The last Boeing 747, number 1,574, will be delivered this year and Breitling, to celebrate this historic event, is launching a watch dedicated to the legendary Jumbo Jet. And what better watch, if not a favourite (or the favourite) of airline pilots? We are talking about the Navitimer, fresh from the 70th anniversary celebration of its launch last year (the watch was in fact introduced to the market in 1952), originally conceived for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).
This model would go on to become the pilot's watch par excellence during the golden age of civil aviation, with its distinctive slide rule and the AOPA logo placed at 12 o'clock.
The Boeing 747, on the other hand, nicknamed the 'Queen of the Skies', changed the image of air transport from the moment it entered service in 1969. The original Jumbo Jet had two aisles and two decks, could carry twice as many passengers as the largest airliner available until then, and fly over 5,000 nautical miles, putting long-haul flights within reach of a new generation of air travellers.
"The Boeing 747 brought style to the skies, just as the Navitimer brought the spirit of aviation to style-conscious watch enthusiasts," says Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling.
The celebratory watch, produced in 747 pieces, adopts for the dial the typical colours of the original 747, red, white and blue (the latter used for the numerals 10 and 60 on the outer ring of the slide rule), as well as black for the counters.
The caseback with porthole opens to reveal the Breitling manufacture calibre 01, an automatic Cosc chronometer with a 70-hour power reserve. It is available with a crocodile strap or a steel bracelet.
Prices8,750 euros (with strap); 9,100 euros (with bracelet).
