I am really excited to finally get this watch. It’s something I’ve wanted to get for a while now, though there were few this year that just slipped away for one reason or another. Fast forward to the present and after hours of searching, questioning, examining and making the plunge, it arrives more splendid than I could of hoped.
Not a real full review but some thoughts.
This 1995 Breitling Navitimer AVI (A13023) was made for a few years and shows that the new Breitling could still make a classic looking model. A model that really showed a direct lineage from the ref’ 765 and Co-Pilots of the 60s and 70s. Although the A13023 was made for a few years in the 90s, it came in three dial colors during it’s run, I chose the black dial (or dark grey). But to me in sunlight it has a light copper color on the black dial. I noticed the chapter ring around the dial is a little blacker than the dial itself. An effect that I wasn’t expecting, but a look akin to a tropical dial (I guess). What made the search interesting was that some models had a red tipped chromo second hand while some didn’t. I believe that the color came later in the model’s life. I’ve always thought that little bit of color gave it a little zing. The bi-directional snaps into each marker marking (painted in black numbers and markers). When rotating the bezel, you feel confident that you have accurately set the bezel.
Though the A13023 life was cut short, 1992-1995, it was succeeded by another desirable model, the Aviastar before series production ended in 1989. The modern AVI has a wonderful history to work from (see Monochrome’s The Breitling 765 AVI / Co-Pilot Series of Watches where our member’s Dracha and WatchFred contributed on) and perhaps with the re-addition craze Breitling will revisit this series of the Navitimer.
If you're a fan, love to see yours. Thanks,
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