The times of music

Few musicians changed the course of jazz as profoundly as Miles Davis. A master of convention who was never afraid to break its rules, Davis approached music with an instinct for reinvention. That instinct extended to his personal style. Long before tool watches became fashion statements, he wore the Breitling Navitimer ref. 806 Mk5, turning a pilot’s instrument into an expression of individuality.

To mark the centennial of Davis’ birth, Breitling introduces the Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Miles Davis, limited to 500 pieces. For Davis, style was another form of self-expression, as powerful as the music he created. Dressed in sharply tailored Italian suits and photographed behind the wheels of exotic sports cars, he possessed a magnetism that was impossible to ignore. On stage, that presence drew audiences into every note, gesture and pause. In a 1985 interview with Spin, Bob Dylan called Davis his “definition of cool.”

Davis never simply followed trends. He anticipated them, challenged them and created his own.The new limited edition takes its inspiration from the mid-1960s Navitimer ref. 806 Mk5 worn by Davis. It recalls the defining details of the original while bringing them into the present with contemporary craftsmanship and Breitling’s manufacture movement.

“On Miles Davis’ wrist, the Navitimer became part of a larger cultural story,” says House of Brands CEO Georges Kern. “He embodied the confidence and originality that define Breitling.” The connection between Davis and the Navitimer is fitting. Both challenged convention in their respective worlds. The Navitimer, created as a professional instrument for pilots, eventually escaped the cockpit to become a symbol of style. Davis did something similar with jazz, constantly pushing beyond established boundaries.

Davis transformed jazz through his understanding of restraint. Rather than filling every bar, he used space, silence and sparse, piercing notes to create tension and emotion. His defining quality, however, was reinvention: whenever a musical style began to harden into convention, Davis moved on. He helped define what became known as cool jazz, with the landmark 1957 compilation Birth of the Cool becoming a defining moment in his career. His influence would eventually stretch across generations and genres.

The Navitimer became part of this cultural narrative, reflecting Davis’ instinctive approach to style. “Miles never separated style from self-expression. Whether it was his music, his art, the clothes he wore, or the watch on his wrist, every choice reflected his individuality and his willingness to chart his own course. His Navitimer wasn't a prop, it was something he chose because it spoke to him. We're honored that Breitling has approached this tribute with such care, celebrating not just an iconic watch, but the creative spirit, independence, and originality that defined Miles' life,” says the Miles Davis Estate.

Limited to 500 pieces, the Navitimer Tribute to Miles Davis is powered by the hand-wound Breitling Manufacture Caliber B09, an appropriate choice for a watch inspired by an era before automatic chronographs.

Its 41mm case matches the diameter of the original ref. 806 Mk5. Through the open sapphire-crystal caseback, the movement is visible, while the monochrome reverse-panda dial, cream-coloured Super-LumiNova® and period-correct Breitling “Twin Jet” logo echo Davis’ watch.

“Our goal wasn’t to recreate a historic watch, but to capture the essence of the Navitimer that Miles Davis made his own while delivering the performance and craftsmanship expected of a modern Breitling,” says Breitling CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué. The watch comes with a choice of a hand-coloured gradient brown calf-leather strap with folding clasp or a revived stainless-steel Air Racer bracelet.

First introduced in the 1960s and later popularised by musician Serge Gainsbourg, the rally-inspired Air Racer retains its distinctive vented construction while hinged links near the clasp improve comfort.

The Navitimer was developed in 1952 exclusively for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), with early versions carrying its winged logo. Civilian models sold through Breitling retailers later adopted the “Twin Jet” emblem. Davis’ ref. 806 Mk5 was the first to combine that signature with a reverse-panda dial.

His connection with the watch exemplifies how the Navitimer evolved from professional instrument to cultural icon. “Miles Davis belonged to a generation of cultural icons who took the Navitimer beyond aviation,” says Romy Hebden, Breitling’s Global Director of Public Relations & Heritage. “Worn by figures from race drivers Jim Clark and Graham Hill in the 1960s to musician Serge Gainsbourg in the ’80s, it evolved from a professional instrument into an authentic expression of individuality and style.”

The tribute also sets the stage for Breitling’s first Social Club in Williamsburg, New York, planned for late 2027. Owners of one of the 500 Miles Davis editions will receive two years’ membership, while buyers of the Lifetime Club Member Set, limited to 50 numbered editions, will receive lifetime membership.

The set comprises three Navitimer 806 Mk5 tributes in stainless steel, 18k yellow gold and platinum, presented in a trumpet-inspired case lined in blue as a nod to Davis’ Kind of Blue. A miniature red trumpet completes the presentation.

Davis chose the Navitimer much as he chose his music: instinctively and on his own terms. On his wrist, a pilot’s instrument became part of a larger cultural story. The Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Miles Davis celebrates the meeting of two originals -- and another chapter in Breitling’s Navitimer Stories, a celebration of the people and moments that have shaped an icon for more than seven decades.