About Navitimer
Made for the skies
For over 70 years, the Navitimer has been beloved by aviators and tastemakers in equal measure. Worn by an astronaut in space and the biggest stars on Earth, it is Breitling’s most iconic timepiece. Once a tool for charting a pilot's course, now a companion for all those plotting their personal journeys through life.
Signature slide rule
Developed in 1952 for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the Navitimer became the first wristwatch flight computer, equipped with a patented circular slide rule that could perform crucial onboard calculations.
Today, it is one of the longest-produced models in the watch industry. Its unmistakable design, paired with a remarkable consistency across generations, has made the Navitimer one of the most recognizable timepieces ever created.
From flight tool to icon
Born as a pilot’s instrument, the Navitimer quickly outgrew the cockpit. Licensed pilots and Formula 1® champions Graham Hill and Jim Clark brought its functionality from sky to circuit. On stage, musicians Miles Davis and Serge Gainsbourg made it a cultural icon. And in 1962, on the wrist of astronaut Scott Carpenter, it circled the Earth three times, becoming the first Swiss wristwatch in space.
"When you choose your own road, that's where true character begins."
The modern Navitimer
Equally embraced by newcomers and seasoned collectors, the Navitimer evolved from a utilitarian instrument into a design statement. Today’s Navitimer takes cues from the past and combines them with Breitling’s latest calibers and materials, from stainless steel to red gold, platinum, and titanium. With case sizes ranging from 32mm to 46mm, GMT complications, three hand models, and even a perpetual calendar chronograph, there truly is something for everyone. On bracelet or leather, across a spectrum of dial colors, it remains unmistakably Navitimer.
Navitimer Stories
The Navitimer has travelled faster and gone farther than any other watch: racetrack, sky, stratosphere, space, and stage. This year, we capture its trajectory from flight tool to icon with Navitimer Stories. Each chapter, released alongside a new special edition, explores the frontiers the Navitimer has crossed and the spirit that continues to define it.
From sky to circuit
Navitimer Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team.
A trackside essential, engineered with Formula 1® DNA.
From circuit to stratosphere
Navitimer Tribute to Concorde.
Shaped by the aircraft that pushed aviation past its own limits.
From stratosphere to moon
Navitimer B19 Perpetual Calendar.
The Navitimer’s highest expression, colored by the altitudes it has conquered.
Navitimer B19
A milestone moment for the Navitimer arrived on Breitling’s 140 year anniversary with the introduction of our first perpetual calendar chronograph, driven by the manufacture Caliber B19. Achieving a 96-hour power reserve was no small feat, but it was essential for a complication that requires careful setting and uninterrupted precision. This anniversary edition featured a red-gold case with a matching dial, while a moonphase at 12 o’clock referenced the Navitimer’s origins in the skies.
Navitimer Calibers
The Navitimer collection is powered by a range of calibers, from the in-house Manufacture Caliber 01, to the 24-hour display B02, the perpetual calendar chronograph Caliber B19, and the manual-wind B09. Each of these tried and tested movements are produced at our manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds—the Breitling Chronometrie.
"Once a tool for charting a pilot's course, now a companion for all those plotting their personal journeys through life."
Heritage
Naturally, as Breitling’s icon, a lot more can be said about the Navitimer. Learn more about the rich history of this remarkable watch.
It's Breitling's flagship chronograph and one of the longest-produced watches in the industry.
The numbers on the outer dial and bezel are used for the Navitimer's circular slide rule.
The slide rule, implemented on the Navitimer's dial and bezel is the predecessor to modern calculators. The numbers on the bezel can be aligned with the ones on the dial to perform multiplication and division.