A Run-Down of the Complete Breitling Classic AVI Watch Collection

Was the 46mm Breitling Super AVI Chronograph series too big for your wrist? Then there is good news and it comes in the form of the new Classic AVI Chronograph 42 watches for 2023, inspired by four iconic WWII aircraft and taking their design cues from an important pilot’s watch developed by Breitling during the 1950s.

Along a Dallas airstrip in 2021, Breitling revealed its Super AVI watch collection, clocking in at a beefy 46mm case size and inspired by iconic aircraft of a bygone era. In doing so, Breitling paid homage to its roots as an aviation timepiece specialist, designing these bold Super AVI Chronograph 46 GMT watches with a style that harked back to its 1950s Ref 765 model – a wrist-worn chronograph designed to withstand the rigours of life in the cockpit. Now for 2023, Breitling has released a new series that follows on from this range named the Classic AVI. They all offer a more manageable 42mm diameter and feature a solid caseback that has been engraved with an image of the aircraft from which they take inspiration. In addition to this, there has been a black ceramic Breitling Super AVI B04 Chronograph 46 GMT Mosquito watch released. The model follows the same cues as the rest of the 2021 series with a sapphire crystal glass caseback but with lightweight titanium elements. You can check this model out in more detail here. For now… let’s look at the new Breitling Classic AVI range, with models inspired by WWII aircraft.

The Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 P-51 Mustang watch

First up is the Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 P-51 Mustang watch, which takes its inspiration from an aircraft that took a mere 120 days to develop by North American Aviation. It had low-drag wings and an innovative engine cooling system. When the single-seat fighter first took off in 1940 it was considered somewhat of an experimental model but wowed its creators with unprecedented speed and range. The aircraft was developed for the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and was later adopted by the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF). It was regarded as one of the world’s all-around finest piston-engine fighters of World War II and was produced in significant numbers. The watch features a 41mm size in stainless steel or 18ct rose gold case - each one with a black tone-on-tone chronograph dial and tan-coloured Arabic numerals and hands that give the timepiece a subtle-vintage touch. The watches come with a brown calf leather band for the steel, a black leather band for the rose gold version, or metal bracelets that match their respective metal case.

The Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 Vought F4U Corsair watch

Next up is the Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42, inspired by the Vought F4U Corsair watch, designed specifically for tricky landings and take-offs. Its development began in 1938. Vought Aircraft’s Chief Engineer, Rex Biesel produced a prototype, featuring inverted gull wings that gave the aircraft a distinct look when viewed head-on. The Navy was sold on her when she broke the speed record for a single-seat fighter aircraft by exceeding 400 miles per hour in level flight. In 1943 she entered combat and was flown as an attack aircraft in support of ground forces. The Vought F4U Corsair was known for its powerful engine, its speed, ruggedness and power. This model measures the same 42mm diameter with a stainless steel case, and a deep blue chronograph dial with counters at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock for 30-minute, 12-hour and small second functions respectively. The watch is fitted with a black calfskin leather strap with stylish white contrast stitching and a steel folding clasp or a stainless steel bracelet that gives the chronograph pilot’s watch a dressier look.

The Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 Curtiss Warhawk watch

Next, the Breitling Classic AVI watch in honour of the Curtiss Warhawk. The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk aircraft had a defiant shark-mouth shape for its nose and proved itself a master of agility fairly quickly. It first took to the skies in 1938, pulling breath-taking turns in the air whilst tolerating harsh external conditions thanks to its robust structure. Innumerable pilots owe their lives to this innovative construction, having served with twenty-eight allied and friendly nations. The workhorse was similar in design to the Hawker Hurricane, praised for bearing the brunt of air warfare over some of the bloodiest battlefronts. The watch features an image of this aircraft on the back of a closed steel case measuring 42mm in diameter. This surface conceals the Calibre 23, which powers all four of these new versions, encased within a 100-meter water-resistant housing. A reverse panda dial makes this model stand out from others in the collection. The silver-filled chronograph counters match with white detailing seen in the Arabic numerals and hands, whilst the polished elements on the steel case look perfect with a stainless steel link bracelet. Alternatively, enjoy the model styled on a dark brown calf leather strap.

The Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 Mosquito

The Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 Mosquito watch is inspired by the “Wooden Wonder”. It was produced during an era when materials like aluminium and steel were in short supply. Behind the design of the de Havilland Mosquito aircraft, engineers made use of wood instead. The aircraft which soon adopted the nickname “Wooden Wonder” immediately caught people’s attention and caused shockwaves when it outperformed other aircraft built from metal. It become one of the fastest planes built during the 1940s and 1950s, boasting superior manoeuvrability and allowing for a multitude of tasks and roles from a light bomber to a night fighter to a transporter and even a photographic reconnaissance aircraft. The 42mm chronograph pilot’s watch features a steel case, the same automatic movement, a 100-meter water resistance, polished push-pieces at 2 and 4 o’clock, an engraved steel caseback and a stunning deep green dial with silver-filled counters and flecks of orange-red seen throughout its display. You can choose between a brown calf leather band or a stainless steel bracelet for this model, whilst its black ceramic bidirectional rotating bezel is a characteristic that is shared with its siblings throughout the new series. As with all the other Classic AVI Chronograph 42 watches, the Breitling Calibre 23 provides a 48-hour power reserve and performs at 28,800 vibrations per hour.

All of the new Classic AVI Chronograph 42 watches from Breitling are inspired by the AVI ref 765 chronograph known as the “Co-Pilot” that Breitling produced in the early 1950s and will make a great addition to any collection lined with vintage pilot’s watches or aviation instruments from Breitling’s ever-growing catalogue.

If you’d like more information on these new models, you can check out the new series here, or call and speak to a member of our Jura Watches sales team on 01335 453453.