Paying a tribute to their aviation roots and the legendary P-40 Curtiss Warhawk, Breitling has released three watches as a part of the Aviator 8 Curtiss collection. This historically important and unmistakable American-made fighter plane was built between 1938 and 1944 and outfitted with Breitling’s Huit Aviation Department made on-board instruments for the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other air forces. These on-board instruments were groundbreaking, able to withstand the wear and tear that these famous planes and pilots put them through. The P-40 Warhawk is memorialized by their matte green look with the iconic, “shark-mouth” nose art.
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| P-40 Curtiss Warhawk with Sharkmouth Nose Art |
Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 Curtiss Warhawk
Drawing from the planes’ traditional color scheme, Breitling took the green and used the Pantone for the dial and military canvas strap. The rotating bezel and distinctive triangular pointer, revisits Breitling’s first pilot watch, the reference 768.
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| Rotating Bezel and Triangular Point of Breitling ref. 768 |
Despite the vintage inspiration, the Curtiss series still looks forward using modern movements like Breitling’s in-house B01 movement in its robust 43 mm case. This watch is highly legible and features a 70-hour power reserve, ¼ second, 30-minute, 12-hour totalizer chronograph and a date window. On the case back, which has a sapphire crystal to peer into the movement, is inscribed the vivid and iconic graphic of the P-40 Warhawk’s shark-mouth nose art. Water resistant up to 100 meters, luminous indexes and hands, and COSC certified.
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Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 Curtiss Warhawk |
Aviator 8 Chronograph 43 Curtiss Warhawk
Featuring day-date complications and a chronograph, in addition to telling exceptionally accurate time with the Breitling 13 COSC certified movement, the Aviator 8 Chronograph 43 Curtiss Warhawk bridges a historically exceptional past and a “legendary future” in its 43mm case. Using the motifs of the P-40 Warhawk, the watch incorporates the military green on the dial and strap, the crosshairs on the 30-minute chronograph totalizers and the shark-mouth logo inscribed on the case back. The watch has a 100-meter water resistance and power reserve of 42 hours.
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Aviator 8 Chronograph 43 Curtiss Warhawk
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This is instantly recognizable by the stark contrast of the military green canvas strap and dial, juxtaposed against the DLC coated black steel case. The 41mm case diameter and slim profile makes this example versatile for an array of wrists. 100m water resistance and 40-hour power reserve.
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Aviator 8 Automatic 41 Curtiss Warhawk |
Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers is Wisconsin’s only Breitling Authorized Dealer. Stop by our Whitefish Bay location to peruse our beautiful collection of Breitling watches at your convenience. Also make sure to stop by our Breitling booth at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh to see the latest from Breitling at the world’s largest air show!