Navitimer
For nearly 70 years it has been an icon among pilot watches, the Navitimer used to be an integral part of many a professional pilot’s equipment and to this day, it continues to be widely worn by aviation aficionados. This precision made “wrist instrument” not only met the purpose of extremely accurate timekeeping, it also helped to navigate the skies. Upon its launch in 1952, the watch proved to be an absolute game-changer. It features a logarithmic scale which, in the extremely unpleasant event of one or all of the cockpit instruments breaking down, allowed the pilot to calculate complex operations in the sky. This meant the pilot could now rely on the watch to gain the data necessary to continue the flight and, subsequently, touch down without injury.
Becoming an instant hit after its introduction, it was so popular a special edition of the Navitimer was even commissioned by the American Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association bearing the AOPA logo. The Navitimer was, of course, equipped with a chronograph. At Breitling this function is more or less fitted as standard in all its watches. Initially, the model was powered by a hand-wound movement but with time an automatic movement would take its place (in 1969 Breitling was one of the first to present a calibre 11 automatic movement featuring a stopwatch).
Becoming an instant hit after its introduction, it was so popular a special edition of the Navitimer was even commissioned by the American Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association bearing the AOPA logo. The Navitimer was, of course, equipped with a chronograph. At Breitling this function is more or less fitted as standard in all its watches. Initially, the model was powered by a hand-wound movement but with time an automatic movement would take its place (in 1969 Breitling was one of the first to present a calibre 11 automatic movement featuring a stopwatch).
Something more...
Immediately after its inception in the 1950s, the watch became a big favourite among important personalities and high society. For example, legendary jazz trumpeter and musical genius Miles Davis and the Hollywood actress Raquel Welch both wore a Navitimer.The 1962 model was launched into space, along with astronaut Scott Carpenter, while the Navitimer Top Time even played a part in the 1965 Bond movie Thunderball.
Collection highlight
If you seek a living legend in the Breitling collection of watches, a truly timeless icon, then one of the first to fit the bill would be the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43. Its ideally sized steel 43 mm case looks great adorning any male wrist.Its ageless design, with that striking ratcheted bezel, recognisable from miles afar, along with that superb in-house automatic chronograph movement, understandably makes this timepiece incredibly popular.