Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute Marks 60th Anniversary Of ‘First…

On the 60th anniversary of the Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute’s journey aboard the Aurora 7 spacecraft, the mythical watch with the 24-hour dial is set to lift off once again in a new release that pays tribute to the historic mission.

In the 1960s, Breitling’s Navitimer was the undisputed pilot’s watch. But the world’s attention was rapidly advancing beyond air travel and into space exploration, and that meant a different kind of Space Race was quietly underway. This time, between watchmakers vying to be the first on astronauts’ wrists.

On May 24, 1962, Breitling officially claimed the title ‘first Swiss wristwatch in space’ after astronaut Scott Carpenter orbited the Earth three times while wearing the Navitimer Cosmonaute during his Mercury-Atlas 7 mission. The watch had been Carpenter’s personal request, a variation on the iconic aviator’s watch he’d encountered in his flight days, but with a 24-hour dial to tell day from night in space.

Breitling catalogue from 1964 featuring the Navitimer, the Navitimer Cosmonaute and Lt. Commander Scott Carpenter. (PPR/Breitling)

Today—on the 60th anniversary of that mission—Breitling not only unveiled Carpenter’s original Navitimer Cosmonaute, but also launched a modern tribute to it. This special release is limited to 362 numbered pieces that recognise both the spacecraft’s circumnavigations of the Earth and the year the mission made history, marking a crucial step in manned spaceflight.

“When we introduced the redesigned Navitimer earlier this year, a question on everybody’s lips was, ‘What about the Cosmonaute?’ Today, I’m thrilled to finally announce two Cosmonaute reveals: the first-ever public viewing of the watch Scott Carpenter wore into space, and a 60th-anniversary limited-edition timepiece that pays tribute to its history-making forerunner.”
Georges Kern, CEO, Breitling

Breitling Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Limited Edition

The Cosmonaute is a true Navitimer, meaning it has all the hallmarks of Breitling’s aviation icon: the circular slide rule for performing mathematical calculations, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association “wings” logo, and the trio of chronograph subdials. What separates the Cosmonaute from the rest of its family is its ability to tell 24-hour time. The Breitling Manufacture Caliber B02 was specifically designed for this task.

The new Cosmonaute is a faithful reproduction of the original, made timeless with an all-black dial and black alligator strap or seven-row stainless-steel bracelet. On closer inspection, the elegantly proportioned 41 mm watch is packed with new features. One is its platinum bezel, a premium touch that makes this numbered edition even more of a collector’s piece.

Another is its open sapphire crystal caseback that provides a window on the B02 movement with its special bridge engravings to mark the occasion: the words “Carpenter,” “Aurora 7,” and “3 orbits around the Earth,” along with the name of the original group of seven astronauts chosen for NASA’s first human-crewed spaceflights, Mercury 7.

While other watch brands have claims to space firsts, only Breitling can call itself the “first Swiss wristwatch in space.” The only other Swiss timepiece to have reached orbit previously was a pocket stopwatch equipped with a strap.

Today’s Cosmonaute takes us back to the origins of space travel, when the race was on, stakes were high, and every mission was a triumph of human ingenuity. This new watch honors the aesthetics of the original Cosmonaute, with subtle updates that work almost imperceptibly to give it its modern-retro appeal.

Technical Specifications:

NAVITIMER B02 CHRONOGRAPH 41 COSMONAUTE LIMITED EDITION

Reference: PB02301A1B1A1 or PB02301A1B1P1

WATCH MOVEMENT

Caliber: Breitling Manufacture Caliber B02
Diameter: 30 millimeters
Depth: 6.83 millimeters
Winder: mechanical hand-wound
Power reserve: approximately 70 hours
Balance frequency: 28,800 a/h or 4 hertz
Chronograph: column-wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers
Display: hour, minute, second, date window
Certification: COSC-certified

CASE

Material: stainless steel and platinum
Diameter: 41 millimeters
Thickness: 13 millimeters
Height (upper lug tip to lower lug tip): 47.09 millimeters
Water resistance: up to 3 bar (30 meters)
Glass: cambered sapphire, glareproofed on both sides
Caseback: screwed steel, sapphire crystal
Crown: non-screw-locked, two gaskets
Bezel: platinum, bidirectional with circular slide rule