THE NEW NAVITIMER AVIATOR 8 SWISS LIMITED EDITIONS

CELEBRATE BREITLING’S PARTNERSHIP WITH SWISS INTERNATIONAL AIR LINES

Zurich, November 29, 2018 – Breitling has announced the release of two limited-edition watches to celebrate its partnership with Swiss International Air Lines. Since 2016, Breitling has been the official onboard timekeeper for the airline, with a presence on every SWISS flight. 

To celebrate its partnership with Swiss International Air Lines, Breitling has introduced two exclusive timepieces: the Navitimer Aviator 8 B01 SWISS Limited Edition and the Navitimer Aviator 8 Automatic SWISS Limited Edition.

Georges Kern, Breitling’s CEO, explains that the partnership is built around the companies’ Swiss roots and shared heritage: “Swiss International Air Lines and Breitling are united by a passion for aviation, as well as by their steadfast commitment to quality and precision. They are among the brands that perfectly represent Switzerland around the world.”

“Our close partnership with Breitling is based on a common understanding of premium quality and the values we share in Switzerland. I am delighted that, following the successful launch of the first two watches, we are now able to offer our guests another two limited-edition masterpieces, available exclusively on board our aircraft,” says Markus Binkert, Chief Commercial Officer of SWISS.

The watches are part of the Breitling Navitimer 8 collection, which was launched successfully earlier this year.

The Navitimer Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 SWISS Limited Edition
The Navitimer Aviator 8 B01 SWISS Limited Edition is powered by the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01. Created in-house by Breitling, it has become one of the world’s most admired mechanical watch movements, delivering an impressive power reserve of more than 70 hours.

The central chronograph second hand features an aircraft-shaped base, which, along with the distinctive transparent sapphire caseback featuring a GE90 turbine engine design, is a reminder of Breitling’s special partnership with Swiss International Air Lines.

The Navitimer Aviator 8 B01 SWISS Limited Edition is a COSC-certified chronometer and is being produced in a series limited to 777 pieces – a number that pays homage to the Boeing 777 airliners operated by SWISS.

The chronograph is presented in a 43-millimeter stainless-steel case and features a black dial. Its contrasting small-second, 30-minute and 12-hour chronograph subdials are an indication of the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 movement inside.

The dial, which features a date window perfectly positioned at 4:30, is clearly legible through a convex sapphire crystal face with anti-reflective coating on both sides. Its hour and minute hands, as well as its Arabic numerals, are coated with Super-LumiNova®, which emits a glow that gives the watches a vintage touch and ensures legibility in all lighting conditions.

The Navitimer Aviator 8 Automatic 41 SWISS Limited Edition
The Navitimer Aviator 8 Automatic SWISS Limited Edition makes a real style statement. Special features, including the jetliner base on its sweep-second hand and the caseback engraved with an image of a powerful turbine engine, serve to highlight its link to Swiss International Air Lines.

Inside its robust stainless-steel case is the Breitling Caliber 17, which, with its bidirectional rotor winder, delivers more than 40 hours of power reserve. The 41-millimeter chronometer features an eye-catching black dial, while its modern-retro appearance is enhanced by a brown leather strap.

The hour and minute hands, as well as the Arabic numerals on the dial, bear a special Super-LumiNova® coating that emits a light reminiscent of the luminescent material on earlier watches, lending the Navitimer Aviator 8 Automatic SWISS Limited Edition an additional touch of vintage style.

This stunning but understated timepiece, like all of Breitling’s watches, is a COSC-certified chronometer. It has been produced in a series limited to 1000 pieces.

The Breitling Navitimer Aviator 8 SWISS Limited Edition Watches – Building on an Aviation Heritage
Among Willy Breitling’s many celebrated achievements was the establishment of the Huit Aviation Department in 1938. He was aware of the strict requirements for military and civil aviation, and the department’s name – the French word for “eight” – was chosen to recall the eight days of power reserve offered by onboard clocks and other dashboard instruments.

The Huit Aviation Department was also responsible for the development of Breitling’s wrist chronographs for aviation use. The timing of the foundation of the Huit Aviation Department was fortuitous: its products immediately attracted the attention of military aviators, and as the Second World War approached, the Department received a large order from the Royal Air Force for onboard chronographs destined for its legendary fighter planes.

The Navitimer 8 collection honors Willy Breitling and his Huit Aviation Department. Breitling’s Navitimer Aviator 8 SWISS Limited Edition timepieces carry on the company’s proud pilot’s watch heritage – and they are also a stunning celebration of Breitling’s partnership with Swiss International Air Lines.