Name: Breitling Chronomat B01 42 AB0134101C1A1
Brand: Breitling
SKU: AB0134101C1A1

The Chronomat B01 42 is Breitling's sharpest answer to the integrated-bracelet sport watch conversation. It pairs a fully in-house COSC-certified movement with the rouleaux bracelet and rider-tab bezel that have defined the Chronomat line since 1984. Collectors who want a serious chronograph with genuine manufacture credentials at a price well below Rolex and Patek territory keep coming back to this reference.

What it is

Breitling revived the Chronomat name with modern proportions and a properly in-house movement when the B01 caliber debuted in 2009, but the current AB0134101C1A1 generation dates from 2020 and represents a thorough refresh of the case, dial, and bracelet geometry. The 42mm diameter splits the difference between the older 44mm and the more recent 38mm, landing it as the core-catalog size. The B01 movement replaced outsourced Valjoux and ETA ebauches across the Chronomat range, giving Breitling full control over the column-wheel chronograph architecture.

The rouleaux bracelet design traces directly to the original 1984 Chronomat that Genta's studio developed for Italian aerobatic display teams. Key variants at this generation include the blue "Ice Blue" dial, the black "Blacksteel" PVD treatment, and limited editions tied to Breitling's airline-partner program.

Buying notes

Verify the bracelet clasp for play and wear: the rouleaux links are distinctive but the clasp catches on the current generation have a reputation for loosening with daily wear, so press every link and check the butterfly deployment for slop before buying pre-owned. Confirm the chronograph pusher gaskets have been replaced if the watch has seen water: 200m WR is the rating but only holds if the seals are current. The B01 movement is robust but service records matter; ask specifically whether the movement has been opened, since some grey-market pieces have had dials swapped from other Chronomat variants and the caseback may not match the reference engraved on the dial.

Beware heavily polished cases sold as "excellent condition": the angular lugs and brushed surfaces on the Chronomat show polishing damage immediately, and a re-polished case meaningfully affects resale.

Market read

New retail sits around $8,900 USD for the standard steel dial variants, and grey market discount runs 15 to 20 percent, putting honest grey-market buys in the $7,200 to $7,600 range without much hunting. The blue dial commands a modest premium of roughly $300 to $500 over equivalent black or silver dials in the secondary market. Limited airline-partner editions trade at or slightly below standard retail because the audience for those dials is narrow.

Unlike the Navitimer, the Chronomat does not carry meaningful collector premiums on modern references; you are buying it at or near fair value, which is actually a reasonable entry for a COSC-certified in-house chronograph.

Service expectations

The Breitling Caliber B01 carries a recommended service interval of 4 to 5 years, and Breitling's official service for a complete overhaul runs approximately $800 to $1,100 USD through authorized service centers depending on parts needed. The movement is a column-wheel, vertical-clutch chronograph, and Breitling has published the architecture openly enough that a handful of independent watchmakers comfortable with in-house calibers will take the work at lower cost. Budget for gasket replacement at every service if water resistance is a priority.

Editorial copy is AI-drafted from primary sources and reviewed by Grail Atlas before publication. Where the text is uncertain about a fact, it says so. Email corrections@grailatlas.com if something reads wrong. Signals on this page (community, OSINT) are clearly separated from the editorial sections.

GPHG 2020EnteredIconique category

Entry to the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève is voluntary and made by the brand. An entry is a watch registered for that year's competition, not a jury verdict, and several large houses including Rolex, Patek Philippe and Omega do not take part at all.

Mass-produced#1 in familyOfficial press photos

What it was up against

Iconique, GPHG 2020

The Iconique category at GPHG 2020 held 7 entries. These are the other 6.

Filter the full GPHG field for Iconique, 2020

Live pricing is coming soon. Get notified when it is available for this reference.

