Whether you’re a dedicated fan or you’ve never watched a game, it’s hard not to be amazed by the sheer scope of the National Football League. As the largest sporting league in the United States, this 32-team sporting juggernaut is phenomenally lucrative, pulling in an estimated $12.87 billion in revenue in 2023. It’s also worth noting that while co-branding agreements with the overarching NFL organization are relatively common, getting each of the 32 teams in the league to agree on anything, much less an officially sponsored luxury watch collaboration, is an epic task of licensing, marketing deals, and legal wrangling. Although the recently announced Breitling Chronomat NFL Collection cleaves very close to the look and feel of the standard-production Chronomat, the high-profile positioning of these watches (and even more so the ongoing long-term exclusive licensing agreement between Breitling and the NFL) makes these watches the harbinger of a potential major marketing coup for the brand. On the wrist as well, the limited edition Breitling Chronomat NFL Collection tempers its gridiron spirit with a commendably judicious and refined approach to co-branding.
In terms of case design, the models in the Breitling Chronomat NFL Collection are (wisely) nigh-on identical to their standard Chronomat counterparts. Like their stablemates, then, the Chronomat NFL Collection models wear both wider and thinner than their 42mm wide, 15.1mm thick dimensions suggest. This comes down to a variety of factors, but the two largest contributors to this broad feeling are the extended crown guards and the Chronomat’s signature bezel. On the crown guard front, these prominent, tapering guards flow past the oval chronograph pushers, creating a 3 o’clock case side with considerably more visual bulk than at 9 o’clock. The rotating bezel, though, is a Chronomat mainstay. Both the screws around the bezel edge and the four raised, radially brushed rider tabs work to give the Chronomat its distinctive silhouette, but the mirror-polished bezel insert both inflates the perceived width on the wrist and makes these watches a real challenge to photograph. That said, the bold, ultra-reflective look on the wrist certainly gives the Chronomat NFL Collection a premium feel, and it keeps the relatively simple, predominantly brushed main case body from appearing too plain. As for the slimming effect on the overall case thickness, relatively slender case sides and a deep caseback help to hide much of the watch’s bulk between the wrist bones during wear. This caseback is also one of the Chronomat NFL Collection’s statement pieces, with a display window showcasing the lavishly decorated movement beneath a proudly printed NFL shield on the sapphire’s underside. Like the standard Chronomat chronograph, the Chronograph NFL Collection provides a rugged 200 meters of water resistance.
The dials are where each model in the Breitling Chronomat NFL Collection develops its own character. We weren’t able to get each of the 32 models in our studio, but both the “Los Angeles Rams” and the “Pittsburgh Steelers” editions we sampled are representative of the series overall. Both models, along with the 30 other available variations, use much of the standard Chronomat layout – the polished baton indices, faceted paddle hands, and the two-sided raised outer chapter ring are all Chronomat hallmarks. In addition, each model in the line opts for recessed, partial azurage semi-matte silver subdials and a matching silver treatment for the outer chapter ring. From here, though, each model diverges, rendering the main dial surface in a given team’s primary color, using the team’s secondary color for the chronograph hands, and adding the team’s logo to the center of the 9 o’clock running seconds subdial.
The “Pittsburgh Steelers” variant is one of the simpler, more classical options, with a rich, glossy piano black main dial coupled to chronograph hands in a rich golden yellow. However, the Steelers logo at 9 o’clock is one of the most finely executed printed dial elements I’ve handled in a long time, especially as it’s printed across the ridges of the azurage subdial surface. Each of the colored, four-pointed stars is beautifully crisp and well-defined, and the Steelers text itself keeps its gritty, ‘60s-esque rounded charm even under high magnification. For the “Los Angeles Rams” model, Breitling offers a simultaneously simpler and more vibrant look. The Rams logo at 9 o’clock is also sharply executed, but the simpler logo design doesn’t impress quite as much as some of its more intricate counterparts. On the other hand, the main dial surface is a showstopper, with an almost candy-coated depth and dynamism to the glossy royal blue here. Paired with a brighter, more vivid yellow, this dial combination stands out more than the “Pittsburgh Steelers” on the wrist, by far.
Each of the 32 models in the Breitling Chronomat NFL Collection uses the brand’s in-house Caliber 01 automatic chronograph movement. Attractively decorated and offering very robust performance, it’s easy to see how the Caliber 01 has become a mainstay across nearly all of the brand’s chronograph series in recent years. 70 hours of power reserve, COSC-certified chronometer accuracy, a 28,800 bph beat rate, and a column wheel and vertical clutch chronograph actuation system all make the Caliber 01 a serious contender in its price range, but it’s Breitling’s finishing that really puts it over the edge. Finely detailed Côtes de Genève across both the upper bridges and the classic steering wheel-style skeleton rotor dominate the scene through the caseback, but the longer one looks the more the variety and the quality of the finishes on display come into view. Arabesque brushing for the lower bridges, matte blasting on the baseplate, mirror polishing on the chronograph components, gold-filled engraved text, and elegantly slim polished anglage work in harmony to create a solidly upscale aesthetic here, which serves Breitling’s steadily rising market position well.
Breitling offers each model in the Chronomat NFL Collection with a choice between its signature rouleaux bracelet in stainless steel, or a black rubber deployant strap. As with previous iterations, every element of the rouleaux bracelet is solid on the wrist. The vertically brushed main surfaces, slim polished accent links, polished outer chamfers, and hidden butterfly deployant clasp are all impressively executed, but the real standout for this bracelet is simply its ergonomics. Thanks to the oval profile of the links, the bracelet’s contact patch on the wrist is far smaller than a conventional link design, leading to a lighter, more breathable wearing experience. For the rubber strap, Breitling emulates this distinctive rouleaux pattern, right down to polished rubber simulated accent links to break up the predominantly woven texture. Although it’s a strap with plenty of character and comfort, the loss of brushed and polished metal surfaces here takes away much of the Chronomat’s visual impact on the wrist. It’s a solid, more restrained, and more sporty option, but it also proves how much the bracelet design is integral to the personality of this series.
As hardcore watch enthusiasts, it’s all too common for us to lose sight of the bigger picture, and realize that the dedicated enthusiast market makes up only a portion of the clientele of a high-volume brand like Breitling. As such, the ongoing partnership Breitling has created with the NFL here may not appeal to insular and dedicated watch fans, but the visibility and perceived marketing value of having its brand name associated with America’s largest sports league could have massive implications on Breitling’s market standing within the United States and beyond. To put it another way, the limited edition Breitling Chronomat NFL Collection is more than just a solidly devised and executed series of collaboration designs, it’s the spearhead of a potentially seismic effort in marketing and licensing that could solidify it as a sporting leader. Time will tell how this long-term agreement will evolve, but it will certainly be exciting to watch. Only 104 examples of each of the 32 models in the Breitling Chronomat NFL Collection will be made, and the watches are available now through authorized dealers. MSRP for these watches stands at $8,800 USD on rubber and $9,200 USD on bracelet as of press time. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
