Sell your Breitling Chronomat · South Florida · by appointment
Sell your Chronomat to a dealer who reads the rider tabs first.
The generation, the movement, and the metal set a Chronomat offer. Send photos and the reference. I reply within 1 business day with a number and the reasoning.
- Valjoux-based calibre 13 and in-house B01 valued on separate comparables
- Steel, two-tone, and gold priced as three markets, not one model
- Rouleaux bracelet stretch and rider tab wear checked and named in the reply
Who this page is for
Chronomat is one name for four decades of watches.
This page is for the owner of a Breitling Chronomat who wants to know what the generation, the movement, and the metal do to a dealer's offer. Some have a two-tone model from the 1980s or 1990s. Some wear a Chronomat 44 from the B01 years. Some bought the 2020 Chronomat B01 42 and are weighing a sale.
The Chronomat has been reworked more than once since 1984. The rider tabs and the roller-link Rouleaux bracelet came, went, and came back. The movement changed from a Valjoux base to Breitling's own B01. Two Chronomats that look alike at arm's length can sit on very different comparable sales.
Below: the generations, the movement question, what two-tone and gold do to the number, and what to photograph. B01 against supplied movements in general, COSC paper, and polishing live on the Breitling page, linked, not repeated.
Selling a Chronomat to me
What a Chronomat seller gets that a form does not.
Generation placed before the number
Original, Evolution, B01 era, or the 2020 relaunch. I name it from the reference and the bezel before I quote, so the comparables fit your watch.
Two-tone priced honestly
Steel and gold Chronomats trade in a different market from all-steel ones. I tell you where yours sits and why, with no surprise after it arrives.
Rouleaux bracelet read link by link
Stretch between the rollers, a short bracelet, and missing links each change the number. I say which applies to yours.
The 36, the 32, and the GMT bought too
The 2020 Chronomat 36 and 32, the Chronomat GMT, and the Super Chronomat are appraised here, each against its own buyers.
What I check on a Chronomat
Five Chronomat-specific things that decide the offer.
Calibre 13 or B01
The 1984 Chronomat and the Evolution run the calibre 13, built on a Valjoux 7750. From 2009 the Chronomat B01, 44, 41, and the 2020 B01 42 run Breitling's own chronograph. The caseback reference tells me which.
Rider tabs and bezel action
Four raised tabs at 15, 30, 45, and 60. Rounded tab edges, a bezel that slips, and replacement tabs that do not match the case are each noted and priced.
Rouleaux bracelet
Roller links on the 1984 original and the 2020 relaunch. Stretch between the rollers and a short bracelet lower the offer. A full-length original with its links lifts it.
Steel, two-tone, or gold
The same Chronomat exists in several metals. Two-tone and solid gold are quoted on their own comparables. The weight of the gold is a floor, not the number.
GMT, Super Chronomat, and editions
The Chronomat 44 GMT with the B04, the 2020 Chronomat GMT 40 with a supplied calibre, and the Super Chronomat 44 each sit apart from the three-register chronograph.
How it works
Four steps for a Chronomat.
01
Get an offer
Submit the form with daylight photos: the bezel straight on so all four rider tabs show, the dial with its subdials, the bracelet flat with the clasp open and its code visible, the caseback with the reference legible, and the warranty card and COSC certificate beside the watch. I reply within 1 business day.
02
Ship or meet
Take the prepaid, insured FedEx label, USA only, or book an appointment in Miami-Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach.
03
Inspect and confirm
I open the box on camera and check the bezel action, the tabs, the bracelet and its links, the movement against the reference, the serial, and the card. If it matches the photos, the offer stands.
04
Get paid
Wire or check within 24 hours of inspection. If we do not agree, the watch goes back to you, insured, at my cost.
The generations
Chronomat, generation by generation.
The rider tabs give the name. The reference, the movement, and the metal give the offer.
| Criteria | Generation and era | What decides the offer |
|---|---|---|
| Chronomat 1984 and the 1990s references | Calibre 13 on a Valjoux 7750 base, rider tabs, Rouleaux bracelet. Steel, two-tone, or gold, with two-tone common | Original bracelet and tabs, dial variant, metal, and whether the case has been buffed |
| Chronomat Evolution (around 2004) | 44 mm, calibre 13, a larger case on a Pilot bracelet or strap | Bracelet, dial colour, crystal, and finish, on supplied-calibre comparables |
| Chronomat B01 (2009), Chronomat 44 and 41 | Breitling's first in-house chronograph, rider tabs kept, Pilot bracelet or strap | B01 comparables, bracelet, dial colour, and the full set |
| Chronomat 44 GMT and the editions | B04 in the GMT. B01 editions such as the Airborne on the 44 and 41 cases | Edition comparables, bezel and bracelet condition, card date |
| Chronomat B01 42, 36, and 32 (2020) | Rouleaux bracelet and rider tabs back. B01 in the 42, a supplied automatic in the 36, quartz in the 32 | Bracelet condition and length, card date, dial colour. The 36 and 32 on their own comparables |
| Super Chronomat 44 and Chronomat GMT 40 | Super Chronomat with the B01, including the four-year calendar. GMT 40 with a supplied calibre | Movement, bezel material, bracelet or rubber, and the set |
Directions, not figures. The effect depends on the reference, the metal, and the market. I show the arithmetic in the reply.
