Discover the Navitimer collection with one of our Breitling specialists

Did you know early Navitimers can be dated by the number of beads surrounding the bezel? 

Find out what makes the Navitimer iconic as we catch up with Conor Patton one of our Breitling specialists… 

What watch are you talking to us about today Conor?

So today we’ll be talking about the Iconic Navitimers. Navitimers have been in Breitlings collection since 1952 when Willy Breitling was approached by the renowned US Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and asked to create a new chronograph for its members. 

The case diameter was fixed at 41 millimetres, which was large for its time – large enough to ensure that all the information on the dial would be easy to read.  

And as for the name, what could be more evocative than the Navitimer, a combination of navigation and timer. 

What do you love about this watch?

So, something I find really interesting about the heritage of watch family is that the number of beads surrounding the bezel can actually be used to determine the date of early Navitimers.

The number of these beads varied from as many as 125 in the early 1950s to as few as 93 in 1960.

What do client’s love about this watch?

These two watches have a bottle green dial. Seven of the top ten watches that we sold in 2023 in this boutique, have this dial.

Earlier this year, Breitling brought out a smaller version in a 41 millimetre. So it’s perfect for all different wrist types. For somebody that wants to go for that Navitimer heritage, but a little bit more of a cleaner, sleeker look.

In the casual style of an industrial city loft, the Breitling Boutique Belfast first opened its doors in April 2022, making it the first Breitling Boutique on the island of Ireland. The boutique offers a relaxed yet upscale ambience, where you can choose to take a seat at the Watch Bar to see our watches up close or book a private appointment in the Breitling lounge.  

Visit the Breitling Boutique to discover our collections of air, land and water themes and browse through our wide range of leather and metal straps for him and for her.  

Open Monday to Saturday from 10am – 5pm, drop by the boutique anytime or book an appointment to speak with a Breitling specialist.

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