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Breitling’s New Super AVI Collection Honors Vintage Aircraft

By Nancy Olson

Breitling’s Ref. 765 AVI pilot’s watch, introduced in 1953 and known as the “Co-Pilot,” is the inspiration for the just-introduced Super AVI watch collection, which reinterprets four vintage aircraft celebrating aviation history.

Breitling Super AVI Collection (from left to right: Super AVI P51- Mustang in stainless-steel & in 18 k red gold, Super AVI Tribute to Vought F4U Corsair, Super AVI Curtiss Warhawk & Super AVI de Havilland Mosquito).

The honored legendary planes are the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, the Vought F4U Corsair, the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, and the de Havilland Mosquito.

And each new watch is unique in its own way.

The Breitling Super AVI P-51 Mustang—named for the eponymous fighter/bomber that was a relative latecomer to the Pacific Theater—comes in two variations: with a stainless steel case with a black dial and brown leather strap, and a red-gold version with an anthracite dial and a black leather strap. The latter is exclusive to Breitling boutiques or online at Breitling.com.

The Breitling Super AVI P-51 Mustang, here in stainless-steel.

The Breitling Super AVI Tribute to Vought F4U Corsair has a blue dial, tone-on-tone counters and a black leather strap, and it is designed in honor of the naval aircraft, which was the first single-engine fighter to crack the 400 mph mark.

The new Breitling Super AVI Tribute to Vought F4U Corsair.

The Breitling Super AVI Curtiss Warhawk is set with a military-green dial, white contrasting chronograph counters, and red accents. Its coloration is a nod to its namesake’s famous shark-mouth nose art.

The Breitling Super AVI Curtiss Warhawk.

Finally, the Breitling Super AVI Mosquito has a black ceramic bezel—the only one among the new collection with this distinction—and a black dial with white counters. Its red and orange details allude to the markings on the plane, nicknamed the “Wooden Wonder.”

The new Breitling Super AVI Mosquito.

These new Breitling pilot’s watches, introduced just a few weeks ago in Dallas, feature 46mm cases with bi-directional ratcheted bezels and oversized crowns. The red-tipped GMT hands, in collusion with the 24-hour markings on the inner bezels, track a second time zone. The large Arabic numerals on the dials and bezels and Super Luminova-accented numerals, indexes, and hands provide optimal legibility.

Caseback view of the Breitling Super AVI Mosquito, displaying Caliber B04.

Inside, the self-winding COSC-certified Caliber B04 drives the hours, minutes, seconds, date, and second time zone. This column-wheel chronograph movement with vertical clutch offers an impressive seventy hours of power reserve.

The leather watchstraps are lined in Breitling yellow and the case backs of the watches are decorated with renderings of the respective planes.

Prices: $23,650 (red gold Mustang), $10,100 (steel Mustang), $10,250 (steel Mosquito), $10,100 (steel Corsair) and $10,100 (steel Curtiss Warhawk).

The two Breitling Super AVI P-51 Mustang models.

 

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The Watches

Oliver Smith Celebrates With Parmigiani Fleurier

Scottsdale-based Oliver Smith Jeweler is partnering with Parmigiani Fleurier to create twenty bespoke watches to help celebrate the jeweler’s fortieth anniversary.

The 42mm watches, fifteen steel-cased Tonda GT models and five of its more complicated sibling, the Tondagraph GT, each feature a customized brown guilloché dial with cream-colored subdials and chapter ring.

The Parmigiani Fleurier Tondagraph GT specially made with Oliver Smith.

“I really wanted to partner with Michel Parmigiani because of his creative genius. His skill as a restorer of antique timepieces was clear at a young age, and he’s come about his success as a watchmaker extremely organically,” says Oliver Smith, Founder and Creative Director at Oliver Smith Jeweler.

“I appreciate how Michel takes inspiration from patterns in nature, like the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci sequence, in developing the proportions of his pieces. He takes that natural world into the balance of his watches,” Smith adds.

The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda GT specially made with Oliver Smith.

Each dial is guided by Michel Parmigiani’s Golden Ratio principles. The dials each sport open-worked Delta-shaped hands framed by fluted bezels and unmistakable teardrop-shaped lugs. Fifteen Tonda GT pieces have been produced. Only five Tondagraph GT models have been made, each numbered individually 1-5.

Inside Parmigiani Fleurier fits its own excellent calibers. The Tonda GT is powered by the PF044 automatic movement, which is finely finished, has a power reserve of 42 hours and is water resistant to 100 meters. The Tondagraph GT features the PF043 movement and combines an annual calendar and a chronograph.

