The New Navitimer Perpetual Calendar Chronograph by Breitling

For more than 70 years, the Navitimer has taken on diverse roles, from an indispensable tool for pilots to a cultural icon. This year, Navitimer Stories will recount these chapters in aviation, lifestyle, and technology, showcasing why this remarkable timepiece remains as significant today as ever.

Created in 1952 for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the Navitimer combines a chronograph with Breitling's patented circular slide rule, allowing aviators to perform flight calculations right on their wrist. This quintessential pilot's watch soon proved itself at all altitudes — worn by supersonic flyers at the edge of space and by astronauts since the earliest days of manned space flight.

With the Navitimer B19, Breitling presents two extraordinary timepieces powered by the B19 manufacture chronograph movement with a perpetual calendar, embodying the highest level of complexity and materials. In steel and platinum or full platinum and in altitude-inspired color variants, they celebrate the vertical journey of the Breitling legend.

"At Breitling, we've always pushed boundaries, not only with our legendary designs but also through the development of exceptional movements in our watches," says Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling. "The Navitimer B19 is impressive in every way."

A Century in Motion: The B19 Caliber

At the heart of this altitude duo is the Breitling Manufacture Caliber B19, launched in 2024 to mark the brand's 140th anniversary. This represents a significant technical milestone, combining Breitling's expertise in chronographs with a genuine perpetual calendar that automatically accounts for leap years and varying month lengths, requiring no major manual adjustments for an entire century. The moon phase further enhances the Navitimer's original purpose as a celestial measurement tool.

Technically, the Navitimer B19 set new standards for Breitling, earning it the 2025 Temporis Award. It is an automatic chronograph with a perpetual calendar and a 96-hour power reserve. A single-stage correction system via the crown allows for collective calendar display adjustments, while two discreet pushers at 8 and 10 o'clock enable individual settings. The winding mechanism is powered by an 18-carat red gold rotor, visible through the sapphire case back. The movement is certified as a chronometer, ensuring the highest precision.

It is simply the most advanced movement ever housed in a Navitimer, and currently the only automatic chronograph with a perpetual calendar in the regular core range available on the market.

Altitude as a Color, Material, and Mood

The timepieces translate the aviation history of the Navitimer into two powerful, tangible expressions. Each model represents a different altitude.

The platinum edition, limited to 75 pieces, features a deep blue lacquered dial inspired by the stratosphere at high altitudes, where the atmosphere is thinner, the sky denser, and the curvature of the Earth becomes visible. The full platinum case is paired with a black external slide rule and a contrasting white inner scale, drawing the eye to the astronomical heart of the dial. The matching marine blue alligator leather strap with folding clasp completes the edition.

The second execution in stainless steel with a platinum bezel is distinguished by its anthracite dial, symbolizing the silence and depth of space. It boasts the same contrasting slide rule configuration and refined dial architecture, and is available with a brown alligator leather strap or a seven-row steel bracelet, emphasizing the watch's dramatic and unearthly character.

Both models are distinguished by a range of refined design features. Their lacquered dials give the watch depth and luminous effects, while raised metal rings around the sub dials create a new three-dimensional architecture. The moon phase display at 12 o'clock captures attention with its details, and each case is equipped with Breitling's characteristic knurled bezel. Thus, each dial becomes a universe in miniature: technical, cosmic — and unmistakably a Navitimer.

A Legend Still Soaring High

The Navitimer originated from the demand of professional users. Thanks to the characteristic slide rule, it became an indispensable cockpit tool during the golden age of civil aviation. Over time, it spread beyond the cockpit thanks to its unmistakable appearance, seen on the wrists of diverse personalities like Miles Davis, Serge Gainsbourg, and Formula 1 legends Graham Hill and Jim Clark. It even made a journey into space with astronaut Scott Carpenter. Yet, it has always remained true to its original form.

With this pair of exceptional watches, Breitling unites heritage, high complexity, and modern design in a way only the Navitimer can. They are shaped by civil aviation, inspired by the sky, and constructed to measure time for many generations long.

Media Contact:
Romy Hebden
Phone: +41 32 654 54 54
Email: media@breitling.com
Breitling SA
Léon Breitling-Strasse 2
2540 Grenchen - Switzerland

Editor's note: Image rights belong to the respective publisher. Image rights: Breitling SA