# The NEW Colt VS old Colt



## JayJ (Apr 8, 2012)

Ok so they've been out for a few weeks already but has anyone seen the new 2012 Colt? What do we all think? I have the 2011 version but I'd like to hear which one you guys prefer.

I'll google some images/links in a sec


----------



## JayJ (Apr 8, 2012)

Ok so here's one of the new ones:









and this is one of the old:









Whaddya recon?!


----------



## vegasvince (Jun 3, 2006)

I prefer the old one. I like endlinks...i think the new one looks awkward without them. I also prefer the concentric circles on the dial of the old one compared to the lines in the quadrants. I'm surprised Breitling decided to go from polished to brushed.


----------



## H.Solo (May 15, 2007)

Brushed finish is nice, and would certainly not put me off, but the new bezel makes it look like a TAG Heuer Aquaracer... and the missing endlinks for the bracelet scream "aftermarket" to me... not a good development (designwise) at all!


----------



## Lilac1 (May 6, 2011)

Old one was a nice symposium between tool watch and good design, new one looks like a prop from jersey shore.


----------



## Split Second (Apr 18, 2007)

Lilac1 said:


> Old one was a nice symposium between tool watch and good design, new one looks like a prop from jersey shore.


Agree. Much favor all of Breitling's older - or outgoing designs as opposed to a majority of the newer ones, the new Colt and Superocean in particular.


----------



## DDD3333 (Sep 11, 2011)

At least the second round of generally bashing the new Colt.

I love the design and think its a great edition.

I have this sneaking feeling that much of the negativity stems from the fact that this entry level Breitling does not ape one of its bigger, more expensive brothers too closely and that frosts some people. The fact is Colts have not always copied/watered down Chronomat or Superocean style cues.

However this version does take styling cues from existing models but from a different direction...the graphics of the Aerospace and Chronospace, and this will not be as easily recognisable to a wider audience, therefore the watch will not give instant credit to some eyes.

That is why it is exciting to me and the only draw back as such is nothng to do with design but that for now it does not appear any automatic version will be issued.


----------



## sidders (Dec 14, 2011)

Am not generally a fan of Breitling but love the new Colt. Much prefer it to the old


----------



## Lilac1 (May 6, 2011)

A breitling for TAG fans, then. An overpriced one at that. The "old" colt automatic was gorgeous, but it clearly didn't fit into the new "bigger + shinier = better" doctrine. 

Here's to voting with my wallet.


----------



## jzboxtas (Apr 5, 2012)

Voted with my wallet and purchased the new Colt Chrono. I will add pictures as soon as I figure out how to do so, but I absolutely love it.



Lilac1 said:


> A breitling for TAG fans, then. An overpriced one at that. The "old" colt automatic was gorgeous, but it clearly didn't fit into the new "bigger + shinier = better" doctrine.
> 
> Here's to voting with my wallet.


----------



## Split Second (Apr 18, 2007)

DDD3333 said:


> At least the second round of generally bashing the new Colt.
> 
> /QUOTE]
> 
> I don't see any bashing, but rather the cordial exchange of opinions.


----------



## fastward (Aug 6, 2010)

I actually prefer the older style as well.


----------



## wdrazek (Feb 7, 2008)

Personally, I always hated the thickness of the old Colt's bezel. Made the face look tiny on a 41mm watch. 

The new one looks fresher, newer. Maybe it's Jersey Shore but I'm pretty old school and I like it. Wish they hadn't jacked up the price so much but it's what everyone does these days.


----------



## ffeelliixx (May 22, 2007)

I prefer the new Colt by a pretty wide margin. I remember when the Airwolf replaced the B1, people were horrified. Now the Airwolf is generally accepted, just as the new Colt will be soon enough.


----------



## Lilac1 (May 6, 2011)

ffeelliixx said:


> I prefer the new Colt by a pretty wide margin. I remember when the Airwolf replaced the B1, people were horrified. Now the Airwolf is generally accepted, just as the new Colt will be soon enough.


If these forums are anything to go by, people revile the airwolf and adore the B1, sans the bracelet. Replacing the B1 was a mistake just the same as moving the colt line towards quartz/bling


----------



## Spartacus (Apr 8, 2008)

Lilac1 said:


> If these forums are anything to go by, people revile the airwolf and adore the B1, sans the bracelet. Replacing the B1 was a mistake just the same as moving the colt line towards quartz/bling


Wow, I LOVE the new Colt 44.. big, updated and modern, with the best Quartz movement probabl on the planet, accurate to 10-15 seconds PER YEAR, not per day, or per month, PER YEAR!

