Like so many items in the fashion industry, the pilot watch was originally made as a specific-use accessory to aid aviators on their aeronautic journeys. In particular, Breitling helped establish the pilot watch space in 1936 when Willy Breitling introduced a specially designed aviator chronograph that featured a black dial, luminescent numerals and hands, and a rotating bezel. The clock helped launch Breitling, and they became a major name in the pilot watch space for military and civilian use. Almost a century later, the Swiss company is releasing a new line of watches inspired by its rich aviation history, the Super AVI line.
The Super AVI watch series takes inspiration from the original 1953 “Co-Pilot” Ref. 765 AVI aviator’s watch and four legendary planes: the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, the Vought F4U Corsair, the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, and the de Havilland Mosquito. For those unfamiliar with Breitling’s history, the Ref. 765 AVI pilot’s watch was a pioneering aviator’s watch and was quite literally a wearable form of Breitling Huit Aviation’s precision cockpit clock. Decades later, the five-piece Super AVI watch series serves to pay homage to the watch that started it all, as well as four iconic planes. The design of each watch is inspired by the plane after which it’s named. For example, the Super AVI Mosquito features red and orange elements that parallel the roundels and markings found on the de Havilland Mosquito. Moreover, the Super AVI Curtiss Warhawk sports a military-green dial, white contrasting chronograph counters, and red accents as a tribute to the iconic shark-mouth nose art on the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk.
Whether you’re a military history buff, or just love a handsome-looking pilot watch, any offering from the Super AVI watch series would be a worthy timepiece to own. The Super AVI series is available for purchase on Breitling’s site starting at $10,100.
