Breitling's new watches celebrate the gruelling Ironman championships

When it comes to tough challenges in gruelling environments, the Ironman championships are right up there. A combination of swimming, cycling and running which pushes the human body to the absolute limit, these championships are designed to prove that anything is possible.

Such an event can only be paired with a watch that is equally hardy – and that's exactly what Breitling has provided. A new pair of models have been designed to celebrate both the Ironman World Championship and the Ironman 70.3 World Championship.

For the unaware, the 70.3 Ironman is effectively a half distance version – pretty much the same as a half marathon, but with a hefty cycle and a swim thrown on the front to really amp up the pain.

So, to the watches. The two different models actually make use of a pretty similar spec sheet, so we'll run through it all as one and note where they differ.

Both sit within a 44mm diameter case, and house the Breitling Caliber 82 inside. That's a Themocompensated SuperQuartz movement, which offers COSC-certified operation and chronograph functionality.

The case material is actually one of the only differences between the two. The Ironman World Championship model is crafted from titanium, while the Ironman 70.3 model is made from a material called Breitlight. That's a proprietary material from the brand, and offers incredible lightness and resistance to scratches and wear.

Those cases sit just 12.5mm thick, too – good for a chronograph movement and this case diameter – while 100m of water resistance should ensure you can use this in a wide range of scenarios.

Both feature their respective championship logos at the six o'clock position, while the caseback also employs a logo. The straps are both rubber, but feature different colours – turquoise on the Ironman 70.3 and blue on the regular Ironman one.

The models are both limited edition, with 500 units of the Ironman World Championship model and 300 pieces for the Ironman 70.3 model. Priced at £3,400 (approx. €3,950 / US$4,600 / AU$7,000) for the Blue model and £2,950 (approx. €3,400 / US$4,000 / AU$6,150) for the turquoise, these are a nice commemorative piece for fans of the event.