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Television presenter Guido Meda spotted wearing Breitling

Guido Meda appeared as a guest on the BSMT Basement podcast hosted by Gianluca Gazzoli, where the veteran Italian television presenter discussed the arc of his career in broadcasting. Sharp-eyed viewers caught a glimpse of the watch on his wrist — a Breitling Crosswind chronograph reference A44355 in stainless steel, a piece that speaks to a particular era of bold, tool-oriented Swiss watchmaking.

The Breitling Crosswind ref. A44355 was introduced in the late 1990s as part of Breitling's broader Chronomat-adjacent family, sharing design DNA with the iconic Chronomat but establishing its own character through a slightly sleeker lug profile and refined dial layout. The 44mm stainless steel case houses Breitling's Caliber 13, a heavily modified and COSC-certified version of the ETA/Valjoux 7750 automatic movement, offering a 42-hour power reserve and solid chronograph reliability. The bidirectional rotating bezel with its characteristic rider tabs, a Breitling signature since the 1984 Chronomat revival, remains one of the most recognisable design elements in the sport-chronograph category.

Among collectors, the Crosswind occupies an interesting middle ground. It lacks the immediate name recognition of the Chronomat or the Navitimer, yet rewards those who look closely with robust build quality, a genuinely useful movement, and period-correct aesthetics that feel increasingly appealing as 1990s and early 2000s references attract renewed collector attention. The A44355 reference in particular benefits from its clean execution and relatively restrained dial compared to some of Breitling's busier offerings from the same decade.

Guido Meda is one of Italy's most recognisable sports broadcasting voices, having commentated MotoGP races for decades and built a devoted following among motorsport fans. That he gravitates toward a mechanically serious, aviation-heritage chronograph rather than a fashion-forward piece is entirely consistent with a broadcaster whose identity is grounded in craft and longevity over trend.

On the secondary market, clean examples of the Breitling Crosswind A44355 in stainless steel typically trade in the $1,500–$2,800 range depending on condition, box, and papers — representing solid value for a COSC-certified automatic chronograph from one of Switzerland's most storied professional watch houses.