Jewellery & Watch News
If you’re looking for an imposing, elegant and all-round reliable chronograph, Breitling’s latest series of Navitimers will seriously tempt your wrist. The new range of 2022 Breitling Navitimer watches celebrate the collection turning 70 and in turn, reveal the aviation-inspired aesthetic in a new set of styles and colours. Today, we’re getting up close and personal with the Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 46.
Whether you’re new to Breitling or a seasoned connoisseur, just a quick online search of the luxury watch brand will quickly reveal the Navitimer as their flagship design. It was first created in 1952 when founder Willy Breitling developed a wrist-worn chronograph with a circular slide rule bezel allowing pilots to perform all necessary flight calculations. Two years later and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) announced the watch as their official timepiece and so, with combining the words “navigation” and “timer” together, the Breitling Navitimer watch was born.
“We don’t throw the term ‘icon’ around lightly,” says Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling. “The Navitimer is one of the most recognizable watches ever made. It’s on collectors’ lists of the greatest watches of all time. What began as a tool for pilots has gone on to mean something profound to every single person who has had this timepiece along on their personal journey.”
There are several immediately noticeable details that make up a Navitimer. First of all, the circular slide rule bezel is a defining detail, containing all the features needed for pilot-appropriate calculations to be possible. To pair with that, the bezel features notched detailing for easy manipulation, even while wearing thick pilots’ gloves. The Breitling Navitimer watch collection also famously reveals baton indexes, tri-compax chronograph layout and large piston-shaped chronograph pushers. For the 2022 Breitling Navitimer watch collection, all these features remain alongside some subtle improvements for an all-new pilots watch.
The Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 46 watch comes in four designs, three engineered from classic stainless steel and a fourth model crafted from 18 carat rose gold. All boast an arresting 46mm diameter, a thickness of 13.9mm and the famous circular slide rule bezel. New to the design is the silhouette of the bi-directional bezel which now features a more flattened architecture but one that still guarantees exceptional grip. The cases also deliver non-screw locked crowns, large piston-shaped chronograph pushers, sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflective treatment, a screw down case back and a water resistance of 30 metres.
The three stainless steel Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 46 watches come with a choice of a black dial with silver counters, blue dial with silver counters or our personal favourite, a deep forest green dial with contrasting black subsidiary dials. For the rose gold Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 46, a silver sunray centre is elected paired with black counters for a panda-dial finish. All four models feature baton-shaped indexes and hands treated to glow in the dark Superluminova and a bold red chronograph seconds hand. Lastly, the dials of the new Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph watches revive the AOPA wing logo as seen on the original 1950’s Navitimers at the 12 o’clock position.
Powering the Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 46 watches is the legendary B01 Breitling Manufacture automatic winding movement. Created in-house and COSC certified, the movement promises a 70 hour power reserve and is backed by a five-year warranty. We’re also treated to a frequency of 28,800vph, 47 jewels and a newly-designed date aperture which is now cleverly integrated into the 12 hour chronograph counter at 6 o’clock. Complete with a Cotes de Geneve decorated rotor, you can admire the Breitling-made movement through the sapphire crystal exhibition case back.
If you’d like to learn more about the new Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 46 watches and shop the collection for yourself, head over to the C W Sellors website here. Alternatively, get in touch with the team by calling 01335 453453 or send us a message at sales@cwsellors.com.
Specifications:
- Case Size: 46mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel or 18ct rose gold
- Bezel: Bi-directional, slide rule
- Glass: Cambered sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides
- Crown: Non-screw locked
- Case Back: Screwed in with sapphire crystal insert
- Water Resistance: 30 metres
- Movement: Breitling B01 Manufacture, automatic winding
- Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, central chronograph seconds, 30 minutes counter, 12 hours counter, date
- Power Reserve: 70 hours
- Jewels: 47
- Frequency: 28,800vph
- Dial: Black, blue, green or silver with contrasting counters and Superluminova hardware
- Strap: Alligator leather or metal bracelet
- RRP: Starts from £7,050
