Breitling’s new Endurance Pro is half professional tool watch and half groovy fashion watch, aimed at a younger audience with high technical standards. The watch occupies the brand’s entry level category and confirms Breitling’s positioning as a go-to maker of affordable yet professional sports watches. The price is right ($3,000) and the colors lift it above the purely technical tool watch category and into fashion watch territory.
“It’s a good color, so you don’t lose it in a swim bag,” says triathlete Daniela Ryf, a Breitling ambassador, who joined CEO Georges Kern in a Zoom presentation of the new collection today. She was wearing the bright orange version. Other colors include red, yellow, blue and white, with the straps matching the color of details over a black dial.
The Endurance Pro was inspired by a 1970s model called the Sprint, which had a pulsometer so athletes could measure their heart rates. The Endurance Pro also has a pulsometer scale, along with compass and chronograph functions.
Like the Sprint, the Endurance has a case made of resin, in this case a modern proprietary material called Breitlight, which Breitling introduced in 2016. It is a resin that is 3.3-times lighter than titanium and 5.8-times lighter than steel, which makes it the ideal sports watch. It’s also thermally stable and completely scratch proof. “I’ve almost forgotten I’m wearing it,” said Triathlete and Breitling ambassador Jan Frodeno, who was also joined by triathlete Chris McCormack for the presentation.
The movement is quartz, which makes it quintessentially ’70s, but it’s a modern movement, introduced in 2014, called SuperQuartz, which Breitling says is 10-times more accurate than conventional quartz. It is COSC certified, which means it has guaranteed precision. The watch comes with a colorful strap made of rubber or Econyl, which is made from recycled materials. It is water resistant to 100 meters.
Along with its introduction, Breitling is sponsoring the Endurance Pro Strava Challenge. Strava is a leading app for runners and cyclists that allows athletes to track and analyze their activities. Those who take part in the Strava Challenge, which went live today, will be competing for prizes, including a Breitling Colnago C64 bike, Breitling Endurance Pro watches, and Breitling jersey kits.
To be eligible for the prizes, competitors must complete 500 minutes – about the time it takes a world-class triathlete to complete a full Iron-Man event – in the activities of their choice, including swimming, running, cycling or hiking. Participants in the Breitling Endurance Pro Strava Challenge will have two weeks to rack up their 500 minutes. The winners will be selected at random from the pool of competitors who complete the Strava Challenge. Additional information is avail-able at www.breitling.com/endurancepro.
