“Here I am”: No watch brand is more strongly associated with a confident, masculine presence than Breitling. Wearers of the pilot watch brand are financially successful, coveted by women, and love everything masculine from muscle cars to fighter planes and Harley Davidsons. But are these stereotypes even true? We look into the minds of the average Breitling owner, show some of the most prominent wearers and explain which model is preferred by whom.

Avenger: Powerhouse for confident doers

If you want to answer the question “Who wears Breitling?” as closely as possible to the prototype outlined at the beginning, the oversized Super Avenger 48 millimeter provides the desired answer. The robust instrument makes the high testosterone level of its wearer literally visible and can only be worn with a great deal of self-confidence due to its massive dimensions, but does not neglect the practical benefits – readability and performance are at top level. The Super Avenger is a watch for dominant handlebars and, unlike the filigree Navitimer, manages to combine Breitling’s close aviation relationship with a beefy, massive look. Those who prefer more moderate dimensions choose the 43-millimeter version without the “Super” in the name. Celebrity wearers of the Avenger include Gordon Ramsay and Leonardo DiCaprio – two men who have definitely come into their own in life.

Navitimer: Nostalgia in a prominent guise

Contrary to what one might assume, the most famous of all Breitlings does not only appeal to men who covet the prestige and extreme recognition value of the aviator model. Above all, nostalgics who admire everything mechanical from bygone times and thus the complicated slide rule of the Navitimer 1 will get their money’s worth with the flagship of the Swiss luxury brand. Few watches can combine tradition and modernity more confidently than the cockpit instrument for the wrist created in 1952. And who wears the Grandessa of all Breitlings in the celebrity world? Not only Hollywood legends John Travolta, Tommy Lee Jones and the tragically ill Paul Walker, but also world-class musicians from Miles Davis to Serge Gainsbourg and Herbie Hancock have fallen in love with the iconic look of the instrument. Incidentally, wearers who enjoy indulging in horological nostalgia should also set their sights on the current Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph collection, which gives a second life to famous models from the company’s history.

Chronomat: From Adam Driver to Richard Hammond

The Chronomat collection’s following is particularly prominent: not only the current Breitling advertising faces Brad Pitt, Adam Driver, and Charlize Theron, but also Bruce Willis, Tom Cruise, Idris Elba, Justin Timberlake, and the legendary “Top Gear” presenters Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond have fallen for the charm of the power timepiece as avowed wearers. Even Celine Dion wears the aesthetic powerhouse on her wrist.

There are good reasons for the popularity of the watch: With strong character features such as the four riders on the bezel and the roller bracelet, the time stopper skillfully differentiates itself from the masses, while also scoring points for its high robustness, excellent legibility, and a high reputation that many enthusiasts equate with the prestige of Navitimers. The new models from 2020 and the enlarged Super Chronomat, in which the top brand from Grenchen offers a complex four-year calendar for the first time, surpass everything that has gone before, both technically and visually: from the renowned B01 manufacture movement to the pompous 18-carat gold version, all the prerequisites are met to continue attracting the wearing elite of international celebrities in the future.

Aviator and Premier: elegance for gentlemen like Brad Pitt

To the question “Who wears Breitling?” one would intuitively respond with strong power men rather than fine gentlemen with a penchant for particular elegance. The Premier collection is aimed precisely at the latter target group: gentlemen like Brad Pitt appreciate the polished cases, chic color combinations, and fine details ranging from tachymeter scales to angular chronograph pushers, with which Breitling shows itself from its gentlest side.

The Aviator collection also focuses on elegant creations, but puts the aviation history of the Swiss manufacturer in the foreground. Models like the AVI 1953 Edition or the Super AVI B04 with different variants on aviation icons from Curtiss Warhawk to P-51 Mustang revive technical milestones of the past, making them incredibly attractive to many Breitling wearers. Because Premier and Aviator are still comparatively new collections, the list of prominent owners has been limited so far, which is guaranteed to change in the future.

Exotic Breitlings and their wearers: from Ferdinand Piech to David Beckham

Away from its most famous collections, Breitling produces a number of exceptional models, such as the Professional series, where high-tech quartz movements meet ultra-resistant materials like the patented Breitlight material. The Aerospace, which has since been eliminated from the brand’s product portfolio, is also one of the representatives of operational instruments that prioritize absolute precision over mechanical nostalgia.

Perhaps the most famous owner of an Aerospace was Ferdinand Piech: the great Volkswagen manager wore the precise watch on the blue dial and added a separate GMT module on the bracelet – effectively a small watch under the watch. In any case, an eye-catching look that today’s Breitling customers can only experience in the Super Chronomat 44. Soccer icon David Beckham also maintained a close relationship with the winged B for many years and wore one of the most stylish, but unfortunately only available on the second-hand market, models in the company’s recent history: the Transocean Chronograph Unitime. The world time watch shows the wearer our globe in the center of its dial and can display 24 time zones in parallel, making it a work of art and functional travel instrument in equal measure.

Wearers: Charlize Theron shows the way

We must admit to having found few answers with female celebrities in our “Who wears Breitling?” question. While Rolex and Omega have been able to build a strong following among the ladies over the past decades, Breitling has always been considered a men’s brand and even reinforced this image with promotional videos featuring pilots surrounded by scantily clad women.

CEO Georges Kern has apparently registered this image and within the last three years has made great efforts to make Breitling more attractive to women. With success: the current selection ranges from powerful editions like the Superocean Automatic 36 or Chronomat 32 to the filigree Navitimer Automatic 35.