I think the silver face with either the gold or brown leather looks fantastic! A real sports watch, 1,650 foot depth, can use for ANYTHING! ;-)

I can get a new one or for a few hundred more get a new Superocean 44 but seriously, when I think about having to get the Superocean serviced every 4-5 years and the cost involved with that plus it being + or - 4 to 6 seconds off every day, I think the Colt looks more and more attractive! I love an automatic, but their new Colt just makes sense to me from a completely no maintenance (change the battery in 8 years!) point of view.. Love the new Bezel.. It is still a tool watch, still brushed bezel and bracelet etc.. I think it is awesome..


----------



## ffeelliixx (May 22, 2007)

Lilac1 said:


> If these forums are anything to go by, people revile the airwolf and adore the B1, sans the bracelet. Replacing the B1 was a mistake just the same as moving the colt line towards quartz/bling


I've always thought the B1 ugly. The Airwolf was a nice improvement, and so is the new Colt. Why don't people just buy the old model if that's the model they prefer? I like that Breitling churns its models and gives us greater variety.

It seems some people don't want to wear a watch if it isn't a part of the current line-up. I'm not sure I understand why that is.


----------



## Jamman (Apr 21, 2012)

The new Colt 44 looks great. Nice size, comfy weight, but I agree it's a bit pricey.


----------



## Jamman (Apr 21, 2012)




----------



## smalls (Jun 9, 2008)

I much prefer the older version. Just got one a week ago and it's seeing lots of wrist time. Great cross between tool and dress. Like others have said I don't prefer the bezel on the new models, almost looks like a Seamaster and the flat end link bracelet looks out of place on a more expensive watch.


----------



## Crow1962 (Mar 3, 2009)

If I were you, I'd buy the new Colt 44 quartz. Less maintenance and more accuracy, but that's just me. I'm selling most of my autos because I'm afraid will have to eventually service each and every one of them, so I'll keep one or two for the time being. I tried the Colt 44 with black dial today, and it's gorgeous. My question is, can you fit another bracelet instead of the Professional one? I like the older end links since the flat end link looks like if you purchased an aftermarket bracelet.


----------



## Novacastrian (Dec 22, 2009)

I'll get howled down for this but if i want a piece of electronic time keeping, i'll pull out my phone. It's closer in make up to a quartz watch than an auto is. There's a romance to a mechanical movement (yes with it's poor accuracy and need for servicing) that a quartz piece doesn't have. As to new versus old, you can probably guess I'm with the old.


----------



## Crow1962 (Mar 3, 2009)

I just purchased a beautiful Colt 44 with the stunning black volcano dial, I'll let you decide if you like it or not:




























I am absolutely thrilled by this watch, and the way is plays with the light. It's simply stunning, I also tried the blue dialed version, but the black one is just breathtaking. If I were you, I'll jump on a brand new Colt 44 with the black dial and the Professional bracelet. Good luck with your decision.


----------



## Manuel Garcia O'Kely (May 2, 2011)

I have the old Colt GMT [first generation also], and I think it might take some time for the new one to grow on me. I think end links look much better with a bracelet, and I just liked the old bezel better. Oh well - Omni Mutantur et nos mutaumur in illis...Times change, and we change with them.


----------



## ianc666 (Aug 6, 2009)

The new one is too big, the bracelet looks bad where it doesn't have end links, the bezel is too generic and the numerals are too big and shiny. Apart from that it is OK ;-)


----------



## DDD3333 (Sep 11, 2011)

Crow1962

Fabtastic looking watch (and nice photographs). Congratulations!

The more I see of this watch the better it looks, and as I have noted before it not only represents a great leap forward for the Colt models it really does also articulate the fresher design direction that Breitling is taking. This watch is unmistakedly Breitling.

I love that the case is scalloped to match the bezel but perhaps the design feature I actually like the most is the bracelet. People have dissed the non-traditional end links but I think they work beautifully.


----------



## ffeelliixx (May 22, 2007)

My Navitimer 50th Anniversary has similar nonflush end links. I like them. It actually works much better that one would think from the photos.


----------



## Crow1962 (Mar 3, 2009)

Two days after my purchase of the new Colt 44, I can honestly say it's a beauty you can't take your eyes off. I will order a couple straps from TOSHI and see how they look on this baby. As I mentioned before, I tried BOTH watches, old & new Colt at the AD before pulling the trigger, and it was a no brainer to me.
I couldn't be happier with this acquisition. The old Colt is too small for my taste. 
Good day to you all.


----------



## Lilac1 (May 6, 2011)

ffeelliixx said:


> I've always thought the B1 ugly. The Airwolf was a nice improvement, and so is the new Colt. Why don't people just buy the old model if that's the model they prefer?


Find me a BNIB old colt from someone who isn't gouging me and I'll buy it. Understandably, prices have skyrocketed since the launch of the newer models.

