Here's a different kind of comparison of these two incredible timepieces. I've always been impressed by the names of Breitling watches (like Navitimer, Windrider, Starliner, Cockpit, Co-pilot, Skyland, Skyracer, Aeromarine, Aerospace, Seawolf, Airwolf, Superocean). The names are the result of Breitling's close ties with the aviation and it's therefore one of the most popular watch brands among pilots. The names mostly imply some connection with air, sky, airplanes, sea and ships. So let's compare the two of my favorite Breitling watches from the Professional series - the Airwolf and the Aerospace - in the aspect of what does their name tell us about them.
Airwolf - definitely a wolf
*Meaning: air + wolf1 : air - The Earth's atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding
the planet Earth that is retained by the Earth's gravity.
2: wolf - Any of various large predatory mammals of the genus Canis.
The name 'Airwolf' can come from the popular US series in the eighties from 1984-1987 (See photo left above). The focus of the series was an advanced military helicopter with the codename 'Airwolf' (more about that here). Since the watch's display and bidirectional bezel resemble a flight instrument, this could be a plausible explanation. On the other hand, the name is fairly new - it was introduced in 2007 as the follow-up model of the popular predecessor Breitling B1. But in the Aeromarine series, we have the model with the name Seawolf (since 2003). So, same as we have the Aeromarine and the Aerospace, we have the Seawolf and the Airwolf. Breitling loves to have these kind 'semantic couples'. In this case the name Airwolf would be a parallel to the Seawolf, whose name comes from an actual fish. I think the name suits the design of the Airwolf. It's big, almost bulky, looks more like an instrument than a wrist watch. It's clearly not an understatement: With a watch like this you catch attention. It is an eye-catcher.
Aerospace - definitely above the sky
*Meaning: aer- + space1 : space comprising the earth's atmosphere and the space beyond
2 : a branch of physical science that deals with aerospace
3 : the industry involved in the manufacture of aerospace vehicles
The name 'Aerospace' has a much more common meaning. When I hear this name, I associate it with athmosphere, with space and with astronauts. It's a very light watch, it's dial is simple, which makes it much easier to read the time. No distractions, no second hand, the bezel is simple and undirectional. This is a Breitling's way of understatement. Also the titanium-case makes it's appearance special. It's well-known for being dense, strong and corrosion resistant - the kind of attributes that serve well in the aerospace if in fact an astronaut would wear this kind of watch out there. That would make it a kind of 'space watch'. Maybe that's what the Breitling designers imagined back in 1985 when the watch was produced and sold for the first time.
Two brilliant timepieces
It's clear that these two watches are one of the best quartz watches out there. Both have a unique design combining a top analog and digital timepiece. It's clearly up to your individual taste to find your favorite among these two. Some like big and bulky, some like smaller and lighter. I hope you'll find my information useful when informing yourself about these watches. But keep in mind, a million words cannot describe the feeling when you try the wacth on, when you see all these things in real. So your next step should be testing it yourself. And then make a decision. I wish you good luck.
[*Meaning taken from Merriam-Webster dictionary Version 2.5]
Related post: Breitling Aerospace and Airwolf comparison, part I
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