Breitling AVI Ref. 765 1953 Re-Edition: Malaysia Price And Review

Melissa Kong 19 May 2020

Another Breitling icon re-emerges.

In our recent interview with Breitling CEO Georges Kern, the man revealed that he has “at least 30” heritage models in the brand’s archives that deserved to see the light of day. That’s surely tempting news for both new and old Breitling fans, who have been enamoured by the company’s recent line-up of watches evokes what Kern terms as ‘retro-cool’.

However, there has been a particular new line of ‘Re-Edition’ watches that true aficionados have taken to swimmingly. The idea behind the Re-Edition was to recreate the new version in exacting likeness to the original. The first roll-out from 2018 was the Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition. In the ‘Re-Editon’ version, only subtle and improved changes were made to the 'new' Navitimer Ref. 806, such as water resistance of up to 30m and Super-LumiNova on the hands and indexes. The biggest upgrade, though, was the new COSC-certified manual-winding movement, Calibre B09, based on the brand’s famed Calibre 01.

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Likewise, it is that same spirit that drives Breitling’s latest release, the AVI Ref. 765 1953 Re-Edition. Affectionately known as the ‘Co-Pilot’, the watch was inspired by onboard clocks designed by the brand’s Huit Aviation Department in the 1930s and 1940s.

The original (top) and the AVI Ref. 765 1953 Re-Edition

“It was always clear to us that longtime Breitling fans would embrace these watches. But it’s also exciting to see how strongly they appeal to people who are new to our brand—they can take one look at a Re-Edition and see how much living history, innovation, and cool luxury we can pack into a single watch,” says Kern.

Limited to 1,953 pieces and powered by the Calibre B09 (as with the Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition), the AVI Ref. 765 1953 Re-Edition comes in a 41mm stainless steel case with three screws on the bezel, just like the original. Interestingly, the brand has also chosen to retain the domed hesalite crystal instead of replacing it with the more common (and practical) sapphire crystal, which is scratch-resistant. It’s a bold move but, since we love the aesthetic and old-school vibe of hesalite, we can’t complain.

Breitling AVI Ref. 765 1953 Edition in platinum

Apart from the movement update, the new version also comes with increased water-resistance of up to 30m. For a cleaner dial, the word, ‘Geneve’, has been removed from under the logo. Finishing off the look is a black vintage-inspired leather strap with white stitching, matching the dial perfectly.

The AVI Ref. 765 1953 Re-Edition is also available in an 18K red gold version with black dial and brown vintage-inspired leather strap, as well as a platinum version (above) with blue dial and gold vintage-inspired strap. These are limited to 253 and 153 pieces, respectively.

Breitling AVI Ref. 765 1953 Edition in gold