REVIEW - BREITLING NAVITIMER SERIES

A FLYING START

Breitling’s specialty lies in the field of aviation, and no watch in its range is more suited to the magnificent men and their flying machines than the Navitimer. First launched in 1952, the Navitimer chronograph was an instant success as it was capable of carrying out all the calculations necessary for a flight plan. In the sixties, the Navitimer also took one giant leap for mankind, when a highly innovative 24-hour dial was added to help astronauts distinguish between night and day. The Navitimer officially became out of this world when astronaut Scott Carpenter wore it on the Aurora 7 mission in 1962.

UNPARALLELED INNOVATION

More than fifty years after its inception, aeroplanes and rocket ships use rather more sophisticated means to make their journeys, but the Navitimer’s dial and bezel can actually calculate fuel of consumption, air speed, rate of descent, and the conversion of air miles to nautical miles. It does all this with a circular slide rule – a simple solution to a complex problem.

A WATCH FOR LIFE

Thanks to its large clear dial, stopwatch functions and traditional aesthetics, the Navitimer has become an iconic and highly collectible piece. The generous 41.8mm case of the standard Navitimer contains Breitiling’s in-house self-winding mechanical B01 movement, a minimum 42 power reserve, and is available with several combinations of strap, bracelet and face combinations from TIME².

The Navitimer Montbrillant – also available at TIME² – is an excellent option for those with smaller wrists, as it has a slightly smaller 38mm case.

Perhaps the only downfall of the Navitimer is its lack of suitability for swimming – it’s only waterproof to 30m. Provided you don’t take it to the pool, however, this will be a watch for life.

See Breitling Navitimer for the full collection.