The detail
What moves a Chronomat offer, and why.
Original, Evolution, B01, or relaunch: placing the watch first
The Chronomat launched in 1984 with the rider tabs and the Rouleaux bracelet that define it. Around 2004 the Evolution enlarged the case to 44 mm on a Pilot bracelet. In 2009 the Chronomat B01 brought Breitling's own movement, and the Chronomat 44 and 41 followed on that base. In 2020 the line was relaunched as the Chronomat B01 42, with the Rouleaux bracelet and the tabs back, plus a 36 and a 32. I place the watch from the caseback reference, the case size, the bracelet, and the bezel.
Calibre 13 or B01, and why the caseback settles it
The original Chronomat and the Evolution run the calibre 13, a Valjoux 7750 finished and numbered by Breitling. The B01 era and the 2020 relaunch run the in-house B01. Both are chronometer-rated and sound. Buyers still separate them, and the B01 watches draw stronger demand. The reference tells me which calibre should be inside, and in hand I confirm it. Why that matters for any Breitling is on the brand page.
Rider tabs and the bezel
The four raised tabs at 15, 30, 45, and 60 are the Chronomat's signature and its wear point. They catch door frames and desk edges. Rounded edges and lost plating on a two-tone bezel are normal wear, and I price them as such. What lowers the offer more is a bezel that slips, tabs replaced with ones that do not match the case metal, or a bezel from another generation. Photograph the bezel straight on so all four tabs show.
The Rouleaux bracelet and stretch
The Rouleaux bracelet is built from rows of small rollers. Decades of wear loosen the pins, and a 1980s or 1990s bracelet often sags when held flat. Stretch is priced, not refused. A short bracelet is priced too, because the next owner has to find correct links. A full-length original with its spare links is the best case. If your Chronomat is on a strap and the bracelet is in a drawer, send both.
Steel, two-tone, and gold: three markets
Two-tone is the metal most people picture when they hear Chronomat. A steel and gold model is quoted on two-tone comparables, which run on their own demand, separate from all-steel. Solid gold is quoted on gold comparables, where the weight of the metal sets a floor but not the number. If you own a two-tone Chronomat, come in with realistic expectations: the watch is bought, the offer is fair, and I show the comparables it rests on.
The 36, the 32, the GMT, and the Super Chronomat
The 2020 relaunch added a Chronomat 36 with a supplied automatic calibre and a Chronomat 32 with quartz. Both are bought and priced against the smaller-size market, not against the B01 42. The Chronomat 44 GMT runs the B04, a B01 with a second time zone, and the 2020 Chronomat GMT 40 runs a supplied calibre. The Super Chronomat 44 has its own buyers. Name the model and I place it before I quote.
Sell now, service first, or trade?
Do not service a Chronomat to sell it. A fresh service rarely pays back in the offer, and I price any needed work into the number after inspection. If a trade suits you better than cash, I can credit the Chronomat against a watch in the case or one sourced to order.
When selling to me is not the right call
If you own an early Chronomat with an unusual dial and the patience to wait for the right collector, a private sale may net more than a dealer offer. If you want the top private-sale figure for a B01 42 and can wait months, I am the faster path, not the highest. If you want a documented, insured sale with one person accountable for the number, send it in.
How to prepare your Chronomat submission
- Bezel straight on in daylight, no flash, so all four rider tabs and any plating wear read true.
- Dial straight on, including the subdials, the date, and the lume on the hands.
- The bracelet laid flat and held at one end so stretch shows, plus the clasp open with its code.
- The caseback with the reference and serial legible, and both case sides so any buffing is visible.
- The warranty card, COSC certificate, and any Breitling service papers beside the watch, plus box and spare links.
- Service history and any bezel, tab, or bracelet replacement you know of.
Questions, answered
Before you send a Chronomat
Is my Chronomat in-house?
Check the reference on the caseback. The 1984 Chronomat and the Evolution run the calibre 13 on a Valjoux base. The Chronomat B01, 44, 41, and the 2020 B01 42 run the in-house B01. Send the reference and I confirm which you have.
Is two-tone worth more than steel?
Not as a rule. Two-tone trades on its own comparables, and demand there is different from all-steel. The gold content sets a floor, not the offer.
The rider tabs are worn. Does that matter?
Rounded edges and lost plating are normal wear and are priced as such. A bezel that slips, or replacement tabs that do not match the case, lower the offer more. Send a straight-on photo of the bezel.
Do you buy the Chronomat 36 and 32?
Yes. The 36 with its supplied automatic and the 32 with quartz are both bought. They are priced against the smaller-size market, not against the B01 42.
Should I service it before selling?
No. A service right before a sale rarely pays back. I inspect the movement and price any needed service into the number. Send it as it is, unpolished.
Sell your Chronomat
A real number on your Chronomat, in 1 business day.
Send the bezel, the bracelet, the caseback, and the card. I place the generation, explain the number, and pay within 24 hours of inspection. Shipping is insured and on me.