Breitling Presents The New Navitimer Cosmonaute: 60 Years Of Space History

Uncategorized, 2022 Novelties

Andrea David

DATE

30 May 2022

The history of the Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute

We are in the 1960s, a period in which Breitling’s Navitimer was considered the pilot’s watch par excellence.

In those years we were witnessing an evolution for what was the world of flight with a constant search for innovation even on what were the indispensable tools for the pilot, such as watches.

At the same time, always in those years, the desire to fly beyond what represented “the border”: the sky became more and more alive.

Astronaut Scott Carpenter on the Aurora 7 Spaceship

Beyond this border there was a goal that people began to explore and that, at the same time, fascinated human beings: space.

Precisely in those years, the so-called “space race” began in which watch manufacturers also entered, in order to develop the best timepiece capable of being worn by astronauts who would have ventured towards their new destination beyond the sky. .

Thanks to its experience in the aviation watch industry, Breitling was soon catapulted to the top of this “race” to develop a timepiece capable of providing reliable support to astronauts who would venture into space.

On May 24, 1962, Breitling was awarded the title of “first Swiss wristwatch in space” with the Navitimer Cosmonaute.

This watch, the progenitor of the new Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute, was on the wrist of astronaut Scott Carpenter, who orbited the Earth three times on the Mercury-Atlas 7 mission.

This Navitimer Cosmonaute was the result of a personal request from Carpenter who asked the Maison to develop a watch that was a variation of the iconic pilot’s watch that he had already worn in the days when he flew as an aviator.

Vintage advertising: On the left a Navitimer specifically made for aviation. On the right, the version required by Scott Carpenter with 24 hours indication.

The detail that immediately stands out to the eye, requested by the astronaut, compared to a “traditional” Navitimer of the time, is the dial indicating the 24 hours in order to distinguish day from night in the darkness of space.

The Cosmonaut, worn in space and tailored to the needs of an astronaut, faithfully met these specifications when it became available for purchase in 1962.

Scott Carpenter’s Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute

On May 24, 1962, at 12:45:16 pm, there was the launch of the Aurora 7 from Cape Canaveral station with Scott Carpenter and his Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute on board.

Exactly after 4 hours, 56 minutes and 5 seconds, the spacecraft, returning from the mission, sank without incident in the Atlantic.

After several hours, the rescue operation was completed but the astronaut’s watch was inevitably exposed to water for a long time, which caused irreparable damage to Carpenter’s Cosmonaut.

The watch, badly made and no longer recoverable for what its functions were, remained kept in the Breitling family collection, without ever being restored and without the knowledge of most.

However, during the presentation of the new Navitimer Cosmonaute, exactly 60 years after Scott Carpenter’s space flight, his Navitimer returned to sunlight so that it could be admired by selected collectors, journalists and enthusiasts at the event focused on the space theme held in Zurich.

The new Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute

With this re-edition of the model, Breitling wanted to revive a piece of watchmaking history.

This new Navitimer Cosmonaute is a special edition imitated with 362 specimens which is intended to be a tribute both to the number of circumnavigations that the spacecraft performed around the Earth, as well as to the year in which the mission made history, marking a crucial passage. in the history of human flight in space.

(A sinistra, un modello analogo a quello indossato da Scott Carpenter, a destra, il nuovo modello)

This new model is characterized by the DNA par excellence of the Navitimer family: aviation. The presence, on the dial, of the circular slide rule for performing mathematical calculations, the “wings” of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association logo and the three counters of the chronograph, represent three elements par excellence of this watchmaking icon dedicated to aviation.

However, the element that distinguishes the Cosmonaute from the other models of the Navitimer family is the ability to read the 24 hours. Breitling’s in-house caliber, the B02, was specially designed for this purpose.

Faithful to the model worn by astronaut Scott Carpenter, the new Cosmonaut, at first glance, may seem the same. However, new features emerge that distinguish the watch with its elegant 41 mm proportions. First of all, the platinum bezel, a touch of excellence that makes this edition an even more coveted example for collectors.

Another new feature is the sapphire crystal caseback that allows you to admire the B02 movement embellished with special engravings on the bridge to celebrate the anniversary. This new watch honors the aesthetics of the original Cosmonaut by introducing peculiar updates that give it an almost imperceptible charm in a modern-retro key.

Finally, it is interesting to note the engraving on the case back: “One of 362” (total number of pieces in this re-edition) and the phrase “First Swiss wristwatch in space”.

During the presentation to the public, Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling, recalled that: “When we introduced the new face of the Navitimer at the beginning of the year, the question that hovered on everyone’s lips was: what happened to the Cosmonaut ? Today it is a great thrill for me to finally be able to present two Cosmonauts to the public: the watch that Scott Carpenter wore in space, presented live to the public for the first time, and the limited edition watch that celebrates the 60th anniversary of his predecessor who went down in history “.

Features of the new Navitimer Cosmonaute

This new watch, with reference PB02301A1B1A1 for the version with bracelet and, reference PB02301A1B1P1, for the version with leather strap, is made with a 41 mm diameter, 13 mm thick stainless steel case and a platinum bezel.

The water resistance of the watch is guaranteed up to 3 bar (30 meters). To let you understand what it means we suggest you to read our dedicated guide.

The dial is black with tone-on-tone chronograph counters and hour, minute hands and Super-LumiNova® luminescent indexes. The movement, a COSC-certified Breitling B02 in-house caliber, is manually wound with a power reserve of approximately 70 hours.