Not just light, but effortless.
While many best swiss watches are marketed to those with active lifestyles, they often feature bulky stainless steel cases and fragile mechanical movements. Think of a “sports watch,” which probably ticks both boxes. But why not make a watch out of lightweight materials when the intended use is so clear? Wouldn’t a rugged quartz movement be able to withstand shocks and knocks better than a mechanical movement?
That was the driving idea behind the development of the Endurance Pro, a watch designed to match its intended use. Targeted at active watch enthusiasts, Breitling even launched the watch with the “Breitling Endurance Pro Strava Challenge,” an initiative that encourages watch wearers to do 500 minutes of swimming, running, cycling, hiking, or any activity that helps get a sweat and heart rate up. Amateur athletes who complete the challenge will be entered into a draw to win Breitling gifts, with the top prize being a co-branded Breitling/Colnago bike.
The replica Endurance Pro is the spiritual successor to the Breitling Sprint, a chronograph produced in the 1970s that featured a resin case and a pulsometer scale. In theory, the pulsometer scale could help athletes measure their heart rate. This feature has continued to the modern Endurance Pro, as has the unconventional material of the case. The Endurance Pro is made of Breitlight, which was introduced in 2016. It is 3.3 times lighter than titanium and 5.8 times lighter than stainless steel, making it ideal for sports applications, but it is also interesting from a materials science perspective. It is hypoallergenic, lightweight, and Breitling reports that it is “warmer to the touch than metal.” Although the case is black, the watch comes in five colorways: white, blue, yellow, orange, and red. It comes with a colored rubber strap, but a matching Outerknown ECONYL NATO strap can be purchased from Breitling.
The “20-year rule” states that certain styles and trends in fashion have a 20-year cycle: 20 years pass, and something old becomes popular again. The Endurance Pro’s aesthetic fits in nicely with the setting of Boys Grow Old, which is exactly why it’s of particular interest to me. To many collectors, the Endurance Pro will look fairly familiar. It exudes a vibe of “classic” Breitling from the 90s. The steady rise of athleisure in the fashion world over the past few years has set the stage for a release like this, but I’m sure it will surprise quite a few collectors as it harkens back to a more recent era than many of Breitling’s successful watches from the past year, like the Breitling Superocean Heritage 57 Capsule Collection or the Top Time Limited Edition.
Not everyone wants a Luminox or G-Shock watch for cycling or hiking, some want to make their watch cooler when out and about, and this watch is perfect for that occasion. This watch has a strong heritage and can stand up to the rigors of it. Watch appreciation is a sedentary hobby, so any watch that requires people to engage in 500 minutes of intense activity is great. At its core, the Endurance Pro is a fun fashion swiss watch that we can always use more of.