Created in Breitling’s characteristic modern-retro style, two new manual-wind chronographs bring the spirit of the iconic Twin Jet Navitimer of the 1960s to the core collection. The Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 and the Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute revisit two defining expressions of the collection: the aviation instrument developed for pilots and the 24-hour watch adapted for space flight. Both carry the era-appropriate Twin Jet logo.
Developed in 1952 as a tool for aviators, the Navitimer combined a circular slide rule with a chronograph, enabling pilots to perform calculations with the twist of a bezel and track elapsed time at the press of a pusher. A decade later, Breitling adapted it for space flight at the request of early NASA astronaut Scott Carpenter.
Now available in hand-wound form, the Navitimer B02 Cosmonaute and the Navitimer B09 Chronograph reflect the spirit of the 1960s with the era-appropriate Twin Jet logo. Both models join the core collection, revisiting Breitling’s history, from the cockpit to the space capsule.
Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute
Under Willy Breitling, the Navitimer was reimagined for Carpenter’s pioneering Mercury-Atlas 7 orbital flight. The result was the Navitimer Cosmonaute with a distinguishing 24-hour display that provided a practical way to measure time beyond the cycle of day and night. When Carpenter wore it into orbit on May 24, 1962, the Cosmonaute became the first Swiss wristwatch to travel into space.
“Creating the Cosmonaute for the core collection is an important moment for Breitling,” says Jean-Marc Pontroué, CEO of Breitling. “This is a watch with an incredible history, but we don’t see it as something that belongs only to the past. The manual-wind 24-hour movement combined with the unmistakable Navitimer design set it apart from all other chronographs in our collection.”
The Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute brings original features to the modern collection. Its 41-mm stainless-steel case houses the manually wound Breitling Manufacture Caliber B02, a 24-hour chronograph movement used exclusively in the Cosmonaute. The date is discreetly integrated into the lower subdial, preserving the dial’s symmetry while matching its color for a subtle display.
Few watches illustrate how Breitling’s heritage has always been driven by purpose better than the Cosmonaute. At the request of Scott Carpenter, Willy Breitling developed a watch for a completely new environment and created a 24-hour display for the astronaut’s mission. Bringing this historically significant watch into the core collection means everyone can now create their own story with it.
The Cosmonaute is available with either a hand-applied brown gradient calfskin-leather strap with folding clasp or a seven-row stainless-steel bracelet with contrasting satin and polished finishing.
Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41
The Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 is the first core collection Navitimer powered by the manual-wind caliber B09. Previous executions with the B09 were reserved for limited editions or special commemorative timepieces, the most recent being the Navitimer Tribute to Miles Davis. This new iteration is inspired by the 1960s watch worn by race car drivers Jim Clark and Graham Hill, who also flew aircraft and understood how useful the Navitimer’s slide rule and chronograph would be on the track.
The 41-mm case houses either a black or blue dial with contrasting white subdials (the “reverse panda” design) and the signature circular slide rule. Omitting a date and including the manual-wind caliber enable a slimmer case profile that combines with the 41-mm case diameter to give the watch proportions reminiscent of the historic originals.
The black dial is paired with a hand-applied brown gradient calf-leather strap, and the blue dial comes on a matching blue gradient calf-leather strap. These straps feature a folding clasp with release buttons. Both models can also be fitted with a seven-row stainless-steel bracelet.
Manual wind and modern performance
Manual-wind chronographs occupy a special place in Breitling’s history. Before automatic chronographs were introduced in 1969, winding a mechanical chronograph was part of a daily ritual. These new models bring that interaction to the core collection with modern manufacture movements and contemporary specifications.
“The Navitimer has always evolved with the people who wear it,” says Georges Kern, CEO of House of Brands. “The B09 brings the look and feel of the classic 1960s Navitimer into the modern collection, and the Cosmonaute tells the story of how the Navitimer went from the cockpit to space. These modern-retro pieces show just how much history is built into the Navitimer collection.”
