Many watch producers market their timepieces as 'aviators' watches' however only a few of them can be purchased by any aircrew for the aim of aeronautical calculations. They're 'designer' pieces and lack the performance a real aviator would look for in a watch. Nevertheless, the Breitling Navitimer is a real aviators' watch.
Breitling have had a long historical affiliation with the air business, each army and civilian. When Breitling was first established its most important enterprise concern was making exact counters for each scientific and industrial use. Its specialised information of creating precision timepieces made it a watchmaker that will be in demand from the then, fledging aviation industry. The relationship between aviation and Breitling watches was formally established when, in 1936, the British Royal Air Power issued Breitling watches to its aircrews.
The Breitling Navitimer is now over 50 years old and is an iconic timepiece. Its design and functionality have modified remarkably little over the years. This chronograph watch can be utilized to calculate air speed, fuel consumption, rates of descent and the conversion of ordinary miles into nautical miles amongst different issues - all through the use of the round slide rule found on the facet of the bezel.
The legendary Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute continues to be manufactured right now and is sort of equivalent by way of movement and styling because it was when it was first made in 1963 for the American astronaut Lt Cmdr Scott Carpenter. He wanted a Navitimer however, because one could not tell if it was day or night in space, he needed a 24 hour version. By the way, this was the primary Breitling (and perhaps solely model) that went into Space.
Each Breitling Cosmonaute watch has a self winding, mechanical movement with a power reserve of 42 hours (approx.) There are a complete of 38 jewels running at 28,800 vibrations per hour. The chronograph function has 1/5 second, 30 minutes, 12 hours and fly-back. The case diameter is a minimal 41.5mm and is out there in steel, two-tone (metal and gold), 18k gold or rose gold. The crystal is cambered sapphire that is anti-reflective on each sides.
Other, present Navitimer fashions embody the unique Navitimer, Navitimer World, Montbrillant, Montbrillant Olympus, Montbrillant Datora and Chrono-Matic.
The World is the most important in the Navitimer assortment (case diameter of 46mm), being 10% larger than the original. It consists of 25 jewels and a 2 time-zone, self-winding mechanical movement. The case is available in steel, 18k gold or pink gold.
The Navitimer Montbrillant collection owes its title from the original location of the Breitling watch factory. It was on this website that the 'return-to-zero' motion and the round slide-rule were first designed and manufactured. To commemorate, these watches are little more ornate; hands and hour markers are embellished in gold. Breitling Super Ocean Replica
The Chrono-Matic Breitling watch was first developed in 1969 - Breitling created the Caliber II, the World's for self-winding chronograph movement. The watch was simply distinguishable by the placement of the crown on the left-hand-side of the casing. These watches nonetheless place the crown of the left-side. The motion has 38 jewels and each watch has a case diameter of 44mm which is on the market in both steel or 18k gold.
While trendy technology has finished away with the need for mechanical aviation watches there are those who nonetheless appreciate the delicate movements of those watches but for those that do, the Navitimer watch from Breitling will certainly appeal.