Breitling Aerospace E79362

What is it that makes something a classic? Is it quality, design, being feature-rich - or is it something else entirely, something intangible, indescribable perhaps? We try to solve this seemingly unanswerable conundrum by pairing what we think are three future classic chronographs with three current classic cars, to see if the marriage of speed and time, old and new, can reveal something about what makes a watch a true legend of the ages. There’s no telling what the answer might be, and there’s always the distinct possibility that if we do find out, we'll bottle it up and sell it for millions and not tell you anyway. We'll see.

If there’s one thing you can say about Breitling, it’s that the aviation-inspired watch brand definitely has its own distinctive sense of style. Breitling watches ooze confidence, not simply because of the over 100 years of watchmaking experience that goes into every watch, but because of their bold and confident aesthetic. The new Breitling Avenger Hurricane 12H is no exception, with its whopping 50mm case.

Combining the slide rule bezel calculator from the 1950s Navitimer with a pointer date display and dual day and month apertures synonymous with 1940s Datora, the limited edition Breitling Navitimer 1884 Chronograph honours some of the greatest design features the brand has popularised since its 1884 inception.

If Breitling is known for anything, it’s dedication to the world of aviation. The brand has pioneered a number of high performance pilots’ watches, of which the Chronomat is one of the best known and most popular. This piece dates its history back to 1942, and has since undergone a number of evolutions and upgrades—becoming the first watch produced entirely in-house by Breitling in 2009 with the introduction of the B01 calibre.