BASELWORLD 2017:

Breitling Colt Skyracer: The New Entry-Level Pilots’ Watch


Breitling revamped its entry-level Colt collection in 2014 and introduced its proprietary case material, Breitlight, last year on the Avenger Hurricane model. At Baselworld 2017, the brand introduced the Breitling Colt Skyracer, the first in the collection with a Breitlight case, named after an aerobatics plane flown for the Breitling Racing Team in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship.

Breitling Colt Skyracer - front
The Breitling Colt Skyracer is named after a Breitling Racing Team plane.

Like many other Breitling models of recent years, the Colt Skyracer sports a military-inspired, all-black “stealth” look. Its 45-mm case is constructed of Breitlight, a a high-tech alloy that Breitling says is four times lighter than titanium but significantly harder. Among its other listed attributes are exceptional resistance to scratches, traction, and corrosion; thermal stability; and antimagnetic and non-allergenic properties, in addition to being warmer to the touch than other metals and, aesthetically, having a somewhat mottled surface texture. The case is water-resistant to 100 meters (330 feet); it has a rubber-moulded, screw-down crown and a protruding bezel gasket protecting the domed, glareproofed sapphire crystal.

The “Volcano black” dial of this non-chronograph timekeeper is designed for maximum legibility, with big, white luminescent hands and hour numerals providing stark contrast with the black background, along with red accents that impart a cockpit instrument panel look. In keeping with this model’s military-use history, the dial also features a 24-hour timekeeping scale. The unidirectional ratcheting bezel is equipped with rider tabs for ease of use and is etched with a 60-minute scale. The date appears in a window at 3 o’clock.

Breitling Colt Skyracer - reclining
The Skyracer’s case is made of the proprietary Breitlight material.

The engine in the Breitling Colt Skyracer is Caliber 74, a thermocompensated “SuperQuartz” movement, 10 times more accurate than a standard quartz watch movement, equipped with a battery end-of-life indicator, and — like Breitling’s array of mechanical movements — certified as a chronometer by the Swiss testing agency COSC.  Like the dial and bezel, the black rubber strap, made specially for the Skyracer model, features useful indications for aviators — relief measurement scales for 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 on the top (12 o’clock) strap section, and for centimeters and inches on the bottom (6 o’clock) section. Breitling’s removable fastening system enables the wearer to quickly and easily remove each section to use for measurements and just as smoothly re-attach it to the case.

Breitling Colt Skyracer - angle
The black rubber strap is enhanced with measuring scales.

Priced at $2,000 — and named for the high-performance MXS-R “Skyracer” aircraft  flown by the Breitling Racing Team’s rising star aerobatics pilot Mike Brageot in the Red Bull Championship — the Breitling Colt Skyracer is clearly intended as an accessible, entry-level timepiece for aviation enthusiasts and other adrenaline junkies of all stripes. Here’s a wrist shot taken at Baselworld.

Breitling Colt Skyracer - wrist

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  1. Nice watch. Purchased one for my son. The rubber strap failed within 1 month with light use. The attachment point is to light and prone to ripping. While a second strap was sent to us by Breitling we expect the same issue to occur due to the design. My son has since been able to fit a NATO strap.

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  2. Paul Krol

    I was liking this as I was reading it. And then I saw it wasn’t an automatic…. (sigh).

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    • It may not be an automatic mechanical, but being a high end quartz, COSC certified and accurate within 10 seconds per year, makes it a pretty cool watch in my book.

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  3. Wonder where could it be purchased for the most convenient price?

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