Experience the charm of the Breitling Navitimer, the king of pilot chronographs!

This is a hands-on review of the Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43. Developed for pilots, the Navitimer has evolved over the course of more than 70 years. This review explores its current status based on the 43mm reverse panda dial model.

Breitling's Navitimer, a masterpiece of pilot's chronographs

　Among the many masterpieces in the pilot chronograph genre, one watch that stands out is the Breitling Navitimer, launched in 1952. The Navitimer is a genuine professional tool developed in response to a request from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), and even now, more than 70 years later, its basic design has remained unchanged, making it popular not only among pilots but also among many watch enthusiasts.

　A signature element of the Navitimer is the aviation-use circular slide rule around the outer periphery of the dial. By rotating the bezel, it is possible to instantly perform calculations necessary for creating flight plans and piloting an aircraft, such as multiplication, division, fuel calculations, unit conversions, and ascent and descent distance calculations. This is an improved and scaled-down version of the circular slide rule used by pilots, fitted to the size of a wristwatch.

　The foundation of the Navitimer was the Chronomat, released in 1942. While the current Chronomat is a portmanteau of "chronograph" and "automatic," the 1942 Chronomat was derived from "chronograph" and "mathematic," and as its name suggests, it was a pilot's chronograph equipped with a rotary slide rule calculation function. The Navitimer has been updated by expanding the slide rule functions for aviation use and adding a 12-hour chronograph counter.

　Since its launch, the Navitimer has continued to evolve, supporting pilots in keeping with the times with a wide range of collections, including automatic models, digital models with LCD displays, and the 24-hour "Cosmonaut" model. Today, in addition to chronograph models that inherit the original functions, simple three-hand models, GMT models, and a wide range of color dials have also appeared, attracting attention from a wide range of people, both men and women of all ages.

　This time, we will review a chronograph model that is right in the middle of the mainstream, with a 43mm stainless steel case and a so-called reverse panda dial.

A detailed dial incorporating an aviation slide rule

　The first thing to note is the dial, which has an instrumental feel, housing a pilot's slide rule and a chronograph subdial. There's a 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock, a 12-hour counter and date display at 6 o'clock, and a small second at 9 o'clock, with the AOPA logo shining at 12 o'clock. The dish-shaped subdial is finished in silver, with record-like grooves to prevent light reflection. The dial itself is a sleek black. While the current Navitimer is available in a variety of colored dials, including blue, green, and copper, the black dial still offers a classic, stable feel.

　The Navitimer will undergo a model change in 2022, with several changes being made. One of these is the elimination of the tachymeter. While the design is cleaner, it's hard to deny that it leaves some mixed feelings when you consider the Navitimer's origins as a professional tool. In my personal opinion, I feel that the Navitimer is more "typical" when it's multifunctional and cluttered than when it's sophisticated.

　The date window in the 12-hour counter is also a point that will likely divide opinion. While it has a simple appearance, it certainly impairs the visibility of the counter. If we take the premise that the scale is meant to be read and not decorative, it makes us wonder if it would be better to have no date at all.

　Considering that it's a chronograph with a lot of information, the visibility is sufficient. The bar indexes and pencil-shaped hour and minute hands give it a sense of elegance, while the white luminous paint creates a contrast with the black dial. The fine lettering and markings on the slide rule are also clearly finished and easy to read. One drawback is that the bezel used to operate the slide rule is stiff, requiring a fair amount of force to turn.

Stylish case design

　Although it is a pilot's chronograph, the Navitimer has a somewhat elegant appearance. This impression is likely due to the case design. Many of its constituent elements, such as slender lugs, a narrow bezel, and pump-style pushers, are somewhat dressy. While many sports watches have become thicker and larger over the years, the Navitimer, which strongly inherits the original design, has continued to maintain its classic details.

