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Breitling - Navitimer Cosmonaute
On May 24th 1962, a Breitling Navitimer chronograph became the first wrist instrument to share in the conquest of space by accompanying the Aurora 7 flight. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of this historical feat, the brand is launching into orbit a new Navitimer Cosmonaute equipped with a high-performance Manufacture Breitling movement, entirely developed and produced in the company workshops.
This 1,962-piece limited edition is distinguished by its 24-hour display, its manual-winding mode - two nods to the original 1962 chronograph - as well as the Aurora 7 mission insignia engraved on the caseback. Navitimer Cosmonaute. The legend continues.
Maiden space flight
The early 1960s were all about the space race. The Americans launched the Mercury program intended to develop manned flights. They were looking for a high-performance, accurate and reliable chronograph capable of withstanding exceptional conditions. With this in mind, they naturally turned to Breitling, the "official supplier to world aviation" and a privileged partner of the finest hours in aeronautical history. The Navitimer, the cult pilot's watch created in 1952, with its famous circular slide rule serving to perform all operations relating to airborne navigation, naturally asserted itself as the ideal instrument in taking up this challenge. It successfully passed all the required tests, and on May 24th 1962, Lt Commander Scott Carpenter orbited the Earth three times aboard the Aurora 7 capsule. On his wrist was a Navitimer equipped with a 24-hour graduated scale serving to distinguish day from night - an absolute necessity in space. Mission accomplished. This was a major new token of recognition for Breitling, and this space conquest pioneer soon entered the brand's collections under the name of Cosmonaute.
The engine driving the accomplishment
The new Manufacture Breitling Caliber 02 power- ing the Navitimer Cosmonaute stands out by its 24-hour display and its manual-winding system - two distinctive features echoing the model that accompanied Scott Carpenter in orbiting the Earth. It was developed by the Breitling engineers and watchmakers based on Caliber 01, the world's best chronograph movement, and is endowed with all the assets of this exceptional "engine" - including an original column-wheel structure, maximum reliability, security and functionality, unfaltering sturdiness and exceptional precision confirmed by a chronometer certificate granted by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute). Issued in a 1,962-piece limited edition, the 50th anniversary Navitimer Cosmonaute features a black dial with silver counters. The dial motif is created using the refined "par epargne" process on a sterling silver base, thereby guaranteeing the peerless radiance and readability of the indications. In addition to the Aurora 7 mission insignia, the engraved caseback also carries a Celsius/Fahrenheit con- version scale - another detail faithful to the design of the vintage Navitimer models.
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Breitling - Watches and Emotions
WORLDTEMPUS - 28 March 2011
"We sell timepieces and emotions. We don't sell quality because quality is a must for Breitling," Breitling VP Jean-Paul Girardin replied to the question whether he considered Breitling's watches luxury or quality timepieces. When confronted with the repeated question, he admitted luxury being linked to independency. This, of course, in terms of not being overly dependent on external suppliers - which is precisely where Breitling is going with the in-house B01 movement.
Traveling back and forth in time
"We wanted to create a platform from where we can build other complications," Girardin said as he introduced the 47-millimeter Chronomat 44 GMT containing the next evolution of the in-house caliber called 04. This caliber configuration offers a GMT function that allows the date to be adjusted backward and forwardc. According to Girardin, this is the first chronograph watch that offers a GMT function that can be retrofitted when traveling back in time, so to speak. "We have not yet found any other chronograph that offers this patented function." In any case, this certainly is a rarely seen function on a chronograph watch.
In the cockpit
Beside the Chronomat 44 GMT Caliber 04, Girardin also presented the first - unlimited - Navitimer using the in-house caliber. Of course, the Navitimer is one of Breitling's most famous and indeed iconic timepieces. The watch that literally put Breitling in the cockpit, making the Swiss watch brand one of the first in terms of creating a professional tool watch especially made for aviation purposes. Some of the elements ensuring this are the slide-rule bezel and chronograph.
Talking cockpit, Girardin mentions that making their own movement and hence being more independent makes Breitling "like a captain of his own ship." Or rather, a pilot in his own airplane.
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Breitling - World First Boutique in NYC
WORLDTEMPUS - January 14, 2011
Despite the freezing temperatures outside, Breitling was heating things up inside with yesterday's opening of its modern, architecturally impressive, 4,500-square-foot boutique. This, the world's first mono-brand Breitling store, stocks more than 900 exclusive, limited edition and Breitling for Bentley timepieces. The boutique's official opening was a real hot spot thanks not only to the presence of the coveted timepieces, but also to the attendance of celebrities that included superstars John Travolta, Wayne Gretzky, and former quarterback and current TV commentator Boomer Esaison.
The boutique, which features an entire glass window front allowing for a full view of the three-story interior, is a superb blend of future and past to reflect Breitling's energetic spirit and rich history. The walls are decorated with iconic pop-art that recalls aviation in an edgy, romantic manner. On the second floor, in a sitting area, there is an historical mural that depicts Breitling's many endeavors in aviation and adventure. The opposite wall is opposite in feel, as well, with modern digital videos streaming across it.
Marie Bodman, U.S. brand president said, "The strategy is to showcase a complete assortment of timepieces in a manner that thoroughly reveals the brand throughout its history to the present, giving our customers the ultimate brand experience."
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Breitling - Black is the color of the abyss
Black is the keynote here, variously interpreted in the steel case subjected to an ultra-resistant carbon-based treatment; the unidirectional rotating bezel; the large screw-locked crown and non-slip pushpieces; and on the dial base creating a striking backdrop for the white luminescent hands, hour markers and red-rimmed counters. Its original, technical and powerful appearance makes the Avenger Seawolf Chrono Blacksteel limited edition an unmistakable standout model among diver's watches.
But its greatest feat is hidden inside its case, thanks to its magnetic pushpiece system. This exclusive Breitling-patented device serves to activate the controls through the metal of the case, without any direct mechanical contact. This means that whereas most chronographs cannot be used when diving, the Avenger Seawolf Chrono is the only instrument of this type to be watertight and fully operational at a record depth of 1,000 meters (3,300 ft). To accompany professionals to great depths in complete security, this extreme chronograph has been equipped with a decompression valve and a glareproofed sapphire crystal guaranteeing optimal readability in all circumstances.
Its SuperQuartz™ caliber - also exclusive to Breitling - ensures a level of accuracy ten times superior to that of standard quartz movements, enabling it to measure times to within 1/10th of a second complete with split-time indications.
The Avenger Seawolf Chrono Blacksteel, issued in a 2,000-piece worldwide limited edition, is available on a - naturally black - Diver Pro rubber strap or on a perforated Ocean Racer strap. In a nod to Breitling's special ties with aviation, its inner bezel ring is adorned with a windrose serving to memorize a course - both underwater or in the air.