Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. Breitling Introduces the Navitimer 1 Automatic 38 – And yes, that’s a 3-hander
The iconic Navitimer... simplified, cleaned and more affordable!
We already knew that some changes were about to come at Breitling. We’ve seen it with the introduction of the Navitimer 8, a brand new collection that we explained to you in details. This new strategy will be deployed over all the collections and that includes the iconic Navitimer 1. Here is the first (and drastic) evolution, with the Navitimer 1 Automatic 38. It is small and mainly, it is a 3-hander…
This is a true surprise: the iconic and historic Navitimer – now named Navitimer 1, in opposition to the Navitimer 8 – will be available without chronograph. Don’t be fooled though, it is not the first time that the name Navitimer is printed on the dial of a 3-hand watch, however this is not widely known. During the 1950s, the brand introduced the Ref. 66, an elegant dress watch with 3 hands and date – yet, without the legendary design of the Navi.
So, here we are, at Baselworld 2018. Breitling creates a watch that is both totally faithful to the origins of the collection and highly disruptive. For most, the Navitimer is a chronograph. Period. However, seeing the result of a smaller, time-and-date Navitimer 1 is… Interesting and much more pleasant than we could have imagine.
If the chronograph function is out, the rest of the watch remains very close from the original model. Its dial is much cleaner, yet it still features the rotating bezel with aviation rule. The bezel has been redesigned to now show a “beads of rice” bezel, reminiscent of the first generation of Navitimer 806. The case is also much smaller, at 38mm, even if the overall design is faithful to the collection.
3 versions of the Breitling Navitimer 1 Automatic 38 will be available:
- Black and grey dial, steel case
- Cream dial with gold indexes, steel and gold case
- Blue and cream dial, steel case
The Breitling Navitimer 1 Automatic 38 is powered by a COSC-certified movement, the calibre 17 – based on Sellita SW-300 – with 40h power reserve and 4Hz frequency. The movement displays the hours, minutes, seconds and date (positioned at 6, on a disc matching the dial). The movement is hidden behind a steel back.
All versions of the Breitling Navitimer 1 Automatic 38 are worn on alligator straps with steel pin buckle. Prices will be CHF 4,000 for the steel versions and CHF 5,400 for the steel-and-gold versions. More details on www.breitling.com.
7 responses
CHF 4000 – 5400 for a watch with ETA clone SW200 Sellita based mov’t, you say?
Sorry but the Navitimer without chrono registers isn’t a Navitimer.
Breitling should have picked a different name or product designation for this watch.
Move on, nothing to see here…
Sorry Breitling… This one misses the boat.
I think the author needs to double check the technical specs of the caliber 17 movement. Caliber 17 is Breitling branded/modified chronometer grade ETA 2824. The website lists the Navitimer1 3 hand with the caliber 17 as having a 25 jewel architecture. If they had switched to sellita wouldn’t we expect it to be 26 jewels? Sellita vs ETA is a big deal for some people, lets make sure we aren’t misrepresenting what Breitling has under the hood.
To answer you, there was a typo indeed. The movement indeed has 25 jewels, and is Sellita. It is a SW-300 (and not 200)
How are you Navi- timing without a chronograph?
A techy unisex watch ?
This price for a Sellita movt is ludicrous….
38mm isn’t exactly ideal for most Breitling collectors however having less information on the face allows for the smaller option to be legible.