Breitling’s new Super AVI collection recalls aviation history with designs inspired by the original 1953 pilot’s watch “Co-Pilot” and four legendary aircraft: the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, the Vought F4U Corsair , the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk and the de Havilland Mosquito.
“This collection embodies that nostalgic feeling of the early days of aviation, when aviators used their watches as on-board instruments,” explains Breitling CEO Georges Kern. “But you don’t have to be a pilot or a vintage aeronautics enthusiast to appreciate its exceptional craftsmanship and robust design.”
In the 1930s, Breitling’s Huit Aviation Department made a name for itself by devising precision watches for use in the cockpits of the newly appearing aircraft. Two decades later, in 1953, Breitling introduced yet another novel flight instrument to the world, this time worn on the wrist. The pilot’s watch Ref. 765 AVI was an instant success and created a type of watch that was to be inspired by countless models. Much appreciated by pilots, he was immediately known as the “Co-Pilot”. In 2020, Breitling also launched the AVI
Ref. 765 1953 e-Edition, a painstakingly researched and manufactured reissue that honored the legacy of this classic chronograph.
That pioneering watch is the inspiration for the current Super AVI, the series with which Breitling begins the Classic AVI collection. The launch coincides with almost a century of aviation watches from a brand that has been around for a number of high points in the field. From those first risky takeoffs to the birth of commercial air travel, the history of Breitling is inseparable from the history of flight.
DESIGNED WITH A VINTAGE AVIATION AESTHETIC
The collection is presented in five unique versions based on four energetic and memorable aircraft whose filigree silhouettes adorn the sapphire in which the case back is made.
– The Super AVI P-51 Mustang pays homage to the best multipurpose fighter of its time in two distinct versions: one with a stainless steel case, black dial and gold-brown leather strap, and one exclusively for Breitling and Breitling boutiques. com, another in 18K red gold with an anthracite dial and black leather strap.
– The Super AVI Tribute to Vought F4U Corsair is presented with a blue dial, chronograph counters in the same tone and a black leather strap whose design takes elements from the characteristic livery of this aircraft with different records to its credit.
– The Super AVI Curtiss Warhawk, with its olive green dial, contrasting white chronograph counters and red touches, revisits the famous shark jaws that adorned the nose of the aircraft and were its hallmark.
– On the Super AVI Mosquito, the black ceramic bezel with a combination of polished and satin-brushed is accompanied by a black dial with contrasting white chronograph counters. Its red and orange elements recall the cockades and insignia present on that versatile plane nicknamed the “wooden wonder”.
“Ultimate here is our watchmaking DNA, while the reinterpretation of the four aircraft gives the series emotion and bold graphic appeal. The entire set evokes the spirit of early aviation,” says Sylvain Berneron, Creative Director at Breitling. “We cannot forget that Breitling pioneered aviation tool watches like the Ref. 765 AVI. It is such a valuable heritage, that we not only had to preserve it intact, but also rewrite it for the 21st century.”
The distinctive Super AVI design includes large, highly readable Arabic numerals on the dial and bezel. Its resounding case measures 46 mm, with a large crown located at 3 o’clock. Knurled bezels offer optimal grip, and quilted calfskin straps harken back to the stitching typical of aircraft equipment of the time. Aviators and other travelers will appreciate the ability to view a second time zone via the 24-hour scale on the inner bezel in conjunction with the red-tipped GMT hand. The Super AVI is powered by a Breitling Manufacture caliber B04, a COSC-certified movement that offers a power reserve of approximately 70 hours. The Super AVI reminds us of the days before digital timekeeping, when pilot’s watches were also reliable flight instruments, but its resounding aesthetics and enduring precision make it all the more relevant today.
