Jewellery & Watch News
In 1953, Breitling launched one of their most legendary pilot watches to date, the AVI Ref. 765. It’s statement rotating bezel, oversized Arabic numerals and impeccable legibility was a quick favourite for aviators. After a limited edition revival just last year, the design is welcomed once again in a permanent series of Super AVI Chronograph watches, all inspired by its vintage predecessor and a host of legendary planes.
“This collection embodies that sense of nostalgia for the early days of aviation when pilots relied on their watches as onboard tools,” says Breitling CEO Georges Kern. “But you don’t have to be a pilot or vintage-aircraft buff to appreciate the exceptional craftsmanship and rugged design.”
Nicknamed the Breitling Super AVI B04 Chronograph GMT 46, the five designs not only hark back to the original AVI Ref. 765 but tribute four legendary planes and their unique liveries. These planes include the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, the Vought F4U Corsair, the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, and the de Havilland Mosquito. We’ll go into how each of these four planes influence the watches shortly, but first, here’s what each of the Breitling Super AVI Chronographs have in common…
As typical Breitling pilot’s watches, Breitling Super AVI B04 Chronograph GMT 46 models boast highly legible dials detailed with luminous hands for the hours and minutes, Superluminova tips for the GMT and central chronograph seconds hands, glow in the dark Arabic numerals and a rather unique lume-accented chronograph counter at 3 o’clock. Framing the dial is a 46mm case in stainless steel or 18 carat rose gold and a bi-directional ratcheted bezel in steel or ceramic offering a 12 hour scale to pair with the GMT hand and inner 24 hour scale. The cases also promise 100 metre water resistant ratings, sapphire crystal glass with AR treatment, screw in oversized crowns and exhibition case backs decorated with an image of its namesake aircraft. Through the back you can witness the Breitling Manufacture Caliber B04 automatic winding movement with column wheel and vertical clutch mechanism and a 70 hour power reserve.
“Our watchmaking DNA is what dominates here, while the interpretations of the four aircraft give the series its emotion and bold graphic appeal. Taken together, these elements evoke the spirit of early flight,” says Breitling Creative Director Sylvain Berneron. “We can’t forget that Breitling pioneered aviation tool watches like the Ref. 765 AVI. That heritage is so strong, we had to not only keep it intact, but rewrite it for the 21st century.”
The Breitling Super AVI B04 Chronograph GMT 46 P-51 Mustang
Just as its name suggests, the Breitling Super AVI P51 Mustang Chronograph pays homage to the P-51 Mustang plane, one of the best all-round fighter aircrafts of its era. It was built in just 120 days by North American Aviation who even themselves didn’t anticipate its power. Responsible for its unprecedented speed and range was it’s low-drag wings and engine-cooling system – features considered experimental for a single seat fighter. In honour of its unmatched performance, Breitling have launched two timepieces named after the P-51 Mustang, one in stainless steel and another in 18 carat rose gold. The steel Breitling Super AVI P51 Mustang watch features a handsome black dial detailed with beige-coloured numerals and hands, a steel rotating bezel and a warm brown leather strap. As for the rose gold Breitling Super AVI P51 Mustang, it’s 46mm case is handcrafted from 18ct gold paired with an anthracite dial, matching rose gold hardware and a black leather strap. Both also opt for tone-on-tone chronograph counters.
