The Breitling Navitimer is a watch that was released in 1954 in Switzerland by Breitling SA. Since then it has been one of the best selling watches produced by Breitling.
In the 1941, Breitling patented an innovative circular slide rule chronograph, easily handling tachymeter, telemeter, pulsometer, and various mathematical operations. The 1942 watch that resulted, named âÂÂChronomatâ (standing for âÂÂChronographe-Mathematiqueâ â not to be confused with Chronomat â CHRONOgraph AUTOmatic from 1984), allowed to perform calculations directly on the watch.
In 1952, the AOPA (Aicraft Owners and Pilots Association) asked for a modified version of this watch, replacing the logarithmic slide rule with an E6B slide rule [link to E6B page], in order to allow aviation calculations to be done directly on the watch (fuel consumption, landing time, average speedâ¦).
Launched in 1954, Navitimer stands for âÂÂNavigation and TimerâÂÂ.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the Navitimer was sold through the AOPA (Navitimer with AOPA logo on the dial) and retailers that carried Breitling (Breitling logo / TwinJet logo on the dial).
In 1961, Scott Carpenter, one of the original astronauts in the Mercury space program, tasked Breitling with incorporating a 24-hour dial and movement instead of the standard 12-hour dial, due to lack of day and night in space travel. Breitling produced the 24-hour Navitimer, which Carpenter wore on his 1962 space flight. Breitling proceeded to produce a commercial version of the 24-hour version, the Navitimer Cosmonaute, with both Breitling and AOPA logos.
The first automatic Navitimer chronograph was introduced to the public in 1969; its movement was co-developed by Breitling, Dubois-Depraz, Heuer, and HamiltonIt was a secret consortium project called âÂÂProject 99â led by Breitling.
The Breitling Navitimer has been worn by several influential individuals in the world of aerospace and beyond, including astronaut Scott Carpenter, jazz musician Miles Davis, and comedian Jerry Seinfeld.