Miles Davis’s Favorite Watch Is Back

In addition to reinventing jazz, Miles Davis was also—there’s really no other way to say it—the coolest dude on Earth. From his command of Ivy style to his penchant for driving Ferraris, the dude was, to put it mildly, ahead of the curve. GQ once named him #1 on its list of The Most Stylish Musicians of All Time. Naturally, he also had great taste in wristwear.Parse through old photos of Miles playing his horn, and you might notice a curious choice of wristwear on his left arm: a Breitling Navitimer ref. 806 with a “ reverse panda” dial, sometimes worn on a broad leather “Bund” strap (and sometimes on a mesh bracelet). Though Breitling developed the model specifically for pilots of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), it was quickly adopted by people who were simply looking for a reliable, luxury chronograph. Outfitted with its famous “beaded” bezel and lauded for its ability to perform complex computations on the fly—airspeed, fuel consumption, etc.—the Navitimer established itself as one of the mid-20th century’s ultimate pilot’s watches.WEST GERMANY - CIRCA 1959: Jazz trumpeter and composer Miles Davis plays trumpet as he performs onstage in circa 1959 in West Germany. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesNow, just in time for the 100th anniversary of Davis’s birth, Breitling is reissuing a special version of the very Navitimer that Davis wore—a ref. 806 ‘Mk. 5,’ for those counting—upgraded with a modern Breitling movement. The Breitling Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Miles Davis, limited to 500 pieces, features the classic “reverse panda”-dial configuration that Davis preferred, with white subdials set against a black dial. (The outer computational scales are also in white, while the luminous material within the hands and indices is a vintage-inspired yellow.) Measuring 41mm in diameter, it maintains the same size as the late-’60s original, though its inside is the Breitling Manufacture Caliber B09, a COSC-certified movement with 70 hours of power reserve, which is visible via a sapphire caseback.Though you can nab the new Navitimer on a conventional brown calf leather strap with a steel folding clasp, it’s also available on a new stainless steel “Air Racer” bracelet, a cross between a metal cuff and a vintage rally-style strap with large holes throughout its construction. The bracelet was first introduced in the ‘60s and French musician Serge Gainsbourg wore it in the 1980s. It adds a certain pizazz to the Navitimer’s otherwise utilitarian design that shouldn’t work…but somehow works beautifully.Finished on its dial with the Breitling “Twin Jet” logo seen on midcentury non-AOPA Navitimers, the Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Miles Davis is inscribed on its caseback with “One of 500” and “Miles Davis Centennial.” But if that weren’t enough, buyers also get two years’ worth of access to the Breitling Social Club, which will open in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in late 2027, a new dedicated retail and hangout spot for the brand’s clients.And if one Davis-inspired Navitimer isn’t enough, Breitling is also releasing a special 50-piece set that comes with three different versions: the standard steel edition, plus one in yellow gold (also with a reverse-panda dial) and one in platinum with a blue dial and white subdials. Buying the trio also gets you lifetime membership to the club, which will hopefully play a little jazz to go with your new Navitimer stack.Don’t let club memberships, provenance, and a fancy new movement distract you from the fact that this is immediately one of the most handsome watches in Breitling’s catalog. The classic “reverse panda” dial layout gives a sleekness to the busy dial, while the bracelet brings some edge to the otherwise toolsy watch. Of course, we would expect nothing less from a watch inspired by Miles Davis.