2020 New Breitling Limited Re-Edition

One of the most beautiful vintage-inspired Breitling pilot watches ever, the new AVI ref.765 1953 reprint has just been launched by the famous Swiss brand. Its tradition dates back to the original reference 765 AVI, introduced in 1953, and is known as the “copilot” because of its rotating bezels and oversized numbers, making it the perfect clock for professional pilots. The new AVI ref.765 Breitling comes in three limited-edition cases: stainless steel, 18-karat red gold, and platinum. The three cases represent a major upgrade for luxury while maintaining the aesthetic of the 1950s.
Breitling dipped deep into its archives for this one, going back to the original inspiration for the ref. 765 AVI that had a design rooted in the dashboard clocks designed and produced by the brand’s Huit Aviation Department. Established in 1938 to produce onboard chronographs for various aircraft, the Huit Aviation Department played an important role in cementing Breitling’s impeccable reputation and aviation heritage.
The stainless steel and 18k red gold variants feature black dials, with the red gold version limited to just 253 pieces. The platinum edition has a striking blue dial (our favorite among the options on offer) and of which only 153 examples will be made. Sized at 41.1 mm and powered by the Breitling Manufacture Caliber B09 manually-wound chronograph movement, only 1953 pieces of the new Breitling AVI ref. 765 Re-Edition will be made, and each will be inscribed with “ONE OF 1953” on its case back.
The AVI ref. 765 1953 Re-Edition is Breitling’s second-ever historical re-edition; no doubt they were encouraged by the success that the likes of Omega have had in this field. The first was the Navitimer ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition, which was launched last year and was met with success. Both re-edition models were painstakingly crafted to be as much like the originals as horologically possible.

“There are only two concessions that distinguish this new timepiece from its well-known ancestor,” Breitling notes of the new AVI ref. 765: “the water resistance has been improved to 3 bar compared to the original version, and keen-eyed observers will also see that “GENEVE” no longer appears on the dial.” However, “It was always clear to us that long-time Breitling fans would embrace these watches,” the brand’s CEO Georges Kern states. “But it’s also exciting to see how much they appeal to new users of our brand — they only have to look at the reprint to see how much fresh history, innovation, and cool luxury we’ve incorporated into the watch.”