Specifications:
- Case: 46mm, stainless steel or 18ct rose gold, bidirectional bezel in steel, sapphire crystal glass, exhibition case back, screw in crown, 100m water resistance
- Dial: Black, tone-on-tone counters, green Superluminova (Steel model), Anthracite, tone-on-tone counters, blue Superluminova (Gold model)
- Movement: Breitling Manufacture Caliber B04, 70 hour power reserve, 4Hz frequency, column wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute, and 12-hour totalizers, hour, minute, second, date window, second time zone, COSC certified
- Strap: Gold brown leather (Steel model), Black leather (Gold model), folding buckles
- Reference: AB04453A1B1X1, RB04451A1B1X1
The Breitling Super AVI B04 Chronograph GMT 46 Vought F4U Corsair
Next up in the new Breitling Super AVI watch collection is a single timepiece designed in honour of the WWII naval aircraft, the Vought F4U Corsair. This particular plane was designed to make tricky take-offs and landings from carriers and remote landing strips and so speed and lift were essential in its construction. It became the first single-engine fighter to break the 400mph mark and was notable for its “bent-wing” design, oversized propeller and blue livery. For the Breitling Super AVI Vought F4U Corsair watch, the famous blue attire is revived at the centre of the dial detailed with matching chronograph counters and blue emitting Superluminova. Outlining the dial is a stainless steel case and matching steel bezel secured to the wrist by a black calfskin leather strap with white-stitch detail.
Specifications:
- Case: 46mm, stainless steel, bidirectional bezel in steel, sapphire crystal glass, exhibition case back, screw in crown, 100m water resistance
- Dial: Blue, tone-on-tone counters, blue Superluminova
- Movement: Breitling Manufacture Caliber B04, 70 hour power reserve, 4Hz frequency, column wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute, and 12-hour totalizers, hour, minute, second, date window, second time zone, COSC certified
- Strap: Black leather with folding buckle
- Reference: AB04451A1C1X1
The Breitling Super AVI B04 Chronograph GMT 46 Curtiss Warhawk
Famed as one of World War II’s most famous fighter planes, the P-40 Curtiss Warhawk was an American single-engined, single-seated aircraft used right up until the end of the war. It was the third most-produced American fighter plane of WWII and largely characterised for its "shark mouth" logo on the nose. Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Breitling have honoured the Curtiss Warhawk plane before; it has been previously revived in a series of Breitling Aviator 8 Curtiss P-40 Warhawk watches. Similiarly, the new Breitling Super AVI Curtiss Warhawk opts for a khaki green dial adorned with contrasting white chronograph counters and bold red accents, the latter in particularly recalling the nose and mouth of the shark decoration The watch also opts for a steel case, steel bezel, green emitting Superluminova and a brown calfskin leather strap.
Specifications:
- Case: 46mm, stainless steel, bidirectional bezel in steel, sapphire crystal glass, exhibition case back, screw in crown, 100m water resistance
- Dial: Green, white counters, green Superluminova
- Movement: Breitling Manufacture Caliber B04, 70 hour power reserve, 4Hz frequency, column wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute, and 12-hour totalizers, hour, minute, second, date window, second time zone, COSC certified
- Strap: Brown leather with folding buckle
- Reference: AB04452A1L1X1
The Breitling Super AVI B04 Chronograph GMT 46 Mosquito
The fifth and final instalment to the Breitling Super AVI watch collection is the B04 Chronograph GMT 46 Mosquito designed in honour of the de Havilland Mosquito, another aircraft commemorated in a previous Breitling Aviator 8 watch. The plane remains one of the most unique in the world as it was engineered during a time when aluminium and steel shortages were a common occurrence. Instead, the plane was largely crafted from wood and became known as the “Wooden Wonder” when it outperformed its metal contemporaries to become one of the fastest planes built between 1940 and 1950. As for the Breitling Super AVI Mosquito watch, it is the only one in the collection to feature a polished and satin-brushed black ceramic bezel equipped on top of the steel case and to pair with the black dial. In contrast, the dial features white chronograph counters and red and orange elements to recall the roundels and markings found on its namesake aircraft.
Specifications:
- Case: 46mm, stainless steel, bidirectional bezel in black ceramic, sapphire crystal glass, exhibition case back, screw in crown, 100m water resistance
- Dial: Black, white counters, blue Superluminova
- Movement: Breitling Manufacture Caliber B04, 70 hour power reserve, 4Hz frequency, column wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute, and 12-hour totalizers, hour, minute, second, date window, second time zone, COSC certified
- Strap: Brown leather with folding buckle
- Reference: YB04451A1B1X1
