When it comes to the historic bond between watches and aircraft, few manufacturers can match Breitling's prestige. Navitimer, Chronomat, Avenger – the list of aviation collections from Grenchen is long and is reflected in the brand's current lineup. Making a choice can therefore become a real challenge. We bring clarity and compare our top 5 Breitling pilot watches for you.
Navitimer: A Celebrity with a Slide Rule
Its name stirs emotions, its design speaks volumes – since 1952, the Navitimer has been the flagship and most important pilot's watch of the winged luxury brand. Accordingly, today's collection is extensive, ranging from a 35 mm ladies' watch to a 46 mm chronograph, and every model features the prominent slide rule for calculating average speeds, fuel consumption, and many other values. Especially on the chronograph models, it contributes to the wonderfully complex look of the dial and gives these Breitling pilot watches unbeatable recognition value.
This applies above all to the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43, our favorite within the model family. It manages to combine a (just barely) moderate diameter with the popular in-house B01 movement, including a column-wheel chronograph and a 70-hour power reserve. The classic is reference AB0121211B1A1, which creates a superb contrast between silver subdials, a glossy black center, and red accents on both the seconds hand and the slide rule. Another feast for the eyes is the caseback, whose sapphire window offers an extensive view of the instrument's modern mechanics. If you are looking for the ultimate Breitling pilot watch in terms of prestige, history, and elegance, you're in business for €8,300 (including steel bracelet), according to the manufacturer.
A Modern Take on a Classic: Aviator 8
If you prefer a simpler look, you're better served by the military-inspired Aviator 8 series. Comprising well over 20 references, this collection also aims to impress with a wide selection, and it traces its historical origins back to 1938. That year, company head Willy Breitling founded the so-called "Huit Aviation Department," a division dedicated to meeting the growing demands placed on pilot's watches in military and civilian use. The "Huit" (French for "eight") in the name stands for the eight-day power reserve that cockpit clocks of the era had to deliver. Today's editions aren't quite that enduring, but in return they possess a unique, rugged charm.
The matte green dial of the Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 "Curtiss Warhawk" (Ref. AB01192A1L1X1) exudes that charm particularly well. In our pilot watch comparison, it stands out thanks to the polished surfaces of its stainless steel case, which, with 100 meters of water resistance, is considerably more robust than the Navitimer's case, rated to just 3 bar. For aviation enthusiasts, the historical connection is likely even more exciting: named after the American Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter of World War II, the watch features an image of the successful aircraft with its famous shark-mouth paint scheme on the sapphire caseback. If you're fascinated by technology, nostalgia, and purist design, this chronograph will make you happy – provided you wire €7,400 (on a steel bracelet) to Grenchen.
Super Avenger: Indestructibility in a Brawny Design
The Avenger caters to entirely different tastes: optimized for maximum shock resistance and operation with gloves, it offers dive-watch-worthy water resistance of 300 meters and can measure up to 48 mm in diameter. In that case, it is aptly called the "Super Avenger," and in its black DLC-coated version (Ref. V13375101C1X1) it earns a place in our Breitling comparison. Not only is this coating almost completely scratch-proof, but its mean, oversized professional look also holds particular appeal for wearers with strong wrists. Everything else feels familiar: a blue dial with a tri-compax layout and a date window at 3 o'clock, a unidirectional rotating bezel with lock, and a screw-down caseback. We can best picture this Breitling pilot watch on the deck of an aircraft carrier, but its imposing presence comes through clearly in everyday life, too. Fans of large formats can get the chronograph on a textile strap for €5,750, a price made possible by forgoing an in-house movement in favor of the ETA-based Breitling 17.
Suited to Any Situation: Chronomat B01 42
Although the Chronomat isn't exclusively a pilot's model but, according to Breitling, a "sports watch for every situation and activity," leaving it out of our top 5 pilot watch comparison would be a sin. Extensively redesigned for the 2020 model year, it traces its history back to the Frecce Tricolori chronograph launched in 1984, which was created in collaboration with the Italian aerobatic team of the same name and celebrated the company's 100th anniversary. So there is definitely aviation heritage here.
Today, with their 42 mm diameter, these Breitling pilot watches prove to be ideal all-rounders, standing out from the crowd with their signature Rouleaux bracelets and interchangeable rider tabs on the rotating bezel. Unlike most other collections from Grenchen, the Chronomat 42 is offered only with the B01 caliber, which keeps entry prices high and puts the classic stainless steel version with black dial (Ref. AB0134101B1A1) at €7,900. In return, buyers get the harmonious blend of elegance and sportiness that the manufacturer's current catalog has to offer.
Aerospace Evo: Digital High Tech
While the Chronomat plays the stylish all-rounder in our Breitling comparison, the quartz-powered Aerospace Evo stands for maximum precision on a digital basis. Timer, alarm, second time zone, and minute repeater are just some of the functions the 43 mm titanium instrument (Ref. E79363101C1E1) has to offer. To display its information, it uses not a purely analog dial, unlike all the Breitling pilot watches discussed so far, but a hybrid version with two backlit LCD displays. Water resistance of 100 meters, a long battery life of three to four years, and accuracy down to hundredths of a second demonstrate the strong everyday practicality of a multitalent that represents a refreshing alternative to its automatic sister collections. If you want to take to the skies with the most up-to-date technology possible and place less value on the romance of a mechanical movement, the Aerospace Evo is the right choice – and according to the manufacturer, you'll need to wire €3,980 (on a titanium bracelet) to Grenchen.
