Introduction to the Breitling Navitimer Boeing 747 Limited Edition

January 24, 2023

If Breitling knows one thing, it's pilot's watches. ?Introduced in 1952, the Navitimer (that's "navigation timer"), would soon go on to become the official watch of the AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilot's Association; its logo is the winged crest at 12 o'clock). The larger diameter and chronograph made it a functional tool, while the slide rule was designed to allow pilots to perform any required flight calculations C?today, it continues to confound lookers-on with how it's actually used. Today, Breitling announced the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Boeing 747, a limited edition of C?you guessed it! C?747 pieces to celebrate the end of the Boeing 747's production (the 1,574th and final 747 was manufactured in 2022).? The Boeing 747 Limited Edition's dial recalls the color scheme of the original 747: a warm cream dial, black subdials, and a red inner-slide rule scale along with light blue accents. Around the sapphire caseback, the case is engraved "The Original Jumbo Jet," and "One of 747." Other than these changes, this limited edition is pretty much the same as the standard Navitimer 43 that Breitling introduced to celebrate the model line's 70th anniversary just last year. ?That is to say: 43mm stainless steel case, 13.7mm thick, with Breitling's COSC-certified caliber 01 that features a column-wheel and vertical clutch. At $9,400, the Boeing 747 Limited Edition will set you back $300 more than the standard Navitimer. What We Think While we might quibble with the limited nature of the release, or its perhaps attenuated connection to history, let me just say this: The Boeing 747 Limited Edition is an attractive Navitimer. Listen, I probably would've been just fine letting the retirement of the Boeing 747 fly by without any limited edition watch to commemorate its impact on commercial aviation. But I'm also a slightly nervous flyer that pops a ZzzQuil before any flight longer than three hours and I also don't run a billion-dollar watch brand, so perhaps I'm biased.? The Breitling Navitimer B01 43 Boeing 747 Limited Edition The cream-and-red color scheme of an original Boeing 747 But, a Navitimer with a cream dial and black subdials is an easy win, so it's nice to see Breitling execute an attractive limited-edition Navitimer, even if it is limited, and even if it celebrates a relative footnote in aviation history. Still, it's another example of Breitling's recent history of drawing on its historical references to deliver great modern watches. The Navitimer is one of Breitling's most celebrated designs C?Willy Breitling dreamed it up in the early '50s to aid a new generation of pilots in the cockpit. Soon, it went to space on the wrist of astronaut Scott Carpenter. Miles Davis wore the hell out of his Navitimer. If Breitling wants to keep releasing different color schemes of the Navitimer C?like it seems to do with many of its other model lines, from the SuperOcean to the Chronomat C I'm not going to stop them.? It's hard to argue with one of the classics of chronograph design, complemented by a solid COSC-certified movement (with a vertical clutch and column wheel to boot), now with an attractive new dial variant. On aesthetics alone, it might be my favorite modern Navitimer 43 yet.? The Basics Brand: BreitlingModel: Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Boeing 747 Limited EditionReference Number: AB01383B1G1A1 or AB01383B1G1P1Diameter: 43mmThickness: 13.7mmCase Material: Stainless steelDial Color: Cream with black subdialsLume: Super-LumiNova indices, hour, and minute handsWater Resistance: 30 metersStrap/Bracelet: Black alligator leather strap with folding buckle, or steel seven-row Navitmer bracelet with butterfly clasp The Movement Caliber: Breitling Caliber 01Functions: Hour, minute, date, chronographDiameter: 30mmThickness: 7.2mmPower Reserve: 70 hoursWinding: AutomaticFrequency: 28,800 vibrations per hourChronometer Certified: YesAdditional Details: Column-wheel, vertical clutch chronograph Pricing & Availability Price: $9,400Limited Edition: Yes, 747 piecesAvailability: Immediate, via Breitling retailers and Breitling.com. For more, click here.? Shop this story The Hodinkee Shop is an authorized retailer for Breitling; explore our collection here. For more info on Breitling, visit their website.