Half a century of airborne featsBreitling celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Patrouille Suisse by dedicating to this exceptional team an exclusive version of the Chronomat, complete with personalized dial and engraved caseback. Issued in a 1,000-piece limited edition, this authentic aviation chronograph once again reflects the special ties between the Swiss brand and the world’s elite pilots.
In 2014, Switzerland and the aviation world are celebrating a double milestone: the 100th anniversary of the Swiss Air Force and the 50th anniversary of the Patrouille Suisse.
1964 saw the official creation of an aerobatics team composed of professional air force pilots. Initially comprising four and later five British Hawker Hunter Mk 58 jet fighters, the Patrouille Suisse switched to six planes in 1978 and began giving its first demonstrations beyond national borders. Since 1995, it has established itself as one of the rare aerobatics teams on supersonic jets by flying six American F-5E Tiger II fighter aircraft recognizable by their red and white livery. An outstanding ambassador of Swiss precision and excellence, the Patrouille Suisse regularly performs at shows around Europe, providing stunning displays that delight spectators and have already earned it numerous distinctions.
An authentic aviation chronograph
As a privileged partner of aviation, Breitling enjoys a longstanding relationship with the Patrouille Suisse that has already led to the creation of several personalized models. The brand now joins the team’s 50th anniversary celebrations by launching a limited edition of its stellar Chronomat model in its dual-time version. An authentic wrist instrument for pilots, this mechanical chronograph featuring a sturdy satin-brushed steel case is distinguished by a black dial bearing the flight team logo at 9 o’clock, framed by a rotating bezel with inlaid rubber numerals. The second hour hand, tipped by the outline of a red F-5E Tiger II, serves to display the second timezone in 24-hour mode in a very simple manner via an extremely practical crown-adjustment system. The 24-hour scale on the bezel also enables a third timezone reading. The engraved caseback bears the official 50th anniversary logo, topped by the limited-edition number. Water-resistant to 200 meters (660 ft), the Chronomat 44 GMT “Patrouille Suisse 50th Anniversary” houses Manufacture Breitling Caliber B04, a selfwinding chronograph movement entirely developed and produced by Breitling and chronometer-certified by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute), the highest benchmark in terms of precision and reliability and the only one based on an international norm. Sturdiness and high performance expressed in a technical and masculine style: a fine tribute to 50 years of airborne feats.