Breitling is celebrating one of the most memorable flights in recent history with a limited-edition timepiece.
It’s expensive, but not as expensive as some might think.
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The new Aerospace B70 Orbiter is a tribute to the Orbiter balloon which, 25 years ago, took two pilots on the first nonstop balloon flight around the world.
The pilots took off from the UK and arrived in Egypt 19 days later.
But what made the flight truly special was the fact that due to some technical difficulties, they essentially had to set off without any prior test flights.
Breitling funded the construction of three balloons for the mission, including the one that would eventually take off and set the record.
Standing 55 meters (180 ft) tall, this balloon was made from kevlar and carbon fiber.
And they weren’t just trying to show off either, it had to be tough to survive the trip.
This probably explains why Breitling decided to opt for titanium, instead of stainless steel, for the commemorative watch, which is also fitted with a bright orange dial that nods to the colors of the original Orbiter 3 capsule.
And the best part is the caseback includes an actual piece of the original air balloon with an inscription.
“First non-stop flight around the world 25th anniversary,” the inscription reads.
Of course, the watch isn’t cheap, coming in at $4,800 with a matching titanium bracelet or $4,600 with a rubber strap option.
It’s certainly a lot of cash in absolute terms, especially for a watch.
Having said that, in a world where you need a multi-point list to name all the pieces that cost more than a Bugatti Chiron (i.e. seven figures or more), less than $5,000 almost sounds reasonable.
