Breitling connects chronograph with smartphone

Breitling said that, for the brand, “there was no question of turning a watch into an extension dependent on a phone and less high-performance than the latter.”New York--Breitling has created a chronograph wristwatch that can connect with a smartphone and are touting the piece as “the ultimate pilot’s instrument.”

Called the Caliber B55 Connected, the two-way communication between the chronograph and the smartphone “enables the two instruments to form a perfectly complementary pair in which each is used for what it does best,” Breitling said. 

The brand said that since the main assets of a smartphone are its screen and ergonomic interface, B55 wearers can use their phone to perform certain adjustments on the watch, like time-setting, time zones, alarms, display and operating parameters such as night mode. 

Users also can upload the results of various measurements--such as flight times--from the chronograph to the smartphone, allowing them to store the information, share it or read it more easily. 

The B55 Connected is also the “ultimate pilot’s instrument,” according to Breitling, as it boasts a range of innovative functions including an electric tachometer, a countdown/count up system and an aviation-oriented “chrono flight” device that can record flight times while memorizing the takeoff time, landing time and date. 

It also had a simple, logical control mode that involves function selection by rotating the crown, and an activation/deactivation function that can be accessed by means of two push pieces.

The B55 is compatible with the Apple iPhone, but Breitling did not specify with which other smartphones it works.

Smartwatches are a hot topic in the world of wearable technology; Apple announced last week that April 10 will be the date consumers can pre-order the Apple Watch, and Swatch Group revealed that it won't produce a mini mobile phone, but will enter the smartwatch field in a limited aspect.

The B55 offers a technical look, made in a titanium case with a black carbon-based coating and a dial adorned with a blue wireless symbol. Two “ultra-legible” LCD screens feature a high-intensity backlighting system that can be activated by pressing the crown or when the user tilts his wrist at an angle more than 35 degrees. The wristwatch can be recharged via the main grid or a computer USB port.

“The chronograph remains the absolute master and the connection with the smartphone is primarily designed to improve its user friendliness,” Breitling said.