　The case is 13.69mm thick, which is probably standard for an automatic chronograph. The thickness is distributed among the bezel, middle case, and case back, so it doesn't feel overly bulky. The tops of the lugs are polished, while the case sides are hairlined. Pilot chronographs developed for military use often have a uniform sandblasted or hairline finish. In contrast, the Navitimer's polished finish is likely due to the fact that it was developed primarily for civilian pilots.

　The watch is water resistant to 3 ATM, enough to withstand splashes from washing your hands or light rain in everyday life. According to the brand, swimming, showering, and river currents are strictly prohibited. The problem is likely due to the inclusion of an aviation-grade rotary slide rule operated by the bezel. However, it may be bad luck to imagine a situation in which a pilot would be submerged in water in the first place.

　The strap is the Navitimer's signature "pilot's bracelet." It was designed by designer Eddy Schoffel, who built a reputation at Ebel and Tag Heuer, and later worked on numerous designs for Breitling, including the Chronomat Evolution and Avenger. The design, which connects diagonally cut links, provides a wide range of movement and a flexible fit. The buckle is a two-way type that opens and closes with a push button. It's a bit disappointing that it doesn't have a fine adjustment mechanism, but the clean look when closed is appealing.

The extremely practical Cal.01

　This model is equipped with Breitling's Cal. 01, an in-house automatic chronograph movement released in 2009. It features a column wheel and vertical clutch chronograph mechanism, boasting high specs such as a long power reserve of approximately 70 hours and excellent accuracy, earning it COSC-certified chronometer status. True to Breitling's emphasis on practicality, the watch is designed to be robust and easy to maintain, and has undergone minor changes to the present day, continually improving its quality.

　In this model, the Cal. 01 can be viewed through the case back, allowing you to fully enjoy the openwork rotor, column wheel, balance movement, and finishing touches such as the Côtes de Genève.

　The crown is not screw-down, so the mainspring can be wound while it is pushed in. It has the characteristic tinkling feel of an automatic movement, and while it's not exactly luxurious, you can feel it winding properly through your fingers. Pulling it out once allows you to fast-forward the date, and pulling it out twice allows you to adjust the time. Another feature of Cal. 01 is that there are no times during which fast-forwarding the date is prohibited.

The wrist-mounted instrument intensifies the desire to reach the skies

　Now, let's try it on. At first, I thought the 43mm case size was a little large for me, whose wrist is about 16.5cm, but it actually felt natural. This is probably because the lug-to-lug distance is kept to about 49mm, and the slim lugs give the case lines a clean look.

　Above all, the unique design, featuring a precise aviation slide rule, emphasizes the watch's resemblance to an instrument rather than a watch, making its large size seem natural. Just wearing it on your wrist makes you want to look up at the sky, reminiscent of the longing for the sky you dreamed of as a child.

　Although the case itself is large, it wears well, likely due to the downward-curving lugs that fit snugly on the wrist and the thick links of the pilot bracelet that balance the weight of the watch head.

　The absence of a crown guard and a minimal protrusion of the bezel make the chronograph pushers easy to press. The firm feel typical of a practical watch makes it less likely to malfunction. The reverse panda dial highlights the inner dial, making it easy to read the elapsed time. It would have been even easier to use if it didn't have a date display.

An icon of the pilot's chronograph, beloved for over 70 years

　The Navitimer, born in 1952, has firmly established itself as Breitling's iconic model. This success is due in part to its excellent basic performance as a timekeeping device and its unique character as a flight computer equipped with an aviation-specific rotary slide rule, but also to the fact that its appearance has remained largely unchanged to this day. Among watches, there are iconic models that represent a brand or a specific genre. What many of these have in common is that they have contributed greatly to pioneering new possibilities for watches and have design codes that are instantly recognizable.

　In recent years, the Navitimer has pursued greater diversity by adding models without chronograph functions and models with colored dials to its lineup while retaining its original design codes. As a timeless icon, the Navitimer has been carefully updated to determine what should and should not be changed, and is sure to continue to adorn the wrists of many watch enthusiasts for years to come.