Movement tier: unclassified · caliber Breitling Cal. 01: in-house automatic chronograph, 28,800bph, 70h PR, 47j; column-wheel, vertical clutch; COSC-certified; used in Navitimer, Chronomat, Premier · 70h power reserve (2.9 days) · see-through caseback

Also uses Breitling Cal. 01

Medium-large: suits wrists 6.5 in+ (16.5 cm+)

42 mm case. Wears confidently on average to larger wrists. May overhang on slender builds.

Not yet rated

Community + OSINT signals haven’t landed for this reference yet. We don’t publish a rating against zero signal: the number would mean nothing. Editorial body + caliber + market value still surface above; ratings appear once the signal corpus does.

Search pre-owned listings

Chrono24

eBay (sold listings)

WatchBox

Authentication

The rouleaux bracelet is the Chronomat signature; inspect link finish and rider tab tightness before anything else.

Known issues in the market

The rouleaux bracelet links must have a specific ridged machined finish; smooth or fully polished links indicate aftermarket or non-original bracelet.
Rider tabs at 12, 3, 6, and 9 on the bezel are functional and must all be tight and correctly oriented.
The Cal. 01 column-wheel is visible through the caseback; confirm column-wheel layout.

Area	What to check	What is correct	Red flag
bracelet	Rouleaux link ridged finish	Round links with a specific ridged machined surface visible on each rouleaux element; consistent finish across all links	Smooth or polished rouleaux links without ridging; indicates aftermarket bracelet or polished-out original
case	Rider tab tightness and position	All four rider tabs screwed tight at 12, 3, 6, and 9; tabs should not rotate under finger pressure	Loose, missing, or incorrectly positioned rider tabs indicating damage, wear, or non-original bezel
caseback	Cal. 01 column-wheel	Column wheel visible through exhibition caseback with Breitling manufacture signing	ETA Valjoux 7750 cam layout indicating a non-original movement

Common legitimate replacements

Rouleaux bracelets are costly to replace if links are lost; count all links and verify the clasp is signed Breitling.
Rider tabs are small screwed parts that are lost during servicing; a full set of four is correct.

Expert resources: Breitling Chronomat documentation at breitling.com. WatchUSeek Breitling subforum for rouleaux bracelet identification and rider tab service notes.

Authentication guide

Last reviewed June 2026

The Chronomat B01 42 is defined by its four rider tabs on the bezel and the in-house Cal. B01 chronograph. The rider tabs are Breitling's most iconic visual signature and their function is the fastest field authentication test: genuine rider tabs grip the bezel and rotate it; replica examples often have fixed decorative tabs that do not function.

Known reproduction risks

toggle

HIGH RISK

Chinese factory replicas with fixed decorative rider tabs, ETA 7750 movements, and printed rather than engraved bezel scales. The non-functional rider tabs are the single fastest field tell.

Rider tabs that are fixed to the bezel ring and do not assist bezel rotation
ETA 7750 bridge layout visible through the exhibition caseback
Bezel that rotates bidirectionally rather than counterclockwise only
Bezel scale markings that are printed rather than engraved
Pusher actuation feel inconsistent with column-wheel engagement

Grip two opposing rider tabs and try to rotate the bezel clockwise. On a genuine Chronomat, the tabs will be functional grips and the bezel will resist clockwise rotation. Replicas often have tabs that wobble or are completely fixed.

MEDIUM

Earlier Chronomat generations with ETA 7750-based movements (pre-B01) presented as the in-house B01 version, which commands a meaningful premium.

