Ice Blue Elegance: Breitling's Navitimer Gets a Perpetual Upgrade
POWERED BY THE 140TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL CALIBRE B19 MOVEMENT
PRESS RELEASE | 350 WORDS | 3 MIN READ
4th March, 2025: Breitling has unveiled a stunning new iteration of its iconic Navitimer, showcasing a radiant ice-blue dial, a platinum bezel, and a stainless-steel case. But the real star of the show is the inclusion of the Caliber B19, Breitling’s perpetual calendar chronograph manufacture movement, previously reserved for a limited anniversary series.
A Legend Elevated
For over 70 years, the Navitimer has been a horological icon, instantly recognizable by its circular slide rule, notched bezel, and chronograph function. Now, Breitling elevates this classic with the Caliber B19, its first perpetual calendar movement, offering day, date, month, and moonphase displays. This remarkable movement requires only minor adjustments to remain accurate for a full century.
From Pilots to Icons
Beloved by celebrities like Miles Davis and Serge Gainsbourg, the Navitimer was originally designed in 1952 for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). It quickly became synonymous with the jet age, earning its reputation as the first wristwatch flight computer. While initially a practical tool for pilots, its unique design transformed it into a style icon.
The Caliber B19: A Century of Precision
This new Navitimer marks the first time the Caliber B19, initially released for Breitling’s 140th anniversary, is available outside a limited edition. The watch features an eye-catching ice-blue dial, complemented by a platinum bezel, housed in a 43mm stainless-steel case. The moonphase display at 12 o’clock adds a touch of celestial elegance.
Mushroom pushers ensure easy operation of the timekeeping functions, while the open case back allows for a glimpse into the intricate movement. The Navitimer B19 is available with a black alligator leather strap with a folding buckle or a seven-row stainless-steel bracelet with a butterfly clasp.
Breitling CEO Georges Kern emphasizes,
“It takes a lot for us to use the word icon, but the Navitimer has earned it. Combined with the perpetual calendar chronograph movement, the B19 is a tour de force, never missing a beat for a full century. It’s a watch that will keep time for generations.”
Breitling's First Perpetual Calendar Movement
The Caliber B19 represents the latest step in Breitling’s evolution towards in-house movements, building on the success of the Caliber 01. This movement combines Breitling’s chronograph expertise with a perpetual calendar complication that automatically adjusts for leap years and months of varying lengths.
Beyond COSC certification, the Caliber B19 undergoes rigorous testing, including a 16-year aging simulation with extreme challenges. Designed and assembled in Breitling’s Chronometrie in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, the Caliber B19 offers a 96-hour power reserve.
The ice-blue Navitimer B19 marks a new era for this legendary timepiece, offering a blend of iconic design and exceptional functionality, built to last for generations.
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NAVITIMER B19 CHRONOGRAPH 43 PERPETUAL CALENDAR
Reference: PB1920251C1A1 or PB1920251C1P1
WATCH MOVEMENT
Caliber: Breitling Manufacture Caliber B19
Diameter: 30 millimeters
Thickness: 8.53 millimeters
Winder: self-winding mechanical, bidirectional with ball bearing
Power reserve: approximately 96 hours
Number of components: 374
Balance frequency: 28,800 a/h or 4 hertz
Chronograph: column-wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute
Display: hour, minute, second, perpetual calendar
Certification: COSC-certified
CASE
Material: stainless steel
Diameter: 43 millimeters
Thickness: 14.94 millimeters
Height (upper lug tip
to lower lug tip): 49.07 millimeters
Water resistance: up to 3 bars (30 meters)
Glass: cambered sapphire, glareproofed on both sides
Caseback: stainless steel, screwed in, sapphire crystal
Crown: stainless steel, non screw-locked, two gaskets
Bezel: platinum, bidirectional with circular slide rule
DIAL/HANDS
Ice-blue dial
Super-LumiNova® luminescent indexes, hour and minute hand
STRAP
Stainless steel seven-row bracelet with a butterfly clasp, or black alligator leather strap with a stainless
steel folding buckle
Size (lug/buckle): 22/18 mm