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Did you know that the first Navitimer from 1952 did not have a Breitling logo on the dial? Instead, it was adorned with the emblem of the world’s largest pilots’ association, AOPA, without which the legendary chronograph would never have existed. Now, on the 70th anniversary of the world-famous pilot’s watch, hopes are rising for a new edition of the legendary Breitling AOPA. We assess the chances for the much-awaited limited edition and explain what links the Swiss luxury brand with the U.S. organization.
The mission: Willy Breitling and the AOPA
It’s no secret that Breitling’s most famous chronograph is linked to aviation like no other watch. But why does this close relationship actually exist? For the answer, we need to travel back to 1952, when the former company boss Willy Breitling (1912-1979), grandson of the brand’s founder Léon Breitling, is commissioned by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) to develop a new chronograph for its members. The result arrived the same year and was spectacular: equipped with the famous slide rule on a logarithmic basis, still included in the Navitimer today, the instrument allowed a variety of precise calculations above the clouds. In addition to average speed and distance traveled, the 41-millimeter time stop, which is enormous by the standards of the time, can also be used to determine fuel consumption and the rate of climb and descent.
The conversion of various units, for example from (sea) miles to kilometers, was also among the important tasks performed by the Breitling in the mechanical cockpits of the 1950s. Externally, the early pilot’s watch, like its modern descendants, is characterized by a black dial with luminous Arabic numerals and, with the grippy beads of its rotating bezel, has a feature that inspires its iconic status to this day.
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Undercover: The first models for pilots only
The special feature of the first Navitimer AOPA: It bears no reference number and omits any mentions of the Swiss manufacturer on the dial. No Breitling brand name or logo is visible; instead, a winged AOPA emblem is displayed below the 12 o’clock position, which could be mistaken for the similar-looking Breitling logo from a distance. The reason for the anonymity lies in the absolute focus on AOPA specifications; marketing is basically unnecessary, as the chronograph is issued exclusively to members of the American Pilots Association from 1954. These watches, distributed to members of the organization, have a signed wing logo.
From 1955, a version with an unsigned AOPA emblem is added, which is available on the open market and finds great appeal in the celebrity world of the time – in addition to the jazz musician of the century Miles Davis, film star Serge Gainsbourg and Formula 1 luminary Graham Hill also opt for a Navitimer AOPA. It is not until 1956 that the pilot’s watch is officially marketed with the Breitling name and without the AOPA logo. It is given the reference number 806, which is a sacred number in Breitling fan circles today.
Pilot Scholarship: Anniversary Kick-Off
At the start of 2022, the eyes of the industry will once again be on AOPA, as the association’s former standard instrument celebrates a big anniversary. 70 years of Navitimer are reason enough for a lively party – the only question is how the big occasion will be celebrated. The watch brand and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association delivered a cautious prelude to the celebration in December 2021, when they jointly unveiled the Breitling Scholarship for Pilots. Young aviators from the U.S. could apply until February 11, 2022, for a chance to fully fund their pilot training. This collaboration is the first cooperation between the two alliance partners on the occasion of the 70th anniversary and Breitling already emphasized last December that it will not be the last.
Will 70 years of Navitimer be celebrated with a special edition?
Thus, it is certain that enthusiasts can look forward to further surprises. It is uncertain whether the vague announcement refers to the reissue of the Navitimer AOPA, which could possibly appear in the form of a limited edition. The problem: While the comeback of the pilot’s watch without the Breitling logo seems plausible due to its exact origin in 1952, the history of the Navitimer is long and offers numerous other clues to which an anniversary model could refer. But the mere fact that there is renewed activity between Breitling and AOPA with the scholarship, we interpret as a strong indication of a coming special model. Why would the two successful partners join forces for the purpose of a scholarship, only to then directly downgrade their contact again? That doesn’t make any sense. Whether the hotly anticipated watch will be a limited edition and which logo it will have on the dial is of secondary importance for now.
It would not be the first AOPA Limited Edition
If we take a look at Breitling’s recent history, there are increasing indications that an AOPA Limited Edition will soon be released. Back in 2015, the Grenchen-based company launched a Navitimer AOPA, which was limited to 500 pieces and displayed clear differences from the classic Breitling Navitimer. Like the original from the 1950s, the limited edition featured the AOPA logo in the dial, which however did not stand alone, but was accompanied by the Swiss brand and model lettering. Red contrasts, for example in the form of a “Limited Edition” lettering above the 6 o’clock totalizer, characterized the look of the special edition. A preview of the upcoming AOPA watch? Probably, because nowadays a branding entirely without visible Breitling markings would not be the smartest thing to do from a marketing perspective.
Plausible assumptions regarding the upcoming special edition
What will probably change compared to the 2015 model is the drive. While the former AOPA reissue was powered by a modified ETA Valjoux 7753, manufacture movements are more important nowadays and are likely to be found in important anniversary models in particular. In terms of dimensions, we don’t expect a 46-millimeter behemoth, but historically plausible diameters between 40 and 42 millimeters. In 2015, they went for 42 millimeters, which would have earned a mention for special compactness in the Breitling universe at the time. So is the 2015 AOPA coming back with a manufacture movement and a slight facelift? We don’t know, but it’s a plausible assumption.
