NEW FLIGHT

With the Navitimer 8 collection, Breitling takes a new aesthetic turn, while preserving some of the design features of its previous creations. We take a closer look at the model B01.

In 1938, Breitling inaugurated the Huit Aviation department. What lay behind the name? Most of the instruments provided for civilian and military purposes had eight (“huit” in French) days of power reserve. The brand recalls this figure in the name of its new collection, the Navitimer 8. While none of the models has so much autonomy, the B01 model still stands out with a calibre that will drive its functions for 70 hours. To achieve a performance like this, the self-winding movement is equipped with a bidirectional ball-bearing rotor. This cutting-edge mechanism with time-keeping precision certified by the COSC can also be used for split-time measurements. The column wheel movement controls the three chronograph functions: start, stop and reset. These operations are carried out in the traditional way using pushbuttons.

Two versions of the Navitimer 8 B01 are available. The first has a sports look and combines a 43mm-wide steel case with a black or blue dial. The second is more refined and blends red gold and bronze. All the time information is easy to read with the large hands and over-sized figures in the purest tradition of the pilot’s watch. Split time is easily measured using the central second hand and two cream-coloured totalisers set at 3 and 6 o’clock. A running second and date counter round off the composition.

This flagship model from the range is worn with a leather strap featuring a tang buckle or a steel strap with a folding clasp.

Price: 7,100 CHF (steel – leather strap) – 7,800 CHF (steel – steel strap)

By Dan Diaconu