E79363101B1E1
Professional Aerospace Evo
Lug width: 22 mm
Source: MakerCase size: 43 mmBlack dialCase material: Titanium
- Attachment
- classic lugs
- Style
- pilot
- Status
- Listed by the maker
The story · Since 1985
The story of the Breitling Professional
- 1985 to 1994 Every function through the crown The Aerospace of 1985 combined analog hands with two LCD screens in a titanium case, and every function, from the 1/100 second chronograph to the alarm, ran from the crown.
- 1995 to 2000 A watch that calls rescuers In 1995 Breitling announced the Emergency, a 43 mm titanium watch with a transmitter on the 121.5 MHz air distress frequency, developed with Dassault Electronique.
- 2001 to 2012 Rescues on the record The Aerospace moved to the SuperQuartz caliber 75 chronometer in 2001, then grew to 42 mm with a backlit caliber 79 as the Aerospace Avantage in 2005.
- 2013 to 2019 Two frequencies, one wrist After Cospas-Sarsat stopped satellite monitoring of 121.5 MHz in 2009, Breitling spent five years on the Emergency II, shown at Baselworld 2013.
40,000
approximate number of original Emergency watches purchased
Worn by
Bertrand Piccard, Brian Jones, Quentin Smith, Colin Prescot, Andy Elson
Read the full storyHide the story
40,000approximate number of original Emergency watches purchased
$7 millionspent on developing the first Emergency, over about 10 years
51 mmEmergency II case, up from 43 mm for the original
Chapters
- 1985 to 1994
Every function through the crown
The Aerospace of 1985 combined analog hands with two LCD screens in a titanium case, and every function, from the 1/100 second chronograph to the alarm, ran from the crown. The first reference, 80360, measured 40 mm and still read Navitimer on the dial. In 1994 ref. 56062, known as the Aerospace II, enlarged the lower screen.
- 1995 to 2000
A watch that calls rescuers
In 1995 Breitling announced the Emergency, a 43 mm titanium watch with a transmitter on the 121.5 MHz air distress frequency, developed with Dassault Electronique. Development took nearly a decade and $7 million, and the watch could not be sold until Swiss regulators approved it in May 1996. US approval came in 2000.
- 2001 to 2012
Rescues on the record
The Aerospace moved to the SuperQuartz caliber 75 chronometer in 2001, then grew to 42 mm with a backlit caliber 79 as the Aerospace Avantage in 2005. Meanwhile Emergency owners kept activating their beacons: two British pilots after a helicopter crash near Antarctica in 2003, a stranded hunter in Alaska in 2012.
- 2013 to 2019
Two frequencies, one wrist
After Cospas-Sarsat stopped satellite monitoring of 121.5 MHz in 2009, Breitling spent five years on the Emergency II, shown at Baselworld 2013. It added the 406 MHz satellite frequency and a rechargeable battery, in a 51 mm titanium case. The same year the Aerospace Evo took the case to 43 mm.
Worn by
Bertrand PiccardExploration1999
Wore a Breitling Emergency during the Breitling Orbiter 3 flight, the first nonstop round-the-world balloon flight, from 1 to 20 March 1999. The beacon was his fallback if the balloon came down.
Brian JonesExploration1999
Piccard's co-pilot on Breitling Orbiter 3 also wore an Emergency, an orange-dialed one according to Fratello.
Quentin SmithExploration2003
The British helicopter pilot ditched in the Drake Passage in January 2003 during a pole-to-pole attempt and deployed his Emergency's antenna; a rescue plane located the crew nine and a half hours later.
Colin PrescotExploration2000
The British balloonist told The Independent he was given a blue Emergency by Breitling after his round-the-world balloon attempt and wore it as a last-resort safety device.
Andy ElsonExploration2000
Prescot's ballooning partner, who according to Prescot wore his orange Emergency all the time.
Jan FrodenoSport2024
The three-time IRONMAN world champion rode the TORTOUR 500 ultracycling race in July 2024 wearing the Endurance Pro, according to Breitling.
Vincenzo NibaliSport2024
The Grand Tour winner rode with Breitling's squad at the 2024 TORTOUR 500, where the team wore the Endurance Pro 44 and 38.
Moments
2012. Alaskan hunter Mark Spencer, hypothermic after more than 48 hours alone, was found by helicopter after activating his Emergency; his separate beacon put him four miles off.
2003. Quentin Smith and Steve Brooks were found in a raft in the Drake Passage after activating an Emergency on 121.5 MHz; Smith said no one had survived a ditching there before.
1999. Breitling Orbiter 3 completed the first nonstop balloon flight around the world on 20 March 1999, its two pilots wearing Emergency watches. The capsule went to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in 2000.
1997. An Emergency saved the 13 crew of the Mata-Rangi, a reed boat blown off course by a storm after sailing from Easter Island toward Australia.
1995. In December 1995 the Emergency proved itself in a Hong Kong search-and-rescue exercise involving the RAF, the Royal Navy, the US Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard.
Generations and strap changes
- 2024Endurance Pro 38
A 38 mm version on caliber 83, raced by Breitling's cycling squad at the TORTOUR 500 in July 2024 as newly launched.
18 mm lug width, strap 18/16 mm, 16 mm Breitlight tang buckle.
- 2020Endurance Pro 44
A 44 mm by 12.5 mm Breitlight case on the COSC SuperQuartz caliber 82, launched in five colours on Diver Pro rubber straps with a Breitlight double-pin buckle.
22 mm lug width and about 52 mm lug to lug; current straps taper 22/18 mm to an 18 mm buckle.
- 2013Emergency II
The first wristwatch with a dual-frequency personal locator beacon (121.5 and 406 MHz), with a rechargeable beacon battery and a charger-tester.
51 mm titanium case (the original was 43 mm), on a Diver Pro III rubber strap or a titanium Professional bracelet.
- 2013Aerospace Evo ref. 79363
The Aerospace enlarged to 43 mm with a screwed caseback, still on caliber 79.
Current 43 mm Aerospace references list a 22 mm lug width and a 22/20 mm strap.
- 2005Aerospace Avantage ref. 79362
Caliber 79 added a backlight; the larger battery brought a screwed caseback, and the rider tabs were integrated into the bezel.
Case grew to 42 mm.
- 1995Emergency
The first wristwatch with a built-in emergency microtransmitter, on 121.5 MHz, with a main antenna unscrewed from the lower right of the case.
43 mm titanium case.
- 1994Aerospace ref. 56062
Nicknamed the Aerospace II: a larger lower LCD window for legibility and a bezel mixing numerals and bars.
- 1985Aerospace ref. 80360
The first Aerospace, a 40 mm titanium analog-digital chronograph on the ETA 988.332, water resistant to 100 m, with Navitimer on the dial and caseback.
40 mm case.