Breitling Navitimer: The Pilot's Watch That Conquered the Sky Category: Brand Heritage Published: 2026-02-08 In 1952, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association endorsed a new Breitling chronograph with a circular slide rule bezel — the most functionally complete pilot's watch ever made. The Circular Slide Rule BezelThe bidirectional bezel incorporates a logarithmic slide rule for airspeed, fuel consumption, flight time, and unit conversion — essential cockpit equipment in 1952. Ref. 806: The OriginalThe 1952 reference 806 with Venus 178 movement set the Navitimer template: three subdials, baton lugs, AOPA logo, and slide rule bezel — unchanged in spirit for 70 years. Scott Carpenter Takes It to SpaceOn May 24, 1962, NASA astronaut Scott Carpenter orbited Earth three times wearing a Cosmonaute Navitimer with 24-hour dial to distinguish day from night in orbit. The B01 In-House MovementThe modern Navitimer B01 uses Breitling's first fully in-house chronograph calibre — COSC-certified, column wheel, vertical clutch, 70-hour power reserve. The Navitimer's function and form are genuinely inseparable — a slide rule bezel designed for pilots, adopted by pilots, and never stopped being wanted by pilots for 70 years.