Breitling Navitimer 2022

The Navitimer series of watches is, without question, one of Swiss watchmaker Breitling’s most iconic and celebrated and they’ve got a brand new series to choose from in 2022 for any man seeking a stylish, adventure ready timepiece for their wrist. The Breitling Navitimer 2022 is a celebration of the legendary timepiece turning 70, so the brand has unveiled a redesigned collection that is all about bold colour, enhanced styling and, last but not least, incredible journeys.

For 70 years, Breitling’s original pilot’s watch has been much loved by aviators and tastemakers in equal measure and it has become one of the timepieces most synonymous with the Swiss watchmaker. Worn by an astronaut in space and the biggest stars on Earth, it is Breitling’s most iconic timepiece by some margin. Today, Breitling honours the legend with the introduction of a new Navitimer series that captures its most classic features, while enhancing them with a selection of contemporary refinements.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT

Not even the inventor of the Navitimer could have predicted the phenomenon it would become. In 1952, Willy Breitling developed a wrist-worn chronograph with a circular slide rule that would allow pilots to perform all required flight calculations. Two years later, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the largest aviators’ club in the world, announced the design as its official timepiece and the rest, as they say, is history. To come up with the new Navitimer, Breitling kept the most recognisable aspects of the icon’s design code. From a distance, this is unmistakably a Navitimer, with its circular slide rule, baton indexes, trio of chronograph counters, and notched bezel for easy grip.

Up close, however, the Breitling Navitimer 2022 collection has modern refinements that come through loud and clear.  A flattened slide rule and a domed crystal provide the illusion of a more streamlined profile. Alternating polished and brushed finishes give the metal elements a lustrous yet minimalist aesthetic. A slimmer silhouette on the oscillating weight enhances the open-caseback view of the COSC-certified Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01. This movement is backed by a five-year warranty, and will give around 70 hours of power reserve, and allows the wearer to change the date—now visible through a discreet window in the sub-dial at 6 o’clock—at any time.

The new series of Navitimer watches from Breitling comes in a range of sizes (46, 43, or 41 mm), two case materials (stainless steel or 18-karat red gold), and a choice of straps (semi-shiny alligator or seven-row metal bracelet). Contemporary colours in shades of blue, green, and copper define its updated dial options. And if there is one feature sure to spark nostalgia, it’s the return of the AOPA wings to their original position at 12 o’clock. The Navitimer is back and better than ever.

Leo Davie