Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronometer Chronograph 43 TWA Airlines Special Edition ref. AB01219A1G1A1 – NEW

Breitling SA was founded in 1884 by Léon Breitling – a passionate and innovative watchmaker known for his sharp business sense. In 1915 – barely a year after he had passed – his son, Gaston, proved he had inherited his father’s pioneering spirit by introducing one of the first-ever wrist chronographs with a separate push-piece above the crown. The brand’s innovations continued well into the 1940s, and in 1952 – with Willy Breitling in the driver’s (or rather pilot’s) seat – the Navitimer made its debut. The model proved extremely popular among pilots, airlines, and aircraft manufacturers and would later go on to signify the beginning of the brand’s avionic legacy. This legacy, therefore, is very closely linked to the three airline companies that ruled the skies during the 1950s and 1960s. That is precisely why, in 2019, Breitling released the Airline capsule collection – a set of three Navitimers that celebrate the its shared history with Pan American World Airways, Trans World Airlines, and Swissair.
Each of the watches is characterized by a color palette that mirrors that of its respective airline, and each incorporates a set of details that lend it a retro vibe. Those include wide baton hands for the time and sub-dials, as well as broader hour indices and colored segments on the minute counter. Since they are based on the Navitimer B01 Chronograph, the watches all feature sleek 43 mm cases and are each powered by the caliber Breitling 01 chronograph movement. The latter is visible through their sapphire casebacks, which come printed with their respective airline’s logo.
The watch on offer here pays homage to one of the most important airlines in American history – Trans World Airways. It is brand new, comes in a full set of boxes and papers, and is outfitted with its original mesh bracelet.Covered by manufacturers international warranty (started in 06.2021).