The Breitling Endurance Pro screams 2020. This year we have seen rubber straps, bold colours, and modern materials from other manufactures. Breitling has done the same in its own style and language.
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The Endurance Pro is a quartz chronometer sports watch with the case crafted in Breitlight. That is Breitling’s own high performance, lightweight composite.
The case is 44mm in diameter, and wears well with only a 12.5mm case depth. Rubbers straps are available in yellow, blue, white, orange and red. There is a matching colour chapter ring around the dial as well as pusher and crown accents. The Endurance Pro is rated at 100m water resistance and features a Bi-directional, compass bezel.
Vibrant colours
In terms of my personal preferences, this watch is as far off the mark as I could imagine. I like traditional materials and conservative designs. And I find at times modern watches with composite cases and odd geometric shapes a bit garish. Rubber elements like accents on a watch crown are something that will only wear out and age badly over time, in my opinion.
To my shock, then, I like the Breitling Endurance Pro. It’s modern but uses classic Breitling design elements. From across the room you know immediately who has made it. It is also accessible at $3,600 Canadian, and more importantly, especially in 2020, available for purchase. But you might have to wait for the colour of preference.
Surprising is a lack of screw down crown. This is one place where I think Breitling has missed the mark on this watch.
Personally, a lack of screw down crown would make me think twice about hitting the water worry free. I would gravitate back to a classic dive-watch instead with a screw down crown. The chronograph pushers are probably more likely to be pressed in the water then the crown inadvertently pulled out.
Screw down crown
Should Breitling then have had screw down pushers as well? I find screw down pushers prevent easy access to them (usually the watch has to be removed from the wrist to unscrew the pushers). Hence watches in my collection that have screw down pushers rarely if ever get used. So, now I find myself questioning my criticism of the lack of a screw down crown. I wonder if during the design process, similar debates occurred at Breitling?
I have to admit that I’ve been blindsided by this piece in terms of my personal preferences. After looking at it, I would actually consider this piece for my personal collection. At that $3,600 price the Endurance Pro isn’t a budget destroyer, putting your future, and potentially higher priced watch purchases, in jeopardy.
(Knar Jewellery in Oakville provided the watch for this review. Colin Potts is founder of Watch off the Cuff, a watch repair service based in Milton, Ontario, and a member of the Horology Society of New York in support of advancing the art and science of horology.)
