Why the Breitling "winged B" is on borrowed time

[@donaldneo4317]

Thanks for the info! I am 42 this year and have always associate Breitling with the Winged B logo and when it changed recently, I thought Kern was trying to reinvent the Breitling logo to a simpler and elegant look. Now that I know the family B is the original logo, I appreciate it more. I have always wanted to add a Breitling to my collection but the pre-Kern era designs are too big for my wrist but now the new Super Ocean 42 is on my list. Back to the subject on the logo, the less elegant but more masculine Winged B logo should remain on the Navitimer with B01 movement. Navitimer have this busy looking dial charm and the Winged B just adds to that.

[@SuperYova]

"Individual watches come and go but the logo stands forever." Great line. (And congrats on 5K subscribers!)

[@PeteMcConvill]

thanks

[@quinnjim]

I'd never buy a Navitimer without the winged B.

[@PeteMcConvill]

Im curious whenever people express such strong positions. Is that a purely aesthetic thing - which seems out of kilter whith the absolute "I never buy..."? Is it a reaction to the new management direction? If you think a 'real' navitimer needs the 'traditional' wings Im really curious how you regard those navitimers that predated the use of the wings?

[@quinnjim]

@@PeteMcConvill Your last sentence was a good job at putting words in my mouth! :) As a pilot, I always knew that Breitling made the finest pilot watches. Their history is steeped in aviation tradition. I started flying in the era where the "winged B" was on the face of their watches. I know the AOPA wings on the Navitimer go WAY back. I'm not really hung up on the fact that the logo has changed through the years. My preference is simply to have the wings on my pilot watch. I'm not saying that nobody should ever buy a watch without it....it's just my preference. I'll probably keep buying used Breitling's going forward. They lose their value pretty quickly (unlike Rolex), so it seems like a pretty good move. My used Navitimer hasn't lost a second in 3 days. I think it will outlast me!

[@sean1e100]

I’m glad I got my Avenger 43 GMT with the winged B last year. It’s a watch I’ll always keep… and yes I agree that the winged version of the logo is by far the most aesthetically pleasing choice i can imagine on that particular line. When I pick up my SuperOcean Heritage however, I’ll be glad it’s got the family B. It just works so much better with the less-muscular aesthetic the watch is going for. Like you, I’m glad for the direction Kern is taking the brand. I always loved the idea of Breitling when I was younger, but when I saw the reality of Breitling during the Schneider era I couldn’t bring myself to part with the cash as everything just felt too big and gaudy. Thanks for the perspective Pete

[@michaelriera6277]

5k! Well deserved as you always present thoughtful content. May your channel continue to grow.

[@darrinnoname7873]

My latest Breitling purchase was a new Navitimer World GMT with the family B. Beautiful watch and my only regret is the lack of the winged B. The good news is all my other Breitling watches have the winged B.

[@curious5557]

Pete - thank you for sharing creative watch topics that are creative, thought provoking and entertaining. I appreciate the thought and effort it takes to present your topics and it is refreshing to get watch talk topics beyond the typical watch "reviews," which are actually promotions and sales pitches. Thanks and stay safe.

[@Mark..P]

Congratulations on the 5k subscribers 👏🥃

[@scottc6946]

Now that you explained the history of the logo, it makes absolute sense to stick with the family B, and I now appreciate much more what that means. Breitling has definitely turned the ship around and heading in the right direction. That blue 41mm Navitimer has piqued my interest

[@ljr35]

I used to hate Breitling but am really warming to the brand in recent years - you are partly responsible (!), but I also think the changes in the advertising strategy had a real impact - the Spanish fighter pilot woman, actual astronauts, Charlize (who has to be the coolest woman on film) and also smaller watches with better designs. I don't miss the old logo in the slightest.

