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ED209's exploration of the Breva Genie 01 and Genie 02 models offers a fascinating look into mechanical wristwatches designed for environmental measurements. His detailed observations from JCK 2015 highlight the innovative integration of barometers and altimeters, prompting a discussion on the practical applications and accuracy of such specialized complications in a portable format. This post remains relevant for understanding the niche of instrument watches and the challenges of miniaturizing complex meteorological tools.
One of the most
distinctive movements that I've seen atJCK 2015 in Las Vegas were from
Breva. This is the first time that I've ever heard of the
Breva Genie 01 which is a mechanical wristwatch that displays the
altitude and weather forecasting with a anaerobic barometer; and their
Genie 02 model with altimeter, and the Genie 03 with a speedometer or
anemometer. I am fascinated by the 03 with the speedometer
function (and I'll have a separate post on it) but let's first take a
look at the 01 and 02 models.
The Breva Genie 01 dial has several
indicators. The hours and minutes are displayed at the 8
o'clock position with transparent sapphire subdial. I handled
the platinum version that blue skeletonized hands that was fairly easy
to read. Looking closely I saw a smaller grayish colored
subdial near the 12 o'clock position that was partially hidden behind
the blue sapphire crystal of the subdial for the barometric
pressure. And on the upper left quadrant of the outer edge of
the dial is a scale displaying altitude. At the 4 o'clock
position is a power reserve indicator with a scale showing up to 65
hours. A little detail that I really liked was that this power
reserve is shaped like compass rose instead of the typical single
hand.
Most of the area between 5 and 6 o'clock is the aneriod
capsule to measure air pressure. The adjustments to the
barometric pressure is done by a pusher/ring at 2 o'clock which also has
pusher for adjusting the altitude. 4 o'clock has another
pusher for an air valve that equalizes the interior and exterior air
pressure. Winding and time setting is done with the crown at 9
o'clock.
The back of the Breva Genie 01 has a transparent
caseback that showcases the movement. The caseback has an
engraved scale for correlations between altitude and air
pressure.
I still remember when I used to go hiking
and rock climbing in the Mount Lemon area of Arizona and my climbing
instructors used to carry a Ambient Weather WM handheld digital
meter. During one of our climbs, the pressure suddenly dropped
and we can feel the static electricity in the ropes. He used
the AW WM to measure the barometric pressure and we quickly descended
before an approaching thunderstorm that is common during the late
summers. I'd be curious to see how accurate this Breva 01
would be in similar situations.
The Breva Genie 02 has a similar
case and dial layout as the 01, and is offered in a regular or blackened
titanium version. The upper left outer dial edge has a large
scale altitude indicator and displays up to 5000 meters. A
precision altimeter is displayed in the subdial at 2 o'clock.
I wish I would have had a chance to take the 02 with me on my
recent business travels to La Paz, Bolivia. I could have ran
some real-case extensive altitude test while I was there, since La Paz
is the world's highest altitude capital in the world at 3650 meters
above sea level.
The Breva 03 is a really
interesting watch that has a mechanical speedometer. I'll post
this separately.
In the mean time I'd like to read your thoughts on these
movements, are there any scenarios that you would encounter that you
could use an altimeter or barometer? I know quite a few
PuristS that would definitely use the
speedometer!
Regards,
ED-209
Key Points from the Discussion
- The utility of a wristwatch barometer for weather forecasting is limited due to rapid changes in location and other influencing factors. To be truly effective, such an instrument would require a protocol or alarm feature for sudden pressure changes, especially when altitude varies quickly.
- The Breva watches, including the Genie 01 and 02, are noted for their high-quality finish and overall feeling of luxury, despite the practical limitations of their complications in a wristwatch format.
- The original poster expresses a desire to test the speedometer version (Genie 03), indicating a continued interest in the brand's innovative, albeit specialized, mechanical functions.
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