Breitling Co-Pilot Chronograph

Like the Breguet Type 20, the Breitling Reference 765 or AVI was designed for helicopter pilots in the French army. 

Eager to secure the contract, in 1953 Breitling designed a watch that they thought would be perfect for the job. Unlike the Navitimer, the dial of the AVI displayed only the most essential information pilots needed — the requisite hours and minutes, indicated by large luminescent hands, and registers for running seconds, 12 hours, and 30 minutes. Unfortunately, the French military specification — Type 20 —required a flyback function, which the AVI lacked.

Not to be deterred, Breitling adapted it for civilian use, and in 1964 it debuted as the Co-Pilot. This watch was worn to perfection by Raquel Welch in the 1967 film Fathom, in which an Italian skydiver (played by Welch as the title character) finds herself embroiled in international espionage. Breitling ads promoted the watch’s appearance on film, stating that either the watch or the woman “[Steals] the scenes, in film and real life.”

Though the Co- Pilot retained the diameter of its predecessor (a whopping 41mm, large for the period), it underwent some cosmetic changes that made it stand out amidst Breitling’s chronograph offerings: The rotating 12h steel bezel, previously steel, was now anodized aluminum. (The bezel was also released in other variants, like the ‘Double-Scale,’ which displayed scales for both 60 minutes and 12 hours. The ‘Double-Scale’ bezel found its way to a cousin of the Co-Pilot, the 765 Yachting.)

Additionally, the dial — previously black-on-black — was given a distinctive black-and-white colorway now known as ‘reverse panda’ by collectors. The new variant of Co-Pilot with the white chronograph registers found its way on the wrist of someone less glamorous (but no less exciting) than Raquel Welch — Jean-Claude Killy.

Though best associated with the Rolex Dato-Compax that now bears his name in collecting circles, Killy also sported a Reference 765 Co-Pilot before pledging himself to the Crown as a brand ambassador. Most notably, he wore the Co-Pilot during the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, where he won gold medals in downhill, giant slalom, and slalom — the “Triple Crown” of alpine skiing — thus securing his legacy.

This particular Co-Pilot, a Reference 765CP, dates to circa 1965 and comes in with a 42.5mm stainless steel case with dual barrel pushers, a signed crown, and a bidirecitonal rotating black aluminum bezel with a 12-hour markers. It features a matte black Tritium 'reverse panda' dial with recessed, silver sub registers, a an outer white minute track, and a matching white painted 'sword' handset.

Powered by a Venus Calibre 178 manual winding chronograph movement, this piece comes fitted to one of our red Analog:Shift Montone leather straps with a steel pin buckle.

Whether plunging toward Earth from a De Havilland DH-89A like Welch in Fathom, slaloming down the slopes in the French Alps a la Killy, or are a seasoned Breitling collector, this piece makes for a great option!