[@jeremyrice3719]

Congrats on your growth. I remember discovering your channel after hearing you on the Scottish Watched podcast. Before the video (since I’m not a Breitling expert) I would have said I favorited the winged logo. However, since does represent some cringy elements, I can see why Brietling moved away from it. I would have made it prominent in positive, fun ads - sort of reset the logo, but I’ll never be a watch CEO. Anyway, the B logo is a fine, if in my mind unspectacular, logo and represents a company that is on the rise.

[@TennesseeMike]

congrats on 5k. I love seeing your success.

[@PeteMcConvill]

Thank you so much Mike.

[@CaptCanuck4444]

The "B" stands for the bald heads of every Breitling CEO in history.

[@stavros_katsopr]

Bold comment! 👍😂

[@elefantrising]

That is my current hair operation, bald.

[@PeteMcConvill]

Yeah - when I got to that part of the video I found myself thinking 'I can see why George identified with the Breitling guys!".

[@valjean3141]

I liked the winged-B Breitling logo, and now that you have explained a bit of the brand’s history, I realize that the Schneider-era watches were primarily the ones I was drawn to. I do not like the other cultural and marketing baggage that the Breitling brand was apparently carrying from the pre-2017 era, and I do sympathize with Georges Kern, and the non-watch stupidity he was trying to move the brand away from. This said, he also moved away from the watch designs that I used to like from Breitling. And the direction the brand has moved in instead largely leaves me indifferent. The winged-B logo, for me, represents what Breitling has lost, in terms of making watches that I have much interest in buying. I’m clearly in the minority, since the brand seems to be doing well. And it’s not a great loss to me either, with Omega, Tudor, Sinn, and IWC to pick up the slack. But I still do occasionally miss some of the things Breitling used to make, back in the winged-B days.

[@PeteMcConvill]

I think the brand is trying to do both things at once - the new super chronomats and super avis are definately aimed at people that enjoyed the late stage, pre kern style but I think the brand knew in changing direction it was likely to lose some of its fans. I'd love to know what pre-kern watches you'd like to see back.

[@michaelriera6277]

I feel the same way

[@markwheeler4417]

Passion without fanboy-ism. That's why I keep watching. Existential debates don't matter when sales are weak. Growth matters and if losing the "winged B" is what it takes to turn the company's image around and grow sales then that's fine. It happens to be my favourite of the logos but the "B" on it's own is good too. My least favourite is the AOPA logo. In it's current form it looks old and out of place.

[@PeteMcConvill]

I actually agree and said so in my other video - I would like to see it replaced by the twin jets in 2024.

[@vmarsch]

I don't think the winged-B is a bad logo, per se, but having an applied gold logo of that size on a watch dial is a turn-off for a lot of folks.

[@PeteMcConvill]

Agree - I dont mind the logo, actually kind of like it but otoh I think there's a reason so many companies are going for compact iconography (as you've said in another comment).

[@mattschubert1739]

I was a big fan of the winged B, but after hearing this podcast explaining the history of their logo’s I won’t be so disappointed if I purchase one with the B.

[@cocoyc495]

Interesting analysis and I loved hearing it. Now I know why I had no interest in Breitlings in the past. This was the Schneider era. lol. The way a business is marketed to the public really does make a huge difference. I am really enjoying Kern as CEO and the direction the brand is heading.

[@BlueRam788]

I think you discount the Schneider era a bit much. They were super popular in the 90s and especially the 2000s and the brand was revived from failure. The issue was that the design did not evolve from that, and many of the models looked the same. However, I have a couple of those era Breitlings and those are the designs that I, and many people in the Breitling groups love. I think the new direction is generally good, as they kept the Super Chronomat and Avenger for the folks like me., but they are also appealing to many others now instead of just us fanboys. Really love your analytical videos!

[@PeteMcConvill]

In another video I went into this deeper - there were three Schneider periods: Ernst - Transition - Teddy. Ernst - actually I really love a lot of those designs - the Antares World time was the first Breitling I owned and what go me into the brand. I think the design definately did evolve through those periods era but it became increasingly narrow under Teddy and I suspect painted itself into a corner from a watch design POV. It is perhaps unsurprising that during this period the business side also appears to have been neglected. Im not a fan of the Super Chronomats but Im glad they exist. They are popular watches and a legitimate part of Breitling history.