A change can also be seen in marketing: With the “Spotlight Squad,” consisting of U.S. actress Charlize Theron, Chinese actress Yao Chan, and ballet dancer Misty Copeland, the brand is bringing in full female power to make the spectrum of its wearer types more diverse. Whether the famous female wearers can have a lasting impact on the perceived image of the manufacturer, we wait with bated breath.

Der Beitrag Who wears Breitling? erschien zuerst auf Uhrinstinkt Magazine.

Did you know that the first Navitimer from 1952 did not have a Breitling logo on the dial? Instead, it was adorned with the emblem of the world’s largest pilots’ association, AOPA, without which the legendary chronograph would never have existed. Now, on the 70th anniversary of the world-famous pilot’s watch, hopes are rising for a new edition of the legendary Breitling AOPA. We assess the chances for the much-awaited limited edition and explain what links the Swiss luxury brand with the U.S. organization.

The mission: Willy Breitling and the AOPA

It’s no secret that Breitling’s most famous chronograph is linked to aviation like no other watch. But why does this close relationship actually exist? For the answer, we need to travel back to 1952, when the former company boss Willy Breitling (1912-1979), grandson of the brand’s founder Léon Breitling, is commissioned by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) to develop a new chronograph for its members. The result arrived the same year and was spectacular: equipped with the famous slide rule on a logarithmic basis, still included in the Navitimer today, the instrument allowed a variety of precise calculations above the clouds. In addition to average speed and distance traveled, the 41-millimeter time stop, which is enormous by the standards of the time, can also be used to determine fuel consumption and the rate of climb and descent.

The conversion of various units, for example from (sea) miles to kilometers, was also among the important tasks performed by the Breitling in the mechanical cockpits of the 1950s. Externally, the early pilot’s watch, like its modern descendants, is characterized by a black dial with luminous Arabic numerals and, with the grippy beads of its rotating bezel, has a feature that inspires its iconic status to this day.

Undercover: The first models for pilots only

The special feature of the first Navitimer AOPA: It bears no reference number and omits any mentions of the Swiss manufacturer on the dial. No Breitling brand name or logo is visible; instead, a winged AOPA emblem is displayed below the 12 o’clock position, which could be mistaken for the similar-looking Breitling logo from a distance. The reason for the anonymity lies in the absolute focus on AOPA specifications; marketing is basically unnecessary, as the chronograph is issued exclusively to members of the American Pilots Association from 1954. These watches, distributed to members of the organization, have a signed wing logo.

From 1955, a version with an unsigned AOPA emblem is added, which is available on the open market and finds great appeal in the celebrity world of the time – in addition to the jazz musician of the century Miles Davis, film star Serge Gainsbourg and Formula 1 luminary Graham Hill also opt for a Navitimer AOPA. It is not until 1956 that the pilot’s watch is officially marketed with the Breitling name and without the AOPA logo. It is given the reference number 806, which is a sacred number in Breitling fan circles today.

Pilot Scholarship: Anniversary Kick-Off

At the start of 2022, the eyes of the industry will once again be on AOPA, as the association’s former standard instrument celebrates a big anniversary. 70 years of Navitimer are reason enough for a lively party – the only question is how the big occasion will be celebrated. The watch brand and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association delivered a cautious prelude to the celebration in December 2021, when they jointly unveiled the Breitling Scholarship for Pilots. Young aviators from the U.S. could apply until February 11, 2022, for a chance to fully fund their pilot training. This collaboration is the first cooperation between the two alliance partners on the occasion of the 70th anniversary and Breitling already emphasized last December that it will not be the last.

Will 70 years of Navitimer be celebrated with a special edition?

Thus, it is certain that enthusiasts can look forward to further surprises. It is uncertain whether the vague announcement refers to the reissue of the Navitimer AOPA, which could possibly appear in the form of a limited edition. The problem: While the comeback of the pilot’s watch without the Breitling logo seems plausible due to its exact origin in 1952, the history of the Navitimer is long and offers numerous other clues to which an anniversary model could refer. But the mere fact that there is renewed activity between Breitling and AOPA with the scholarship, we interpret as a strong indication of a coming special model. Why would the two successful partners join forces for the purpose of a scholarship, only to then directly downgrade their contact again? That doesn’t make any sense. Whether the hotly anticipated watch will be a limited edition and which logo it will have on the dial is of secondary importance for now.

It would not be the first AOPA Limited Edition

If we take a look at Breitling’s recent history, there are increasing indications that an AOPA Limited Edition will soon be released. Back in 2015, the Grenchen-based company launched a Navitimer AOPA, which was limited to 500 pieces and displayed clear differences from the classic Breitling Navitimer. Like the original from the 1950s, the limited edition featured the AOPA logo in the dial, which however did not stand alone, but was accompanied by the Swiss brand and model lettering. Red contrasts, for example in the form of a “Limited Edition” lettering above the 6 o’clock totalizer, characterized the look of the special edition. A preview of the upcoming AOPA watch? Probably, because nowadays a branding entirely without visible Breitling markings would not be the smartest thing to do from a marketing perspective.

Plausible assumptions regarding the upcoming special edition

What will probably change compared to the 2015 model is the drive. While the former AOPA reissue was powered by a modified ETA Valjoux 7753, manufacture movements are more important nowadays and are likely to be found in important anniversary models in particular. In terms of dimensions, we don’t expect a 46-millimeter behemoth, but historically plausible diameters between 40 and 42 millimeters. In 2015, they went for 42 millimeters, which would have earned a mention for special compactness in the Breitling universe at the time. So is the 2015 AOPA coming back with a manufacture movement and a slight facelift? We don’t know, but it’s a plausible assumption.

Der Beitrag Breitling AOPA erschien zuerst auf Uhrinstinkt Magazine.