Hands-on with the Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 41 Rose Gold

A luxurious version of the new redesigned Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 41 watch fuses together all the practical qualities of this complex pilot’s chronograph watch with the alluring blush-pink tones of a solid 18ct rose gold case.

The new Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph watches and Navitimer Automatic watches are set to be a roaring success since they not only demonstrate yet another layer to Breitling’s unparalleled craftsmanship and thirst for innovation but tip their hat to some of the company’s earlier vintage Navitimer watches. They keep the classic feel and look of the popular Navitimer watch but come in a bold new palette of colours, resonating with both modern Breitling watch collectors and those with an endless love for this legendary navigational tool. The reason behind Breitling’s new and biggest launch this year is the 70th anniversary of the iconic Navitimer watch. The new 41mm models that come in a stainless steel case with deep blue, mint green and silver, but if Breitling’s 18ct rose gold timepieces are your preferred choice, you’ll be pleased to know that a rose gold version of this smallest men’s 41mm size has also been released to mark the occasion. All the new releases feature a domed sapphire glass front and a flat slide rule bezel to create a more compact look on the wrist. Perhaps even more interesting is the return of the AOPA winged logo that first adorned the dials of Breitling’s exclusive Navitimer watches for the US association back in the early 1950s.

Before we look into the finer details of this new and re-worked Navitimer watch, let’s talk about the new Navitimer Squad comprising basketball superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Misty Copeland, and aviation pioneer and explorer Bertrand Piccard. The NAVITIMER—FOR THE JOURNEY campaign unites these three influential advocates for the Navitimer watch, sharing Breitling’s values of determination, ambition and courage. Misty Copeland extends on what it means to become part of the Navitimer Squad:

“This project means a lot to me because it celebrates not only where I was in life, but where I’d come from and where I am going. There is an absolute parallel between navigating towards a physical destination and navigating towards the vision of where you want to be in life. You’ll see that theme come through in these three stories.”

How has the legendary Navitimer evolved over the last 70 years?

The first Navitimer was developed exclusively for the US Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), who requested a wrist-worn navigational tool that could carry out important air-bound calculations like measuring fuel consumption, distance travelled, decent and climb rate, average speed and the conversion of miles to nautical miles or kilometres. The first Navitimer watches were emblazoned with the AOPA logo upon their dial, but by the time the official 806 reference was released, complete with Breitling’s name and winged logo stamped to its surface, the Navitimer had already become a mainstay in the cockpit of most transatlantic flights. Its 41mm size, considered large back in the 1950s, featured a slide rule bezel that Willy Breitling had adopted from the logarithmic slide rule of the brand’s earlier Chronomat watch. The Navitimer was renowned for its easy-grip beaded bezel and its luminous Arabic numerals placed upon a spacious and legible dial. Since then, its size has grown, as has its range of dial colours, case materials and the design of its bezel which transformed from a beaded effect to a serrated effect during the 1960s. What’s more, a date was added, as well as the release of an automatic-powered watch to accompany the former hand-wound mechanical Navitimer.

The new 18ct rose gold Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 41

The new 41mm Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph rose gold model features polished and brushed accents to its case, together with a pair of piston-style push-pieces at 2 and 4 o’clock flanking a non-screw locked bezel. These push-pieces facilitate easy handling over the 30-minute, 12-hour and the 1/4th second chronograph functions. In addition to this, there is a small second sub-counter at 9 o’clock. The tone-on-tone display on the dial of this Navitimer is punctuated by shots of elegant 18ct rose gold seen in the baton hour markers and the central hands, treated with a layer for Super-LumiNova. At the 6 o’clock location, a date window can be found. The central red coloured chronograph second hand is coated in red and tipped with an arrow shape. At 12 o’clock, the AOPA winged logo can be seen emblazoned upon the dial’s silver-coloured surface – a nod to earlier Breitling watches developed specifically for the US association during the early 1950s. As mentioned, the domed anti-reflective and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass front, together with a flat slide rule bezel create the impression of a much more compact design.

Inside the 30-meter water-resistant rose gold case of this Breitling Navitimer watch is the home-grown Calibre 01 Manufacture. It oscillates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and produces a 70-hour power reserve. Complete with a vertical clutch and a column wheel, its re-sized and slimmed-down oscillating weight is put on show through the model’s transparent sapphire-backed case, affording a more generous view of the engine whilst at work. The key advantage of the movement’s 70-hour power reserve is its ability to maintain accuracy for longer whilst the mainspring is winding down.

The new Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 41 rose gold watch can be viewed here on a rich brown alligator leather strap with contrast stitching running down the sides. The strap secures to the wrist with a matching 18ct rose gold folding clasp engraved with the Breitling logo. Alternatively, the model fitted on an 18ct rose gold 7-row bracelet encloses with a butterfly clasp and creates a more luxurious and sophisticated finish on the wrist. If you’d like more information on the new Navitimer B01 Chronograph 41 rose gold watch, you can call our Jura Watches sales team on 01335 453453 today.