Established in 1884, Breitling is best known for their aviation-related timepieces such as the iconic Navitimer. But the manufacturer was an early pioneer in the development of wristwatch chronographs, with their innovative tool watches supplying armed forces worldwide, as well as timepieces for racing, diving, and leisure activities. The Breitling 765 Co-Pilot was created, as its name suggests, for airplane pilots, who benefited from an oversized 15-minute counter at 3 o’clock and twelve hour rotating bezel. The Co-Pilot replaced an earlier reference 765 "Digital" that featured a digital minutes counter at 3 o’clock and incorporated an oversized minute counter fitted with large luminous indicators at each three minute increment. Legibility in low light conditions and accuracy were paramount in the creation of this Co-Pilot, and it was eventually even adopted for military use.

As always, a watch benefits from celebrity association, and the 765 Co-Pilot boasts not just one, but two strong celebrity endorsements: Jean-Claude Killy, the famous Swiss alpine ski racer, and Raquel Welch, the prominent mid-century actress and sex symbol who wore a 765 Co-Pilot with steel bezel in the James Bond spoof movie, Fathom (1967). Though it was another manufacturer that endorsed Killy and led to his name being attached to a specific reference, it is the Breitling 765 Co-Pilot that was photographed on Killy’s wrist after he won all three gold medals in alpine skiing at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France.

The present 765 Co-Pilot shares the same movement as the more well-known Navitimer, the Venus 178, and can be considered one of the best preserved Co-Pilots to come to market in recent memory. The stainless steel case is completely unpolished, and the bezel is in extremely crisp and unblemished condition.

For the delight of the collector, the watch comes accompanied by a period Breitling dashboard chronograph. It actually features two chronographs: a 30-minutes chronograph, operated by the pusher at 4 o’ clock, presents a “red dot” window to indicate its state: red for running, red and white for stopped and white for reset and ready to go. The independent 12-hour chronograph at 12 o’clock is instead operated by turning the lever at 2 o’clock: it jumps to three positions for the classic start-stop-reset operations.