The Perfect Watch for an Aviation Nut

The early days of aviation call to mind a sense of adventure, along with visions of world travel, innovation and timeless style. The spirit of this bygone era is as alive as ever in the hearts of flight enthusiasts – and watch collectors – alike thanks to Breitling and its historic DC-3 World Tour.

The iconic brand and inventor of the modern chronograph launched the tour of the legendary WWII aircraft in March, setting out to achieve the world record as the oldest plane to circle the globe.

Bachendorf’s Jewelers hosted an exclusive evening with Breitling to celebrate the 77-year-old aircraft’s arrival in Dallas – one of 12 stops in the continental United States on its six-month-long journey (Houston was another).

Guests greeted DC-3 Captain Francisco Agullo in the jeweler’s Galleria Dallas store and had a chance to see the limited edition Navitimer chronograph Breitling made especially for the DC-3 tour.

The set of only 500 has been on board the DC-3 since its initial takeoff from Geneva, slowly becoming imbued with the significance of this record-breaking voyage.

While the watchmaker has inspired many to begin collections – a rep with Breitling said one avid connoisseur in Texas has more than 350 – a timepiece from this exclusive set is the ultimate collector’s item for those who value aeronautical heritage and Swiss engineering.

But, making history takes time – so those who want one of the rare chronographs around their wrist will have to wait. After concluding the North American portion of the tour, the Breitling DC-3 (and the watches) will return to Europe via Greenland and Iceland, stopping in the UK, Paris, Frankfurt, Vienna, Milan and Geneva before completing the journey at the Breitling Sion Airshow 2017 in Switzerland.