Both models are fastened by a matching steel bracelet with folding clasp buckle, a new design from Parmigiani Fleurier first seen in last year’s Tonda GT novelties. For extra versatility, Oliver Smith and Parmigiani Fleurier include an additional interchangeable black rubber strap with deployant buckle.

Prices: $17,700 (Tonda GT pieces) and $23,200 (Tondagraph GT models, each numbered individually 1-5).

 

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The Watches

Zenith Transforms Two Defy Watches With Sapphire & Space

Zenith transforms two of its most complex watches into cosmic messengers with a new galactic theme, eye-catching blue PVD components and clear sapphire cases.   The Le Locle watchmaker has re-finished and re-configured components within the existing Defy Zero G and the Defy 21 Double Tourbillon, to create a stunning contemporary limited edition version of each watch.

Defy Zero G Sapphire

For this update, Zenith brings space travel to the wrist with a miniature mosaic depicting Mars on the dial. Made by hand using meteorite, aventurine glass and miniature painting, the red planet is seen on the small seconds, partially eclipsed by the hour and minute dial.

The new Zenith Defy Zero G Sapphire.

Zenith finishes the mainplate and the bridges in a blue tone with contrasting metallic-grey chamfers, dotted with white stars. The wearer can also see this space-inspired finish on the movement’s cylindrical container, visible through the sides of the case. Zenith has also rebuilt the movement with a more contemporary architectural profile that occupies thirty percent less space than the original movement.

Back view of the Zenith Defy Zero G Sapphire.

You might recall that the Defy Zero G features Zenith’s El Primero 8812 S manual movement with a gimbal that maintains the balance and spring in a flat position, overcoming gravity’s effects on the watch’s chronometric precision (See complete specifications list below).

Defy 21 Double Tourbillon Sapphire

Zenith engraves stars on the dial of the new Defy 21 Double Tourbillon Sapphire and exposes a newly blued mainplate (a first for Zenith) through its skeleton dial. This watch still turns heads with two independent tourbillons. One rotates in sixty seconds at 36,000 vph (for time-keeping) while the second rotates once in five seconds at 360,000 vph to regulate the chronograph timer.

The new Zenith Double Tourbillon Sapphire.

The twenty owners of these two new watches can enhance their galactic experience by taking advantage of a special offer from Zenith. The watchmaker has teamed with Novespace, a subsidiary of the French National Space Center, to offer each owner a parabolic zero-gravity flight, slated for next February at the Novespace facility in Bordeaux.

Back view of the Zenith Double Tourbillon Sapphire.

Prices: $159,700 (Defy Zero G Sapphire) and $180,300 (Defy 21 Tourbillon Sapphire ) Each model will be issued as a limited edition of ten.

Specifications: Zenith Defy Zero G Sapphire

(Reference: 04.9000.8812/00.R920, limited edition of ten pieces)

Movement: Entirely skeletonized El Primero 8812 S. “Gravity Control” gyroscopic module that ensures horizontal positioning of the regulating organ. Now occupies only 30% of its initial volume. Frequency is 36,000 VpH (5 Hz) with a 50-hour power reserve. Platinum counterweight of the gyroscopic system.

Functions : Hours and minutes in the center. Double Tourbillon: 1 escapement for the Watch (36,000 vph / 5 Hz – cage makes a turn in 60 second) 1 escapement for the Chronograph (360,000 vph / 50 Hz – cage makes a turn in 5 seconds). 1/100th of a second Chronograph: Central chronograph hand that makes one turn each second, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 60-second counter at 6 o’clock, chronograph power-reserve indication at 12 o’clock. New bicolor signature on plates and bridges + milled Starry Sky.

Case: 46mm clear sapphire with 30 meters of water resistance.

Dial: Openworked with meteorite & aventurine hour & minute dial, hour markers are rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova, hands are rhodium-plated and faceted gold, coated with SuperLuminova.

Bracelet: Black rubber with blue patterned rubber, grey stitching. Titanium double folding clasp.

Price: $159,700

 

Specifications: Zenith Defy 21 Double Tourbillon Sapphire

(Reference: 04.9000.9020/00.R920, limited edition of ten pieces)

Movement: El Primero 9020 automatic, 1/100th-of-a-second double tourbillon chronograph, 1 tourbillon escapement for the watch (36,000 vph – 5 Hz) ; 1 tourbillon escapement for the chronograph (360,000 vph – 50 Hz). One rotation per second for the chrono hand. Certified Chronometer. Power reserve of 50 hours.

Case: 46mm clear sapphire with sapphire crystal. Water resistance to 30 meters.

Dial: Openworked with rhodium-plated hour markers and hands, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1.

