Following the trio of airline-inspired Navitimers earlier this year, Breitling has brought yet another set of high-flying livery to bear on their iconic pilots’ watch – and this time it’s an airline you can still actually fly on: introducing the Aviator 8 Etihad Limited Edition.

Given that Etihad is the national airline of the UAE, you can expect some traditionally Middle Eastern touches and front and centre we have the numerals. Rather than what we’d normally call Arabic numerals, they’ve been written in traditional Arabic and stylized in Etihad’s own shade of gold gold against a solid black dial. The same goes for both day and date, albeit in white, at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock respectively.

Keeping to the black and gold theme, the 41mm case is as dark as the dial in black DLC-coated stainless steel and fitted on a black leather strap. The case itself is the same as the cockpit instrument-inspired Navitimer 8 from the current collection, but the makeover is still a significant one.

The piece is powered by Breitling’s calibre 45 automatic movement – an ETA with bells and whistles – complete with a 38-hour power reserve. Sure that’s barely enough for a couple of long-haul flights, but it’s still COSC-certified so you know every painful second you count will be exact. Well, unless you’re actually flying wit Etihad. Not to be biased or anything, but you’ll never settle for BA again.

Only 500 examples of the Aviator 8 Etihad Limited Edition will be released and, for the first few months at least, will only be available in Abu Dhabi. It’ll be released worldwide after that, but given the Middle East’s connection with limited edition watches, don’t hold your breath that they’ll make it here. If you want it it’ll cost you $4,995 and, most likely, a return flight.

Price & Specs:

Model Name: Breitling Aviator 8 Day & Date 41 Etihad Airways Limited Edition

Case/Dial: 41mm diameter x 11.19mm thickness, brushed & polished black steel

Water Resistance: 100m (10 bar)

Movement: In-house Caliber 45, automatic, COSC-certified

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, day, date

Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)

Power Reserve: 40h

Strap: Black leather with stainless steel pin buckle

Price: $4,995, limited to just 500 pieces and exclusively available at Breitling’s Abu Dhabi boutique

More details at www.breitling.com