The Breitling Emergency has long been a guilty pleasure of mine. For many watch enthusiasts, it’s seen as a bit of a gimmick—an oversized analog-digital quartz(!) marketing tool for guys who fancy themselves minivan test pilots or Scout Leader commandos. But as I’ve indicated in the past, I have a weakness for uncompromising watches that are designed for a singular purpose and the Emergency is definitely that. After circling them for years while continuing to tread a safer path largely littered with mechanical dive watches, I finally pounced. I bought the unworn number 1,869 of the 1,999 limited edition watches Breitling made back in 2000 to commemorate the first nonstop round-the-world flight in a balloon, the Orbiter 3. I’ve owned the Emergency for a little over a month now and it hasn’t been off my wrist for more than a day or two in that time. It’s that satisfying.
Continue reading ‘In-Depth: The Breitling Emergency Orbiter 3, A Unique Kind Of Adventure Watch’