Breitling Aerospace

The Swiss manufacturer Breitling first introduced their chronograph wristwatch Aerospace in 1985. At that time, it still belonged to the Navitimer collection, which was indicated by the inscriptions on the dial and case back. Today, the Aerospace Evo belongs to the Professional series. One characteristic feature of the original timepiece was a set of grips on the bezel at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock. These bezel rider tabs call to mind the automatic watches in the Chronomat and Avenger collections. Thanks to the rider tabs, it's easy to operate the bezel even with gloves on. The hybrid display is also a characteristic feature of Aerospace models both past and present. It displays the time in both an analog (with hands) fashion and digitally on two displays. The Aerospace Navitimer was available in either titanium or as a bicolor model. The bicolor version was made of titanium and featured gold bracelet links and bezel rider tabs.

Breitling introduced the current Aerospace model in 2013. It is a chronograph that can time to 1/100th of a second and features an alarm, a GMT function, a calendar, and a countdown timer. One particular highlight is its minute repeater, which tells the time via auditory signals. You use the crown to control the watch, turning, pushing, and pulling it for each individual function. The quartz movement in the current models is a so-called SuperQuartz caliber. It's thermocompensated, COSC-certified, and up to ten times more precise than the average quartz movement. Over the course of one year, it only deviates from the official time by a few seconds.

The Aerospace has been Breitling's entry-level model for quite some time now. Models from the 90s could be the perfect fit if you're looking for a Breitling pilot's chronograph at a moderate price. At 40 mm, the cases of these watches are markedly smaller than those of current models. These timepieces are outfitted with either a quartz 988.332 or 998.332 ETA movement, also known at Breitling as the B56 and B65, respectively. In addition to its chronograph function, perpetual calendar, and second time zone, the B65 also has an alarm function. Pre-owned models from this period go for around 1,600 USD in good condition. However, for a never-worn model, prices can quickly rise to 2,600 USD.

At the turn of the millennium, Breitling introduced the SuperQuartz caliber B75 to the Aerospace collection. This movement is based on the ETA Thermoline. SuperQuartz movements set themselves apart with their extremely high precision and accuracy and imperviousness to fluctuations in temperature. Depending on its condition and the band (titanium, textile, leather, or rubber), plan to spend between 1,900 and 2,400 USD.

The Aerospace experienced a growth spurt in 2007, expanding to 42 mm in diameter. Changes were also made to its interior, namely the switch to the SuperQuartz Caliber B79, which is also based on an ETA movement. Since they are backlit, you can even read the digital displays under poor light conditions. Be prepared to spend about 2,400 USD for one of these timepieces.

Breitling presented the Aerospace Evo in 2013. Like its predecessors, the Evo is made of titanium. It has also retained the four rider tabs and four large Arabic numerals at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock. Even the multi-functional SuperQuartz caliber made the transition to the Evo. One thing that has changed is the size: The case grew from 42 to 43 mm. You can choose between black, blue, and gray for the dial and leather, textile, rubber, or titanium for the band. Prices vary depending on the band and condition and range from 2,900 to 3,100 USD.

If you're willing to shell out an additional 300 USD, you can get the Evo with a titanium bracelet and Co-Pilot module. Using an LC-Display, this module can display a second time zone, function as a chronograph, and even show departure and arrival times. It is operated using two pushers on the side of the module.

Since 2015, the Breitling Aerospace Evo Night Mission has been a part of the collection. This chronograph comes with a black-coated, brushed titanium case. The watch is made unique by its military look, which hinders light reflection. The backlit display, read using night vision, also contributes to the look, as does the brown or anthracite textile strap. The strap is especially robust and has a fold-over clasp. A rubber strap is also available. This model costs about 4,000 USD new and 3,200 USD pre-owned.

In celebration of the Aerospace's 30th anniversary, Breitling introduced a limited special edition – the "30e anniversaire." This series has a limited run of 300 pieces and can be identified by its black-coated titanium case and bright yellow dial. You'll need to have a good 5,200 USD on hand to buy one of these collector's items.

When Breitling first introduced the Aerospace in 1985, it was a modern interpretation of the Navitimer . It featured robust titanium for its case and bracelet, four grips on the bezel, and a hybrid display. During the 1980s, these weren't typical Breitling characteristics. The trend at the time was quartz movements; they ran more precisely than mechanical movements and had a greater number of functions. This made the Aerospace perfect for professional use in airplane cockpits.

The average quartz watch deviates about 15-30 seconds from the official time every month. Compared to a mechanical watch, it's incredibly accurate. A mechanical, COSC-certified movement can deviate up to -4 or +6 seconds a day, equal to -120 or +180 seconds every month.

Since the early 2000s, Breitling has been using SuperQuartz movements in the Aerospace series. Breitling has the movements certified by the COSC, ensuring they run incredibly precisely. COSC's criteria for a quartz caliber are much stricter than for a mechanical caliber. A quartz movement may only deviate up to -/+ 0.07 seconds a day. Altogether, that's a total of 2.1 seconds a month. Therefore, Aerospace models are up to ten times more precise than the average quartz watch.

Furthermore, the SuperQuartz movement offers practical functions. Its chronograph function allows you to measure time in increments of 1/100th of a second. A mechanical movement like the Valjoux 7750, one of the most successful automatic chronograph calibers in the world, "only" measures to within 1/8th of a second. The Aerospace can also time up to 48 hours. In addition, it has other functions such as a digital calendar, an alarm clock, a countdown timer, and a second time zone. The second time zone feature is useful for those who often travel between time zones. With this feature, you can keep an eye on the local time as well as the time back home. A more notable, rarer feature is the timepiece's minute repeater. The function repeats the current time via auditory signals as desired.