Movement through the caseback with 7750-style vertical bridge layout rather than B01 horizontal layout
Dial without "CHRONOMETER" text on a stated COSC-certified B01 example
Production era inconsistency: the current Chronomat B01 42 launched in 2020 with redesigned case

Dial variants by era

toggle

Era	Description	Identifiers
Chronomat B01 42 current production (2020 to present)	42mm steel case with integrated bracelet, four functional rider-tab bezel, three-register chronograph, date at 4:30, Cal. B01.	Four rider tabs on the bezel at 12, 3, 6, and 9: functional grips that allow bezel rotation without a tool Unidirectional rotating bezel with the rider tabs -- the bezel rotates counterclockwise only "CHRONOMAT" text on the dial in the correct Breitling typeface "CHRONOMETER" text confirming COSC certification Three sub-dials: 30-minute register at 3, running seconds at 9, 12-hour register at 6 Date window at 4:30 Breitling "B" logo at 12 on the dial Integrated bracelet specific to the Chronomat family

Service part flags

toggle

Rider-tab bezel

Original: The four rider tabs on the Chronomat bezel are functional: they are designed to grip the bezel and rotate it without tools. The tabs protrude from the bezel ring and are used by gripping two opposing tabs (12 and 6, or 3 and 9) and turning. On genuine examples, the tabs have a brushed top surface and polished side flanks. The bezel rotates counterclockwise only.

Replacement tells

Rider tabs that are fixed and do not assist bezel rotation -- the tabs must be functional grips, not decoration
Bezel that rotates clockwise: the Chronomat bezel is unidirectional counterclockwise
Rider tab profile that is more rounded or more square than the known production geometry
Tab surface finishing inconsistent with the case quality (rough matte where there should be defined brush-to-polish transitions)
Four tabs at incorrect positions -- they must be at the cardinal positions (12, 3, 6, 9)

Cal. B01 chronograph

Original: Cal. B01 is Breitling's in-house column-wheel vertical-clutch chronograph. The pusher actuation is positive and precise. Through the exhibition caseback, the B01 shows a horizontal-format movement with Breitling-signed rotor and Cotes de Geneve on the bridges.

Replacement tells

Spongy or inconsistent pusher actuation -- B01 column-wheel produces a definite click
ETA 7750 bridge layout visible through the caseback: the 7750 is a vertical-format movement, clearly different from the B01's horizontal layout
Rotor without Breitling signing
Power reserve below 60 hours from a fully wound state

Integrated bracelet

Original: The Chronomat B01 42 uses an integrated bracelet with a specific link geometry and taper. The links alternate between brushed and polished surfaces. The Rouleaux bracelet (with three circular links per row) is the classic Chronomat configuration and the most common.

Replacement tells

Bracelet with straight-bar links rather than the Rouleaux circular-link pattern on a stated Rouleaux configuration
Brushed/polished surface transitions on bracelet links that are not crisp at the link edges
Bracelet taper from case to clasp that is more abrupt or less smooth than the known Chronomat specification
Aftermarket or incorrect-generation bracelet on a stated current-production example

Case back markings

toggle

2020 to present

Exhibition caseback displaying Cal. B01
"Breitling" and "Swiss Made" on the movement plate visible through the caseback
COSC chronometer text on the caseback surround
Reference AB0134 (or full reference string) on the case band
Serial number on the case band between the lugs
Water resistance rating: 20 ATM / 200M

Movement tells

toggle

Cal. B01 is COSC-certified at -4/+6 seconds per day. A timegrapher confirms this; significant deviation warrants service.
The 70-hour power reserve is testable. A fully wound Chronomat B01 42 should run a minimum of 60 hours.
Column-wheel engagement: press the start/stop pusher and note the tactile response. Consistent positive click with no variation indicates correct column-wheel function.
Cal. B01 amplitude should exceed 260 degrees in the dial-up position on a timegrapher. Significant amplitude drop when the chronograph is engaged indicates worn clutch or column-wheel.
The Chronomat's water resistance rating of 200M should be verified by a watchmaker if the watch has any history of submersion -- the caseback and pushers seals are the primary pressure boundaries.

Sources: Breitling -- Chronomat B01 42 specification and Cal. B01 documentation; WatchUSeek -- Breitling Chronomat authentication forum; Fratello -- Chronomat B01 42 rider-tab bezel identification guide.