Also, if I wanted quartz, I'd get a tool watch from the professional series. The more fashion-oriented aeromarine range has always benefitted from using automatic movements, with quartz as a low-cost option. 
For some reason, the new colt costs as much as the new superocean, even though it has a quartz movement. It even has a flat crystal for crying out loud, and they want $3000 for it.

Between the new superocean and the new colt I can literally hear breitling customers running towards the new omega smp-c.


----------



## CaptRimmer (Dec 30, 2008)

Quartz movement? Flat crystal? What could be worse? :-d:-d
Cheers,
Capt


----------



## RLFierro (Aug 31, 2010)

As a couple others have mentioned I'm not a fan of the flat end bracelet, finished end links would clean the look up quite a bit. Fix that and the new version is a 100% winner.


----------



## ffeelliixx (May 22, 2007)

Lilac1 said:


> Between the new superocean and the new colt I can literally hear breitling customers running towards the new omega smp-c.


You can literally hear that? Are you sure?

You'll never literally hear my footsteps from hundreds or thousand of miles away running to Omega. Not unless they get a little more quartz, a lot more contemporary, and way bigger and shinier.


----------



## hamilton314 (Apr 27, 2008)

I prefer the newer one for the bigger size case.


----------



## Lilac1 (May 6, 2011)

ffeelliixx said:


> You can literally hear that? Are you sure?
> 
> You'll never literally hear my footsteps from hundreds or thousand of miles away running to Omega. Not unless they get a little more quartz, a lot more contemporary, and way bigger and shinier.


I like how XXXXXXX all agree with you. It makes for a better point proving the decline of the breitling brand.

*Mod edit:* Please read forum rules, specifically #2 before posting again.


----------



## lgbalfa (May 24, 2008)

i like the older colt better if i had to choose.

mainly because of the polished bracelet and i am not a fan of the face of the new colt.

don't get me wrong, any breitling is a masterpiece of a watch.


----------



## ctujack (Mar 9, 2009)

I much prefer the old model, the new version looks like it was designed by a committee.


----------



## mrbill2mrbill2 (Feb 26, 2011)

I like the new dial. No end links looks cheap. The bezel? I like and I don't like it - if that makes any sense. I like the new bracelet.

Cheers


----------



## georges zaslavsky (Feb 11, 2006)

I prefer the older model which was nicer and had a better legibility


----------



## homathetes (Dec 2, 2009)

Another vote for the old one by a long shot. I think the flat end links are a blizzare design choice (why?) and I'm not a fan of the case having the shape of the bezel, which would mean any time the bezel is used there would be a weird disjunction with the case. And no auto also says something IMO. 

The Airwolf comparison is not apt IMO, because I think everyone would agree its a coherent design even if the B1 carries through more cleanly classic Breiting cues. This Colt is more like how the Superocean line has descended in appearances to a fashion watch since the New Wave SO. Lots of things which don't make sense.


----------



## watch_tech (Apr 26, 2010)

I was on the same boat like many of you hated the looks of the new Colt up until last week when I actually saw the new Colt 44 in person. The minute I saw it, I fell in love. It absolutely blew me out of water. It is big and bold with 44mm dial. The face is very clean and simple. Dial is Super easy to read. The band is really cool as well with completely new and original design. The case and the bezel is curved really nice to resemble the cylinder of an actual Colt 44 revolver. The screw down crown is done right with crown tube threaded on the outside than inside. I hear threading on the outside last a lot more than the ones on the inside. The case lugs are also curved real pretty much like the trigger/hammer of a Colt 44 revolver. To me the new colt is more Colt than the old colt will ever be. Another masterpiece of a watch that you could only expect from the genius at the Breitling no questions asked. So, long story short I had to have it but my local AD did not have the black dial one in stock. So, I ordered it and it just came in yesterday. Here below are some shots, let me know what you all think:


----------



## Jaqesq (Jun 7, 2012)

hamilton314 said:


> I prefer the newer one for the bigger size case.


Seems as though they are literally growing with the trend towards bigger watches. I have a Chrono Colt (purchased in '03) that is 38mm. I believe the next iteration of that watch a year or two later came in around 41mm. Now the next generation of Colt chronographs is up to 44mm. How big are we going here?


----------



## watch_tech (Apr 26, 2010)

Jaqesq said:


> Seems as though they are literally growing with the trend towards bigger watches. I have a Chrono Colt (purchased in '03) that is 38mm. I believe the next iteration of that watch a year or two later came in around 41mm. Now the next generation of Colt chronographs is up to 44mm. How big are we going here?


