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For the better part of a century, Breitling has enjoyed a global reputation for its links to the world of aviation and for its pilot’s watches. And, with the release of two chronographs and an understated three-hand watch commemorating a partnership with the maker of the iconic P-40 Warhawk airplane, Breitling makes it clear that aviation remains an essential part of its brand DNA.
Three new Breitling Aviator 8 Curtiss Warhawk watches honour Curtiss Wright, a renowned American aircraft manufacturer, and the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, its most famous plane. The P-40 Warhawks were manufactured between 1938 and 1944. Two chronographs – one featuring a Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 movement – have been introduced along with a stunning three-hand model.
Breitling CEO Georges Kern says: “Curtiss Wright produced the P-40 Warhawk at the same time Breitling and its Huit Aviation Department were making onboard instruments for planes used by the RAF and other air forces. With this partnership and these great new watches, we are reaffirming the importance of Breitling’s aviation heritage to the brand.”
The Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 Curtiss Warhawk is distinguished by its military green dial with a matte finish. The contrasting silver sub dials – 12-hour and 30-minute chronograph counters and a small second sub dial – indicate that the watch is driven by the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01, the brand’s in-house mechanical movement, which delivers a remarkable power reserve of approximately 70 hours, the striking chronograph is equipped with a bidirectional rotating bezel featuring Arabic numerals and indexes as well as a practical red pointer. The Super – LumiNova® coating on the hour and minute hands and the Arabic numerals on the dial make it easy to read the time in any light.
The COSC-certified chronometer has a 43 mm stainless-steel case presented on a green military strap. It is water-resistant up to 10 bar (100 meters/330 feet).
The eye-catching case back has a transparent sapphire crystal printed with a Curtiss inscription and an image of an airborne P-40 Warhawk, whose design, with its shark’s mouth and colour scheme, is based on the characteristic paint job associated with the plane when it was piloted by the American Volunteer Group in the Chinese Air Force’s famed Flying Tigers unit.
The Aviator 8 Automatic 41 Curtiss Warhawk features a military green dial with a matte finish and is presented on a green military strap. Its hour and minute hands and its Arabic numerals are coated with Super-Lumi-Nova® for optimal legibility in all lighting conditions. It also has a bidirectional rotating bezel with a distinctive red pointer and a central seconds hand with a red tip.
Inside the DLC-coated stainless-steel case is a Breitling Caliber 17 movement which offers a power reserve of approximately 40 hours. Like all Breitling watches, the precision of this model is confirmed by its status as a COSC-certified chronometer.
The watch features an engraved case back bearing the Curtiss inscription and a dramatic image of a P-40 Warhawk with the memorable shark’s mouth paintwork.
The Aviator 8 Automatic 41 Curtiss Warhawk will appeal to anyone with an appreciation of aviation history and an enthusiasm for clean, understated dials.
When the Curtiss Wright Corporation was producing its legendary fighter aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s, Breitling’s Huit Aviation Department was creating onboard clocks for some of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers.
These three new watches – the Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 Curtiss Warhawk, the Aviator 8 Chronograph 43 Curtiss Warhawk, and the Aviator 8 Automatic 41 Curtiss Warhawk – salute a partnership between two true aviation pioneers.
Fittingly, they do it with features that recall one of Breitling’s early pilots’ watches, the iconic Reference 768, which featured a rotating bezel and distinctive triangular pointer that made it an instant hit with aviators.
The Aviator 8 watches reflect the proud aviation heritage of two important brands but, with their modern retro flair, they are sure to appeal to a new generation of watch enthusiasts.
