1939 was a significant year. Just twenty years after the end of World War I, the world was once again engulfed in war. But it was also the year that the Heinkel He 178 aircraft completed the world's first successful flight using a turbojet engine; European scientists published a landmark paper on nuclear fission, laying the scientific foundation for atomic energy and atomic weapons; and the first automobile air conditioning system was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show. In popular culture, Batman made his debut in Detective Comics #27 in 1939, a few months before the release of *The Wizard of Oz* and *Gone with the Wind* in the same year. Meanwhile, swing music became the most popular genre in America, and Billie Holiday's "Kiwi" became a protest anthem against racial terrorism.
In East St. Louis, Illinois, a musical crossroads, bordered by Chicago jazz to the north and echoed by St. Louis blues across the Mississippi River to the south. That year, a father gave his son a trumpet as a 13th birthday present; his birthday was May 26th. This gift proved to bring him continued surprise and joy for over fifty years. That boy was, of course, Miles Davis, perhaps the greatest and undoubtedly most influential jazz musician of all time.
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This year, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Miles Davis's birth, Breitling released a limited edition of 500 Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Miles Davis watches. This release also sets the stage for the launch of a new members-only Breitling Social Club, slated for the end of 2027.
The Birth of Cool Miles Davis was not a traditional Breitling brand ambassador. He received no compensation for choosing or wearing Breitling watches, let alone being photographed with them. But he did choose Breitling watches and posed for numerous photos with them.
Davis's choices of Breitling watches were unexpected and quite different from the people and things around him. The Navitimer watch was specially developed in 1952 at the request of the American Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Its design was intended not only for pilots to keep track of time but also as a cockpit calculator, allowing them to easily read speed, fuel levels, and flight intervals. The name Navitimer clearly indicates its intended purpose—navigation and timekeeping.
Breitling officially released its first Navitimer watch in late 1955. This model, number 806, was a three-register chronograph powered by the legendary Venus 178 manual-winding chronograph movement. It featured a slide rule, luminous hour markers, and pin-handled hands, a black dial with matching subdials, and a slim, elegant 125-segment rotating bezel. Due to its thin bezel, the Navitimer typically appeared larger than its 40mm case. In an era when watch sizes rarely exceeded 36mm, the Navitimer was particularly striking on the wrist. By the 1960s, when Davis appeared wearing his 806 Mk5 watch, the Breitling Navitimer already had a loyal following outside the aviation world. Besides pilots, racing stars and Hollywood A-listers such as Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Alain Delon, and Tony Curtis also wore Navitimer watches.
Davis was a restless chameleon, constantly seeking to reinvent his music and even himself. While his tone remained distinct and unique, his musical style defied easy categorization, encompassing a wide range of genres from bebop (Walkin') to modal jazz (Kind of Blue) and jazz fusion (Bitches Brew). Throughout his fifty-year career, he pioneered numerous new musical subgenres. However, what truly cemented Davis's legendary status was his fashion sense, his luxury cars (Jaguars, Lamborghinis, and of course, Ferraris—he owned several), and most importantly, his rebellious, defiant, and uncompromising attitude.
All of this contributed to his extraordinary achievements beyond music and the stage. Before Davis's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, American pianist Herbie Hancock, a member of Davis's "second greatest quintet" in the 1960s, described him as "the epitome of cool" in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. This title is often used to describe Davis because, indeed, despite his well-known drug addiction, volatile temper, and turbulent personal life—all of which made headlines—he was undeniably, unquestionably, cool.
Like his fashion sense and musical style, Davis exuded confidence with his gold-plated Ref. 806 Mk5 watch. Launched around 1965, this watch was nicknamed the "Double Jet Engine" due to the twin jet engine logo on its dial. The Mk5 established the classic look of the Ref. 806 series, remaining in production until 1973. It adopted the reverse panda dial design first used in the Mk3, with white subdials standing out against the deep black dial, replacing the all-black design of earlier models. However, unlike the beaded bezel of earlier models, the Mk5 featured milled serrated edges, giving it a sharper look. Later versions made improvements in details, such as the "big eye" chronograph subdials and the red square "10," but the Mk5's design template has become a classic. Davis paired it with tailored Italian suits, and later with flowing Indian shirts and leather trousers, complete with a Bun leather strap.
“Wearing Miles Davis’s wrist, the Navitimer became part of a larger cultural story,” said George Cohen, CEO of House of Brands.
This year’s limited-edition Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41, a tribute to Miles Davis, retains all the classic features of the Davis Mk5 watch while incorporating some delightful modern upgrades. “Our goal was not to replicate a historic timepiece, but to capture the unique essence that Miles Davis imbued in the Navitimer, while showcasing the performance and craftsmanship expected of a modern Breitling watch,” said Jean-Marc Pontré, CEO of Breitling.
Therefore, this tribute watch features the same 41mm case diameter, a monochrome reverse panda dial, vintage-style cream-colored Super-LumiNova luminous hour markers and hands, and the contemporary “Twin Jet” logo. Unlike the gold-plated version of the Davis Mk5, this 2026 limited edition is crafted from stainless steel and offers an option for a classic brown calfskin strap or a stainless steel Air Racer bracelet inspired by 1960s rally racing, featuring a unique ventilated design.
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Prior to 1969, all chronographs, including Ref. 806, were manually wound. (In the same year, Breitling launched the automatic Navitimer with the renowned Caliber 11 movement, increasing the case size to 48mm and changing the model number to 1806.) Therefore, the new watch's use of the in-house manual-winding Caliber B09 movement is a subtle tribute to this history, sure to be appreciated by Breitling collectors. Moreover, this in-house movement is no ordinary piece; its 4Hz frequency is COSC certified and offers a 70-hour power reserve.
Miles ahead of the curve, the series of watches paying tribute to Miles Davis also foreshadows an even larger event launching next year – the Breitling Social Club. The first club, planned for Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, aims to create an exclusive, members-only space bringing together Breitling's community, collectors, entrepreneurs, artists, and musicians from around the world. According to Breitling, the club will offer a range of exclusive hospitality and cultural experiences throughout the year, embodying the Breitling spirit. Membership is exclusive; for example, owners of 500 Miles Davis tribute watches will each receive a two-year membership.
In addition, there is a limited edition of 50 Miles Davis commemorative sets, each individually numbered and including a lifetime membership. The "Lifetime Membership Set" includes three Ref. 806 Mk5 reissue watches in stainless steel, 18K yellow gold, and platinum. The first two watches retain the classic black and white dial design of the original, while the platinum model features a navy blue dial with contrasting white subdials. All three watches are housed in a specially designed box inspired by a traditional trumpet case, lined with deep blue to pay homage to Miles Davis's classic jazz album *Kind of Blue*, one of the best-selling and most successful jazz albums of all time.
In addition, there is a limited edition of 50 Miles Davis commemorative sets, each individually numbered and including a lifetime membership. The "Lifetime Membership Set" includes three Ref. 806 Mk5 reissue watches in stainless steel, 18K yellow gold, and platinum. The first two watches retain the classic black and white dial design of the original, while the platinum model features a navy blue dial with contrasting white subdials. All three watches are housed in a specially designed box inspired by a traditional trumpet case, lined with deep blue to pay homage to Miles Davis's classic jazz album *Kind of Blue*, one of the best-selling and most successful jazz albums of all time.
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