[@vmarsch]

Just occurred to me that the change to the family B badge fits neatly into a visual patter familiar to the market: a badge of roughly square proportions above the name of the brand. Like: Rolex, Omega, Grand Seiko, Tudor, et. al.

[@patel210]

The wings were classic.

[@underachievingwatchcollect1878]

Glad I made it to the end-I really liked the Breitling girls 😀! I’m ambivalent about the Breitling logo but I really like the new watches Breitling is coming out with. Love the deep dives Pete 👍.

[@PeteMcConvill]

Fair enough - in fact something Im noticing is another of these great divides in the community between those that see meaning in a watch and those that dont.

[@Soxguy]

They should offer both logos, customer choice on all watches

[@brysoga]

I don't know why but I just don't like the winged B logo. What I would say though is I'm surprised there have been so many. On your channel's success, I'm pleased, it really is an excellent content.

[@Treetopflyer777]

REALLY enjoyed the video btw!!

[@Isac3000]

I think it just sucks that the winged logo is gone on the navitimer. Ever since I was a kid I wanted the navitimer because of my aviation interest. Now I’m 33 years old, with money, and now I can’t buy it. My father (with private pilot licence) just turned 60 and it was a real ordeal to find a Breitling with a winged B for his birthday. He was so sad that it is discontinued. We finally found an unused chronomat with the right logo. All brands has their niche. Omega is a watch for the sea. Rolex for adventure. Breitling for pilots. The wings was a statement to show it is a pilots watch. Just because the brand has a niche it doesn’t mean that anyone can’t wear them. If breitling now wants to broaden its brand, they should not change the logo on the navitimer. I will not buy one until the wings are back.

[@stavros_katsopr]

Geeky? You? On Breitling? Nah... never... 😋 Congrats Pete reaching 5k subscribers, wish you many more to come, well deserved mate. Cheers.

[@Treetopflyer777]

Been a breitling fan for decades. I actually prefer the winged / anchor logo. I guess I’m the minority

[@michaelriera6277]

I’m with you and wish the company would stop flip flopping and stick to a specific logo. I’m glad my older Breitling have the B-winged/anchor .

[@theenavybluemonster]

I don’t like the B or AOPA logos. If they have to get rid of the winged logo, just go back to the cursive Breitling. That’s my second favorite logo after the winged logo. If anything, they can continue using the B for the heritage models and the winged logo for the modern sports models.

[@kurtwendt6797]

I like the winged logo with the B and the anchor because I think it is beautiful and because it also has a meaning. There are watches you can use for flying and or/for diving. For example, I own the anniversary Chronomat Airborne which was issued in 2014 -2016 as e memory to the first Chronomat Airborne edition for the Frecce Tricolori in 1985. It has a water resistance of 500m.

[@jimvonkropsberg399]

Greeeeed!!!!

[@PeteMcConvill]

Sorry I dont understand your point.

[@jaymyms]

Can’t stand the winged B. It stands for the fugly outdated era of Breitling I never respected or liked one bit. Since the change, I’ve already bought one. A brand I swore I’d never buy…

[@longlivemetal1997]

Mr Kern really revived the brand

[@PeteMcConvill]

he sure has

[@ram-bo6978]

THE "WINGED B" LOGO WINS HANDSDOWN. DO NOT PHASE OUT THE "WINGED B". IT ADDS ULTIMATE VALUE & PRESTIGE. AGE MATTERS.

[@inglebybhoy3293]

Fine, but I’d like to know each model’s gender pronoun.

[@CaptCanuck4444]

The "winged B" is my least favourite Breitling logo, and adorned many of my least favourite Breitling watches. An ugly era to forget ASAP.

[@nightstalker824]

Sorry but I couldn't watch this for 20 min..