Twin Jet logo
Used by Breitling since 1957, the Twin Jet logo made its dial-side debut on the Navitimer in 1965. As the civilian counterpart to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) logo, which was used in the models retailed directly to their members. Its association with Breitling’s most recognizable watch eventually made it a defining part of the brand’s visual identity. Both the Navitimer B09 Chronograph and Navitimer B02 Cosmonaute feature the Twin Jet logo in gold, letting it stand out against a monochrome dial.
A new chapter for the Navitimer
The Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute and Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 share a common origin: the aviation instrument Breitling created in 1952. But they each take that story in a different direction.
The B09 harks back to the era of the classic mechanical chronograph and brings manual winding and reverse-panda styling to the contemporary 41-mm Navitimer. The Cosmonaute recalls the moment Breitling adapted that aviation expertise for a new frontier, creating the first Swiss wristwatch in space.
For the first time in modern Breitling history, neither of these iconic models are reserved for a commemoration or limited release. Instead, they both become permanent members of the Navitimer family.
ABOUT BREITLING
Founded in 1884, Breitling is a leading Swiss watchmaker. The innovative company invented the modern chronograph and pioneered the navigational tool watch. Today, it continues to break new ground as a casual, approachable, and sustainable luxury brand, with around 280 industrial loft-inspired retail locations around the world. Breitling’s collections center around air, land, and sea pursuits, all captured in the brand’s unmistakable modern-retro style. The exceptional quality of every watch movement is confirmed by its status as a COSC-certified chronometer, and the brand remains one of only a handful of independent watchmakers to produce its own manufacture calibers. Today, Breitling is on a mission to do better by creating beautiful products and experiences with better materials, better manufacturing, better packaging, and end-to-end traceability. Combining classic watchmaking with the latest and most sustainable innovations, Breitling is both a company with history and one that is ahead of its time.
FACTS ABOUT THE WATCH
NAVITIMER B02 CHRONOGRAPH 41 COSMONAUTE
Reference: AB0230211B1X1 or AB0230211B1A1
MOVEMENT
Caliber: Breitling Manufacture Caliber B02
Diameter: 30 mm
Depth: 6.83 mm
Winder: mechanical hand-wound
Power reserve: approximately 70 hours
Number of components: 273
Balance frequency: 28,800 vph/4 Hz
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
Diameter: 41 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Height (between upper and
lower lug tips): 47.09 mm
Water resistance: up to 3 bar (30 m)
Glass: cambered sapphire, glare-proofed on both sides
Caseback: stainless steel screwed in, sapphire crystal (same decription as for the B09)
Crown: stainless steel, non-screw-locked, two gaskets
Bezel: stainless steel, bidirectional with circular slide rule
DIAL & HANDS
Black with white contrasting chronograph counters and Twin Jet logo
Super-LumiNova® luminescent hour,minute hand, numbers and indexes on the dial
STRAP
Brown calf-leather strap with folding clasp or seven-row stainless-steel bracelet
FACTS ABOUT THE WATCH
NAVITIMER B09 CHRONOGRAPH 41
Reference: AB0950211B1X1 or AB0950211B1A1 / AB0950211C1X1 or AB0950211C1A1
MOVEMENT
Caliber: Breitling Manufacture Caliber B09
Diameter: 30 mm
Depth: 6.73 mm
Winder: Mechanical hand-wound
Power reserve: approximately 70 hours
Number of components: 244
Balance frequency: 28,800 vph/4 Hz
Chronograph: column-wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers
Display: hour, minute, second
Certification: COSC-certified
CASE
Material: Stainless steel
Diameter: 41 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Height (upper lug tip to lower lug tip): 47.09 mm
Water resistance: up to 3 bars (30 m)
Glass: cambered sapphire, glare-proofed on both sides
Caseback: stainless steel, screwed in, sapphire crystal
Crown: stainless steel, non-screw locked, two gaskets
Bezel: stainless steel, bidirectional with circular slide rule
DIAL & HANDS
Black reverse-panda dial with white rehaut and subdials / blue reverse-panda dial with white rehaut and subdials
Super-LumiNova® luminescent hour, minute hand, numbers and indexes on the dial
STRAP
Brown calf-leather strap with folding clasp or seven row stainless-steel bracelet / Blue calf-leather strap with folding clasp or seven row stainless-steel bracelet