Bracelet: Black rubber with blue patterned rubber & grey stitching. Titanium double folding clasp.

Price: $180,300.

 

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The Watches

TAG Heuer Honors Ayrton Senna

TAG Heuer pays tribute to famed Brazilian racecar champion Ayrton Senna with the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Senna Special Edition 2021, a new Formula 1 watch that features the racer’s yellow and black color scheme.

The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Senna Special Edition 2021.

You’ll see yellow echoed on the famous double S (the Brazilian driver’s iconic brand) atop the bezel at 12 o’clock near Senna’s name as well as at 6 o’clock within the subdial. Ayrton Senna was Formula 1 World Champion in 1988, 1989, and 1999.

In addition, yellow frames each subdial and the date window. Even the bracelet’s leather, embossed to echo TAG Heuer’s link-shaped bracelet, is stitched in yellow. Finally, the black ceramic bezel is accented with a yellow border.

TAG Heuer continues its commemoration of Senna on the back of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Senna Special Edition 2021. The watchmaker has placed an image of Senna’s helmet, engraved with SENNA SPECIAL EDITION.

TAG Heuer fits the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Senna Special Edition 2021 with a quartz movement and has made the case water-resistant to 200 meters. See full specification list below.

Price: $2,300.

Specifications: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Senna Special Edition 2021

Movement: Quartz chronograph.

Case: 43 mm black DLC steel, sand blasted, black brushed ceramic fixed tachymeter bezel, flat sapphire crystal, black DLC steel screw down crown, stainless-steel screw-down caseback with special engraving, water-resistant to 200 meters.

Dial: Sunray brushed anthracite. Black flange with 60 second/ minute scale, 3 counters, black gold plated applied indexes with SuperLumiNova, black gold-plated polished hour and minute hands with white SuperLumiNova, black gold-plated central hand, white TAG HEUER printed logo, 4 o’clock angled date.

Bracelet: Embossed black calfskin with black lining with S Link pattern, steel double folding clasp with double safety system push buttons, TAG Heuer shield.

Price: $2,300

 

 

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The Watches

IWC Launches Ceratanium Bracelet, Adds Timezoner to Top Gun

IWC adds two Ceratanium models to its Top Gun collection, and each debut also represents a specific technical breakthrough for the Schaffhausen-based watchmaker.

The new IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Top Gun Ceratanium is the first Top Gun model with a Timezoner complication.

One of the pair, the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Top Gun Ceratanium, includes a Timezoner complication, marking the first time IWC has placed its unique world time display system into a Top Gun watch. The second debut, The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Ceratanium, marks the debut of IWC’s first Ceratanium bracelet.

The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Ceratanium features IWC’s first Ceratanium bracelet.

You may recall that IWC introduced its black Ceratanium titanium-ceramic alloy in 2017 on its Aquatimer Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month Edition “50 Years Aquatimer.” IWC then added the proprietary alloy to the Top Gun collection two years later in the Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Top Gun Ceratanium.

IWC explains that Ceratanium combines titanium’s inherent lightweight and strength with a hardness and scratch-resistance similar to ceramic. The alloy is also skin-friendly and highly resistant to corrosion. Plus, the material is black, which makes for a perfect livery hue on any adventure or sports watch.

The Perpetual Calendar

IWC places its excellent 52615 caliber with Pellaton winding system (visible through the tinted sapphire caseback) into the new Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Ceratanium (Ref. IW503604). The watch’s two barrels, in combination with its Pellaton winding system, offer an impressive seven-day power reserve.

The perpetual calendar is a complication that IWC has pioneered over decades. This example features a mechanical program that automatically recognizes different month lengths and leap years and will require no correction until 2100. The watch’s moon phase display, which depicts the moon as it is seen from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, is also unusually precise. It will deviate by one day after 577.5 years, according to IWC.

Price: $48,000 (Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Ceratanium, ref. IW503604). A limited edition of 150.

The Worldtimer

As noted earlier, IWC’s new Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Top Gun Ceratanium (Ref. IW395505) is the first model in the collection with the Timezoner complication. The technology makes it particularly easy to set the watch to a different time zone. When pressing down and rotating the bezel, the watch’s hour hand, the 24-hour display and the date will move forwards or backwards in one-hour increments.

IWC has printed this dial in grey and generously coated the numbers 12, 3, 6 and 9 with a luminescent material. Here IWC uses its 82760 caliber, also with the Pellaton winding system, which boasts a healthy sixty hours of power reserve. The wearer can view the movement via the watch’s tinted sapphire glass caseback.

Price: $16,900 (Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Top Gun Ceratanium, ref. IW395505). A limited edition of 500.

 

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