Today’s unveiling of the 42 mm Classic AVI puts a universal spin on the rugged aviator’s chronograph inspired by the original 1953 Ref. 765 AVI Co-Pilot and four legendary planes. Meanwhile, the 46 mm Super AVI assortment gets a bold new addition with the introduction of the black ceramic Mosquito Night Fighter. Breitling also surprised collectors with an extremely limited re-edition of a 1964 execution of the AVI Co-Pilot, reviving a classic sporting watch.
Breitling’s pioneering pilot’s watch just got a lot more accessible. The new Classic AVI assortment takes the celebrated design codes established by the 46 mm Super AVI and puts them in a 42 mm format. The result is a rugged, easy-wearing watch that works for most wrists.
But let’s take a step back to where the AVI began. In the 1930s, Breitling’s Huit Aviation Department made its name creating precision cockpit clocks and dedicated wrist chronographs for the then-emerging field of aeronautics. Two decades later, in 1953, Breitling introduced the world to yet another novel flight instrument, the Ref. 765 AVI, a pilot’s chronograph with a rotating 12-hour bezel for recording flight times. The easy-to-operate, highly legible watch proved such an indispensable tool for aviators that it was quickly rebranded the AVI “Co-Pilot”.
In 2021, that pioneering pilot’s watch became the inspiration for the Super AVI, a collection of burly 46 mm timepieces that, in their colorways and designs, honor four of history’s greatest aircraft: the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, the Vought F4U Corsair, the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, and the de Havilland Mosquito.
The Classic AVI comes without the GMT complication that gives the Super some of its brawn. The introduction of the Breitling Caliber 23 chronograph movement further trims the profile and makes the Classic AVI attractive from a value perspective as well.
What fans of the range will find unchanged are the color schemes dedicated to the four legendary aircraft: a black dial and gold brown leather strap to represent the versatile Mustang, a blue dial with black strap in tribute to the naval Corsair, a khaki dial with brown strap for the camouflaged look of the Warhawk, and a black dial with black ceramic bezel on brown strap to capture the Mosquito plane known as the “Wooden Wonder”. Colors from the aircraft’s roundels and markings add bright touches to the hands and subdials. The planes’ engraved silhouettes appear on the back of the cases, which come in stainless steel for all models, with an additional 18K red gold version of the Mustang. All can be worn on a choice of top-stitched calfskin leather strap or five-row metal bracelet.
As a Classic AVI pro tip, scan the dial to locate the “hidden” GPS coordinates of the Breitling Chronometrie. They’re a nod to the spec stamps that used to appear on vintage cockpit clocks, including the ones made by the Huit Aviation Department.
