“Balloonist” might not have the macho ring to it of, say, “fighter pilot,” but the men who flew the first non-stop hot air balloon around the world are just the kind of adventurers that aviation-focused Breitling wants to celebrate. The Breitling-sponsored balloon called the Orbiter 3 completed its trip in 1999, piloted by two men each wearing a Breitling Emergency watch. For the 20th anniversary of that event, Breitling has released a watch with more mainstream wearability than the beacon-equipped Emergency, the Breitling Professional Orbiter Cockpit B50 with a beacon-like bright orange dial and matching rubber strap.
The Orbiter Cockpit B50 limited edition watch exists in Breitling’s Professional line of timepieces powered by the brand’s COSC-certified in-house SuperQuartz movements. In many respects resembling ultimate, Swiss-made G-Shocks, the Breitling Professional watches are super tough and accurate quartz watches with ana-digi (analog-digital) displays and myriad useful functions (chronograph, second time zone, alarms, calendar, and much more). The Breitling Cockpit B50 Orbiter is substantially sized at 46mm wide and 16.45mm thick in black carbon-coated lightweight titanium and water-resistant to 100m. Limited to 213 pieces (in reference to the date of the trip’s completion, 21 March), price for the Breitling Proffesional Cockpit B50 Orbiter Limited Edition is yet to be confirmed, but should be between $7,500 and $8,500.
Gear Patrol also recommends:
G-Shock Master Of G Gravitymaster Watch ($300)
Citizen Promaster Skyhawk A-T ($695 $556)
Omega Speedmaster Skywalker X-33 Watch ($5,900)
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