Breitling celebrates its groundbreaking NFL partnership with new team-inspired collections
Zach Blass- Breitling reveals it is now the first-ever “Official Timepiece Partner” of the NFL.
- It celebrates this multi-year partnership with new, specially designed watches for all of the league’s teams.
- The new Chronomat GMTs have more subtle NFL branding, while the Endurance Pros have team logos on the dial.
In recent years, Breitling has certainly seen a sizeable overhaul and refinement, a pivot away from the ’90s strategy towards a roadmap that better leveraged and packaged the brand’s rich heritage. Sky, sea, and land. Three clear avenues with rich aviation, dive, and racing or daily casual offerings to explore, with all the watches clear modern interpretations of favoured vintage pieces. But, Breitling is simultaneously looking forward and exploring uncharted territory as well, with collaborations with the likes of Victoria Beckham and, perhaps, on the other end of the spectrum, presenting NFL editions.
The Breitling NFL editions clearly have proven fruitful, as today, Breitling reveals it has taken its relationship with the National Football League to the next level – inking a multi-year partnership as its “Official Timepiece Partner”. To celebrate this partnership, Breitling has debuted not one, but two sequel ranges to the previous NFL collection with new team-inspired Chronomat GMT and Endurance Pro 44 watches for all of the league’s 32 teams. And, unlike the previous collection that was limited to 104 pieces per reference, these new models are not being billed as limited editions.
Breitling Chronomat Automatic GMT 40 NFL Editions
The first new option is the Breitling Chronomat GMT NFL Editions. The Chronomat GMT, in its own right, is a robust 200-metre water-resistant GMT watch that comfortably measures 40mm in diameter, 11.7mm thick, and 47.4mm lug-to-lug. It is driven by a 42-hour automatic and COSC-certified Breitling Calibre 32 movement. Though the Breitling Calibre 32 may be a bit less glamorous to watch nerds, being ETA-based, it allows the Chronomat GMT range to provide reliable performance at a lower price point than the brand’s manufacture calibre-driven watches. The twist here is that the NFL Editions bring far more colour and variety to the lineup, and in a more subtle fashion that allows people to benefit from the bolder colours offered, even if they are not all-in on the NFL or a specific league team.
The dials follow the format of having the team’s primary colour utilised for the dial, with its secondary colour coated onto the GMT hand. Only the team logo-engraved caseback reveals the NFL nature of the watch. Each of the 32 Breitling Chronomat GMT watches is sold on a case-matching roleaux bracelet with a butterfly clasp.
| Brand | Breitling |
| Model | Chronomat Automatic GMT 40 NFL Editions |
| Case Dimensions | 40mm (D) x 11.77mm (T) x 47.4mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 200 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front |
| Dial | NFL team’s primary colour for the dial, secondary colour for the GMT hand |
| Strap | Stainless steel rouleaux bracelet, butterfly folding clasp |
| Movement | Breitling Calibre 32, ETA-based, automatic, COSC |
| Power Reserve | 42 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, GMT |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | US$6,600 |
Breitling Endurance Pro NFL Editions
A quartz-driven, more rugged foil to the automatic GMT segment, the Breitling Endurance Pro 44 NFL Editions take a different route aesthetically in regard to incorporating the NFL team elements. Like the first NFL Editions, the Endurance Pro 44 watches do have the team logo proudly printed on the dial within the small seconds. That has the benefit or drawback of requiring you to be more committed and in favour of a particular team to buy in. For its solid caseback, you will find the NFL’s logo engraved into the surface rather than the team’s.
Though they do have NFL team logos on the dial, they are actually more subtle in appearance, as every dial is rendered in matte anthracite. The injection of colour is limited to the team logo and the team’s primary colour, which is strictly utilised for the inner bezel pulsometer scale. Though the Endurance Pro is a larger watch than the Chronomat Automatic GMT 40, measuring 44mm in diameter, 12.5mm thick, and 52.49mm lug-to-lug, it is actually half as water-resistant with a depth rating of 100 metres. But, despite being larger, it is a lighter watch thanks to its black rubber strap, its titanium case, and its COSC-certified thermocompensated SuperQuartz movement.
| Brand | Breitling |
| Model | Endurance Pro NFL Editions |
| Case Dimensions | 44mm (D) x 12.5mm (T) x 52.49mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Titanium |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front |
| Dial | Anthracite dial, NFL team logo at 6 o’clock NFL team coloured inner pulsometer bezel |
| Strap | Black rubber strap, titanium double tang-type buckle |
| Movement | Breitling Calibre 82, thermocompensated SuperQuartz, COSC |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | US$4,400 |
Final thoughts
When you think of luxury watch brands, you would think their go-to sports partnerships would be more “elegant” games like tennis, golf, or polo or glamorous car-driven areas like Formula 1. However, we have seen brands team up with FIFA, the NBA, and other broadened horizons. So, it seems very shocking that the NFL had yet to find its match. Though a less international sport, the excitement and eyeballs on American Football are definitely there, and as a brand known for its rugged and robust offerings, it is suited to be the Official Timepiece Partner of the NFL. Also, considering just how expensive it is to go to the games, particularly the Super Bowl, there are certainly dollars to be captured amongst the crowds.
My assessment is that the Endurance Pro feels more like the watch you would wear on the sidelines during the game, and the Chronomat Automatic GMT 40 is what you would wear off the field and outside the stadium. The Endurance Pro is a rugged, hassle-free quartz option for those all in on a particular team. The Chronomat GMT watches, on the other hand, afford the elegance of being mixed-finished and full metal, and a greater injection of colour that is not overtly NFL-branded for those who want to make the most of the dials without necessarily being a huge NFL fan.