th Anniversary Dive Watch released earlier this year, which introduced the distinctive 3D ocean wave textured dial. All options maintain the same technical specifications while offering dramatically different aesthetic approaches.
The four colorways represent different times of day and their interaction with ocean light. "Sunrise Orange" features a yellow-orange dial with burnt orange bezel and dark gray hands. "Daytime Blue" showcases a crystal blue dial with light blue bezel and steel hands. "Late Afternoon Green" presents an emerald dial with dark green bezel and gold hands, while "Sunset Red" displays a fire-engine red dial and bezel with gold hands.
Early social media reactions suggest "Afternoon Green" as the front-runner, though Seiko recently released a similar green variant through its ongoing PADI collaboration. The fan poll represents part of a year-long celebration honoring the 60th anniversary of the 62MAS, Seiko's first professional-grade dive watch.
Originally introduced in 1965, the 62MAS marked Seiko's entry into serious diving timepieces. While the company produced waterproof watches before 1965, none possessed true SCUBA diving capabilities. The design established fundamental elements that continue influencing modern dive watch aesthetics.
Seiko revived the 62MAS design in 2020 under its Prospex collection of sport and tool watches. Since then, over a dozen references beginning with SPB have been released, making it one of Seiko's most successful modern dive watch lines.
The contemporary 1965 Diver features 300-meter water resistance and classic styling that rivals established competitors like the Rolex Submariner and Omega Seamaster. This combination of heritage design and modern capabilities has made it highly sought after among collectors and dive watch enthusiasts.
The winning colorway will launch sometime in 2026, though Seiko has not provided specific timing. The democratic approach to product development represents an unusual strategy for the traditionally conservative manufacturer, demonstrating confidence in its community engagement.
For collectors unable to wait for the poll results, the white-dialed 60th Anniversary Diver remains available as a 6,000-piece limited edition priced at $1,400. This version features the same 3D ocean wave dial texture that will appear on the fan-selected colorway.
The poll continues through July 2025, with results expected to influence not only the winning design but potentially future fan engagement strategies across Seiko's product lines.