Some actors live and breathe their blockbuster subjects more than others. The levels Austin Butler went to to mirror Elvis Presley’s voice is the stuff of many a viral meme – indeed, after his Oscars acceptance speech in 2023 it looked like the deep southern drawl was here to stay forever. Today, six months on from stealing the limelight in Masters of the Air (aka Steven Spielberg’s flying version of Band of Brothers ) it seems Butler is still clinging on to idea of being a pilot – his watch choice is the giveaway.
In recent years, all Butler’s notable watch-wearing exploits have involved him rocking Cartier Tanks on red carpets – and looking dastardly sophisticated while doing so – but last week while cruising through arrivals at New York’s JFK airport , he was spotted wearing something a lot more sporty and cool – Breitling ’s Chronomat B01 42. Best known for its iconic Navitimer pilot watches and Superocean dive watches, the Chronomat is perhaps Breitling’s most underrated watch model. This flyboy favourite is also one of the reasons why the brand, celebrating the big 140 anniversary this year, is continuing to assert its dominance in mid-range sports watches.
40 years ago, this mechanical chronograph was launched to bolster Breitling’s strong aviation credentials, and to this day that’s what it’s continuing to do. This particular model is available on a rubber strap or metal bracelet, so the fact Butler has gone for the latter in steel (there�.