Well, to me 44mm would be the max I would wear but for whatever reason the Colt 44 wears a bit smaller than a 44mm. It wears more like a 42mm. It's a mystery but it happens to me all the time.


----------



## crownpuller (Jun 8, 2012)

Spartacus said:


> ... completely no maintenance (change the battery in 8 years!) ...


I wish I shared your faith; but, recent events with my Aerospace have led me to think that might not necessarily be the case !

Back on topic: I'd like to HAVE my cake, AND eat it, please..... Can I have the new Colt with the old bracelet ? New bracelet just doesn't 'do it' for me.... a bit like the new Seamaster (Planet Ocean) bracelet, doesn't 'do it' for me compared to the old style Seamaster. Just my personal preferences.


----------



## watch_tech (Apr 26, 2010)

crownpuller said:


> I wish I shared your faith; but, recent events with my Aerospace have led me to think that might not necessarily be the case !
> 
> Back on topic: I'd like to HAVE my cake, AND eat it, please..... Can I have the new Colt with the old bracelet ? New bracelet just doesn't 'do it' for me.... a bit like the new Seamaster (Planet Ocean) bracelet, doesn't 'do it' for me compared to the old style Seamaster. Just my personal preferences.


I had a very similar reservations but after seeing it in person and trying it out, I have to say I really like the strong bold look of the new professional band. I think the new professional band is more appropriate for the new bigger design of the Colt 44. Check it out...


----------



## dertoto (Jun 21, 2012)

Just bought the new Colt with the black leather strap and it looks stunning. Don`t like the bezel of the old one and always prefer the new models.


----------



## Lilac1 (May 6, 2011)

Yeah, I mean, who likes rider tabs. It's not as if they defined the brand or anything.


----------



## EROKS (Mar 12, 2008)

I saw this watch in person today and can say its awesome!


----------



## jdrodgers (Nov 8, 2006)

Love both but really prefer the Colt II with its better looking band. I like the bezel (and rider tabs) as well on the older Colt II.


----------



## sonnguyen (Jun 11, 2011)

I love the old one, purchased and waiting for ship.


----------



## Jeff Lewis (Aug 1, 2012)

Saw the 44 for the first time last week and finally decided to pull the trigger on a Breit as a result. I had been looking at the Sup Avg for about a year but could never talk myself into it. The 44 Colt kills the old colt side by side..not even close. I never noticed the bracelet ends when I saw it. The bracelet is superb and a perfect match for the watch, one of the things I liked about it most actually. Loved the black dial non chrono, and the the non auto is a plus for me too. A must to take a look at the watch in person for the true comparison.


----------



## Domo Kun (Jul 14, 2012)

That links makes the watch look like Tag Heuer... The old link is my favorite


----------



## Lilac1 (May 6, 2011)

Which is funny because the new Tag Heuer Link actually looks decent now that it has a band that doesn't look like a large intestine.


----------



## Powerman (Jun 29, 2008)

Well I see I'm late to this party. Looking for my next one. Not really a big Breitling fan... no real reason, just personal preferences. But I was looking for a TC quartz and all the JDM stuff is pretty traditional/normal stuff. I started looking at the Colt 44 and I really really like it. It has grown on me.... except the end links are just KILLING it. I just can't get why they would do that. It really looks out of place on a watch they are asking so much for. Maybe I will wait till next year to see if it has end links. 

WHY?


----------



## Triton205 (Dec 1, 2012)

Love the old bracelet and the new bezel. If I had to choose one watch or the other I would take the new. Both are stunning.


----------



## Powerman (Jun 29, 2008)

Does anyone know if something can be done? Does the old bracelet fit? Sort of an expensive way to go, but I'm curious.


----------



## Magnus P (Oct 30, 2012)

New one looks great, old one even better.


----------



## rd0401 (Aug 30, 2012)

Crow1962 said:


> I just purchased a beautiful Colt 44 with the stunning black volcano dial, I'll let you decide if you like it or not:
> 
> I am absolutely thrilled by this watch, and the way is plays with the light. It's simply stunning, I also tried the blue dialed version, but the black one is just breathtaking. If I were you, I'll jump on a brand new Colt 44 with the black dial and the Professional bracelet. Good luck with your decision.


I'm going to order a colt 44 next month, one thing I can't find the answer to is can you adjust the date without stopping the time?


----------



## Magnus P (Oct 30, 2012)

rd0401 said:


> I'm going to order a colt 44 next month, one thing I can't find the answer to is can you adjust the date without stopping the time?


On the Colt Chronograph, yes. You can actually adjust the hour without stopping the time.


----------



## Brizzybrad (Jul 16, 2011)

My vote is for the old colt. The large 44 mm plus lack of detail is a turn off for me. The colt II is just about right.


----------

