Breitling CURTISS P-40 WARHAWK

So far as aviation inspired watches are concerned, there aren’t many watchmakers out there that can hold a candle to Swiss powerhouse, Breitling, and as if to prove this very point, we introduce you to their latest offering – the exemplary Curtiss -P40 Warhawk Collection which will be right up the street of every high end timepiece and aviation enthusiast. This superb new collection consists of three different watches and are made in honour of Curtiss Wright, a renowned American aircraft manufacturer, and the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, its most famous plane.

The Breitling Curtiss -P40 Warhawk Watches are a real sight to behold and really do justice to what is an iconic plane. The P-40 Warhawk planes were originally manufactured between 1938 and 1944 and soon became one of the most recognisable in the sky. In order of this aviation marvel, Breitling have brought out two chronograph timepieces – one featuring a Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 movement – which have been introduced alongside a stunning three-hand model.

Entwined Histories

Curtiss Wright first brought out their P-40 Warhawk at the same time as Breitling and its Huit Aviation Department were crafting their own onboard instruments for planes which were being used by the RAF and other air forces. With this partnership and these spectacular new timepieces, Breathing are aiming to cement and reaffirm the importance of their aviation heritage to the brand and from what we can see here at Coolector HQ, it is mission well and truly accomplished.

The stand out watch in this new collection from Breitling is the Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 Curtiss Warhawk which is made instantly distinguishable by its military green dial with a striking matte finish. The contrasting silver subdials – 12-hour and 30-minute chronograph counters and a small second subdial – showcase that the watch is driven by the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01, which is the Swiss watchmaker’s in-house mechanical movement, which is responsible for a remarkable power reserve of approximately 70 hours.

This breathtaking timepiece comes equipped with a bidirectional rotating bezel with Arabic numerals and indexes as well as a practical red pointer. The SuperLumiNova® coating on the hour and minute hands and the Arabic numerals on the dial make it simple to read the time in any light conditions. The COSC-certified chronometer has a 43-millimeter stainless-steel case presented on a green military strap and a thoroughly impressive water-resistance of up to 10 bar (100 meters/330 feet).

Design Details

One of the most noticeable things about the design of these Breitling Curtiss -P40 Warhawk Watches is the eye-catching caseback which boasts a transparent sapphire crystal printed with a Curtiss inscription and an image of an airborne P-40 Warhawk, whose design, with its shark’s mouth and colour scheme, takes inspiration from the iconic paint job associated with the plane when it was piloted by the American Volunteer Group in the Chinese Air Force’s famed Flying Tigers unit.

These three new watches from master Swiss watchmakers, Breitling – the Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 Curtiss Warhawk, the Aviator 8 Chronograph 43 Curtiss Warhawk, and the Aviator 8 Automatic 41 Curtiss Warhawk – are a nod to the partnership between two true aviation trailblazers. Somewhat fittingly, they do it with features that recall one of Breitling’s early pilot’s watches, the iconic Reference 768, which had a rotating bezel and distinctive triangular pointer that made it an instant hit with aviators.