New Breitling Navitimer: a high-flying collection
For the seventieth anniversary of the famous Navitimer chronograph, Breitling is launching a new series of this legendary instrument in rose gold or steel and in three different sizes to suit all modes of wear. Discover it!
When Léon Breitling (1860-1914) founded the eponymous brand in Saint-Imier in 1884, his idea was clear. In a world in the middle of an industrial boom, the most useful watchmaking instrument at the time to participate effectively in this boom was the chronograph, a timepiece that could be used to take various time readings in addition to telling the time. These precision tools, intended for sports, industry and the military, were immediately appealing because of their ability to serve the cause of progress.
Aware of the importance of moving forward, Breitling invented the independent chronograph pusher in 1915. In 1923, the Maison perfected the system and in 1934 developed a chronograph incorporating a second pusher. This decisive innovation, quickly taken up by the competition, laid the foundations of the wrist chronograph as we know it today.
The genius of the brand is to have been able, as early as 1942 with the Chronomat and even more so in 1952 with the Navitimer chrono, to respond to the real needs of aeroplane pilots, a sector that was then in full growth.
A precision multifunction chronograph
For the enlightened amateurs, the chronographs having a history worthy of making them appear in a good place in the collections, are counted on the fingers of one hand. And all agree to consider the Navitimer of Breitling, reference launched in 1952, as being among these rare instruments.
Equipped with a slide rule on the bidirectional rotating bezel, it has been designed for professionals in civil and military aviation. Thanks to it, the Navitimer chronograph makes it possible to solve all operations linked to air navigation such as fuel consumption, rate of climb or descent, conversion of miles into kilometres or nautical miles… Efficient and useful, this specialised timepiece was quickly chosen as the official watch by the AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association), the largest association (founded in 1939) of aircraft owners and pilots in the world.
An iconic product designed for vertical collections
Even today, this model, identifiable among a thousand and with an elegance inherited from years of good and loyal service, remains the most emblematic in the brand’s collection, currently in the hands of CVC and Partners Group to be piloted by its CEO, Georges Kern. A cult object for all aviation enthusiasts, but also for lovers of beautiful human adventures, this timepiece has been produced continuously since its creation and is currently available in a wide range of products designed to meet the expectations of the greatest number of fans.
On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of this superlative timepiece launched in 1952, Breitling presented on 29 March in Zurich, Switzerland, and then at Geneva airport, all the pieces intended to celebrate this anniversary awaited by all collectors in majesty.
These models are available in 41 mm, 43 mm and 46 mm diameters, in steel and 18-carat rose gold. Refined at the level of the case middle to give them back the balance they had at the time of their launch (with hand-wound mechanical calibres), these specialised timepieces are all equipped with the now famous integrated self-winding mechanical manufacture chronograph calibre called B01 vibrating at 4 Hz.
Visible through the sapphire crystal caseback, it is equipped with an openworked oscillating weight allowing detailed observation of the care taken in finishing the movement.
These tools, which today’s pilots will not disdain, are so reminiscent of the glory days of civil and military aviation, and feature bi-directional bezels that have been refined at the slide rule level to improve instinctive legibility, and different dials all displaying the 806 AOPA logo instead of the usual “B” logo.
Available in different colours depending on the size, they range from two-tone black and white to ice blue, forest green, almond green and champagne. With a rich 70-year history of anecdotes and human adventures, these chronographs are water-resistant to 3 bar and are worn on an alligator bracelet closed by an adjustable folding clasp.
Navitimer B01 Chronograph 41 from €8,300.
MOVEMENT
Calibre: Breitling Manufacture Calibre 01
Diameter: 30 mm
Depth: 7,2 mm
Winder: self-winding mechanical, bidirectional with ball bearing
Power reserve: approximately 70 hours
Number of components: 346
Balance frequency: 28,800 a/h or 4 hertz
Chronograph: column-shell, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers
Display: hour, minute, second, date window
Certification: COSC-certified
CASE
Material: stainless steel or 18 k red gold
Diameter: 41 mm
Thickness: 13,60 mm
Water resistance: up to 3 bar (30 meters)
Glace: cambered sapphire, glare proofed on both sides
Caseback: screwed steel, sapphire crystal
Crown: non screw-locked, two gaskets
Bezel: bidirectional wit circular slide rule
DIAL/HANDS
Blue, silver, or mint green with contrasting chronograph counters
Super-LumiNova® luminescent indexes, hour and minute hands
STRAP
Black or gold-brown alligator leather strap with a folding buckle or stainless-steel 7-row Navitimer bracelet with a butterfly clasp
Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 from €8,400.
MOVEMENT
Calibre: Breitling Manufacture Calibre 01
Diameter: 30 mm
Depth: 7,2 mm
Winder: self-winding mechanical, bidirectional with ball bearing
Power reserve: approximately 70 hours
Number of components: 346
Balance frequency: 28,800 a/h or 4 hertz
Chronograph: column-shell, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers
Display: hour, minute, second, date window
Certification: COSC-certified
CASE
Material: stainless steel or 18 k red gold
Diameter: 43 mm
Thickness: 13,69 mm
Water resistance: up to 3 bar (30 meters)
Glace: cambered sapphire, glare proofed on both sides
Caseback: screwed steel, sapphire crystal
Crown: non screw-locked, two gaskets
Bezel: bidirectional wit circular slide rule
DIAL/HANDS
Blue, silver, copper, ice blue or mint green with contrasting chronograph counters
Super-LumiNova® luminescent indexes, hour and minute hands
STRAP
Black alligator leather strap with a folding buckle or stainless-steel 7-row Navitimer bracelet with a butterfly clasp
Navitimer B01 Chronograph 46 from €8,500
MOVEMENT
Calibre: Breitling Manufacture Calibre 01
Diameter: 30 mm
Depth: 7,2 mm
Winder: self-winding mechanical, bidirectional with ball bearing
Power reserve: approximately 70 hours
Number of components: 346
Balance frequency: 28,800 a/h or 4 hertz
Chronograph: column-shell, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers
Display: hour, minute, second, date window
Certification: COSC-certified
CASE
Material: stainless steel or 18 k red gold
Diameter: 46 mm
Thickness: 13,95 mm
Water resistance: up to 3 bar (30 meters)
Glace: cambered sapphire, glare proofed on both sides
Caseback: screwed steel, sapphire crystal
Crown: non screw-locked, two gaskets
Bezel: bidirectional wit circular slide rule
DIAL/HANDS
Black, blue, dark green or silver with contrasting chronograph counters
Super-LumiNova® luminescent indexes, hour and minute hands
STRAP
Black or brown alligator leather strap with a folding buckle or stainless-steel 7-row Navitimer bracelet with a butterfly clasp
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