Breitling Crosswind

The Crosswind is one of the most affordable Breitling chronographs on the market, making it an interesting option for collectors and brand novices alike. Most of the watches available for sale are pre-owned since the manufacturer retired this model several years ago. During its production run, the Crosswind belonged to the larger Windrider collection.

Defining features of the Crosswind include Roman numeral hour markers; a unidirectional bezel with rider tabs at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock; and an onion-shaped crown. Its case measures 43 mm in diameter and roughly 15 mm thick. In terms of case material, you can choose from stainless steel, gold, or a two-tone combination of steel and gold.

of their subdials: There's a 12-hour counter at 6, a small seconds at 9, and a 30-minute counter at 12 o'clock. The Crosswind also features a date display at 3 o'clock. The manufacturer offered editions both with and without chronometer certification from the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). You can tell whether your watch has a chronometer-certified movement by looking at the fourth figure in its reference number. If there's a "0," your watch is not a chronometer; if there's a "3," it is.

Prices for a stainless steel Breitling Crosswind ref. A13055 range from around 2,400 USD for a well-maintained timepiece to roughly 3,200 USD for a watch in excellent condition with its original box and papers. Its chronometer-certified counterpart, the ref. A13355, demands about 3,200 USD. Once again, watches in particularly good condition and with their original accessories tend to sell for several hundred dollars more.

Breitling produced two options for fans of two-tone watches. The first variant is solid stainless steel except for its yellow gold bezel rider tabs, crown, and push-pieces. The other version is also largely stainless steel but comes with a gold bezel and stainless steel rider tabs. The manufacturer offered both models with (refs. B13355 and D13355) or without (refs. B13055 and D13055) chronometer certification. Watches with gold bezel rider tabs, a gold crown, and gold push-pieces are more affordable. The B13055 will set you back around 3,900 USD, while the B13355 with a chronometer caliber requires an investment of approximately 4,600 USD. You can call an edition with a gold bezel (i.e., the D13055 or D13355) your own for about 4,700 USD.

Crosswind watches in 18-karat yellow gold demand the highest prices. For example, the ref. K13055 costs around 7,400 USD, and the ref. K13355 changes hands for roughly 11,500 USD. Both gold editions are much rarer than their stainless steel and two-tone sister models.

In addition to the Crosswind, the Crosswind Special and Crosswind Racing were also part of the Windrider collection. Breitling only produced the latter for a few years, which is why these timepieces rarely show up for sale on the pre-owned market. Similar to the Crosswind, the Breitling Caliber B13 powers the Crosswind Racing. The satin-brushed case, Chronomat dial, and hour markers set this model apart. Luminous material fills the watch's central hands and hour indices. The Crosswind Racing in stainless steel costs at least 2,400 USD.

and oversized date display. The large date sits below 12 o'clock and is remarkably easy to read. Breitling equipped this model with the caliber B44, which is why its subdials sit at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock. This is thanks to the base movement, the automatic ETA caliber 2892, and its additional chronograph module. The B44 has a 42-hour power reserve.

Like the Racing edition, baton indices mark the hours on the Special's dial. Its push-pieces differ from those on the "standard" Crosswind: Instead of an onion shape, the Special's push-pieces are rectangular. What's more, the Crosswind Special is 44 mm in diameter. Prices for a stainless steel Breitling Crosswind Special with the reference number A44355 come in at around 3,700 USD. The manufacturer also produced a gold model, namely the ref. K44355. You can purchase this timepiece for about 19,000 USD.

One of the collection's highlights is the Breitling Crosswind Special Limited Edition, of which only 1,000 copies exist. This model sets itself apart with its Arabic numerals and subdials. Instead of the standard three subdials, the Limited Edition only has two – one for the small seconds and another for the chronograph minutes – and does without the hour counter at 6 o'clock. As a result, the dial feels much tidier than that of other Crosswind timepieces. In place of an hour counter, there's a five-line inscription that reads: "Chronographe | Certifie Chronometre | Automatic | Edition Limitee | 100m/330ft," with "Edition Limitee" catching the eye in bright red. This limited edition bears the reference number B44356 and can be yours for around 4,700 USD.