Breitling Navitimer Automatic 41

Quick specs Breitling Navitimer Automatic 41
Price:
starts at $ 5,300 | € 5.300 | £ 4,450 | CHF 5’200 (steel)
starts at $ 7,500 | € 7.650 | £ 6,400 | CHF 7’500 (steel/gold)
$ 15,000 | € 14.900 | £ 12,400 | CHF 14’500 (gold, leather)
$ 35,950 | € 34.500 | £ 29,500 | CHF 34’500 (gold, bracelet)
Size: 41 mm
Reference:
A17329161C1A1 (blue, steel, bracelet)
A17329161C1P1 (blue, steel, leather)
A17329171C1A1 (ice blue, steel, bracelet)
A17329171C1P1 (ice blue, steel, leather)
A17329371L1A1 (green steel, bracelet)
A17329371L1P1 (green, steel, leather)
U17329F41G1P1 (silver, steel/gold, leather)
U17329F41G1U1 (silver, steel/gold, bracelet)
R17329F41G1P1 (silver, gold, leather)
R17329F41G1R1 (silver, gold, bracelet)

140 years of Breitling is celebrated this year, with this Breitling Navitimer Automatic 41, among other models. The Navitimer is one of the oldest model lines of the Swiss brand and goes back to 1952. In that year the first Navitimer (Ref. 806 Mark 1) was designed for the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA). This pre-production model was launched in 1954 as “The official AOPA Chronograph”. Breitling calls it “the first wristwatch for pilots to combine a chronograph and a computational slide rule”.

In the early years the Navitimer measures about 40 millimeters in diameter, and in 1964 grown to 41 millimeters with the Ref. 806 Mark 4. That size will be the fixed size for the Navitimer, although later other sizes were introduced as well. The new series of Navitimers, including the Automatic 41 GMT and the Breitling Navitimer B12 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Limited Edition are all 41 millimeters.

Navitimers can calculate critical information

Just like the original Ref. 806 all Navitimers can calculate critical information, used by pilots. From fuel consumption, rate of climb and airspeed to flight times and distances. It’s “just” a matter of using the circular bidirectional slide rule bezel to quickly make calculations. A welcome feature in the aviation industry, already used by Breitling in the 1940s on their Chronomat models.

The design of the watch, including the design of the dial hasn’t changed much over the years. Which makes sense as it offers all essential information and functions presented in a clear and easy to read way. For sure, a few improvements have been made, but you can recognize a Navitimer from a mile away, old or new.

Steel, responsibly mined gold or both

The redesign of the Navitimer, started in 2022, goes on with new dial colors and case materials. Now there is a choice of blue, ice blue, green dials with a steel case or silver dials with a responsibly mined gold case or a combination of steel and gold. And all on a leather strap or steel, gold or steel/gold bracelet.

While the dial colors have been updated, the movement of the Breitling Navitimer Automatic 41 hasn’t. It’s still the ETA caliber 2824-2 based Breitling caliber 17, sometimes called Breitling caliber B17, with a power reserve of 38 hours. Which can also have the Sellita SW200-1 as a base for the 17 when it has 26 instead of 25 jewels. No matter what the base is, it is COSC certified, and Breitling adjusts this quality base to its own standards in-house.