Breitling has aviation in its genes! Inspired by a chronograph that witnessed the war, the Navitimer Super 8 B20 Automatic 46 invites you to take a deep dive in time.
The Breitling Navitimer Super 8 Collection is inspired by the Ref. 637, a chronograph used in the 1930s and 1940s. This chronograph, which was used by the aviators connected to their thighs, was easily readable and comfortable to use. The winding crown was positioned on the top of the case and was so easy to handle that the aviators could easily adjust even if they had gloves on. The pusher of the chronograph activated the timing and countdown functions, which enabled the soldiers to perform their duties with precision.
This war witnessing chronograph, developed by Breitling’s Huit Aviation Department, was introduced in 1938 by Willy Breitling, the third generation owner of the brand. Aware of the requirements of civil and military aviation, Breitling named the aviation department accordingly. The word “huit”, meaning eight in French, was chosen because it reflects the 8-day power reserve offered in pilot cockpit clocks and other instruments used in instrument panels. Willy Breitling and the aerospace department tried to design the watch as light as possible. They also tested the watch for shock, vibration, high temperature, and magnetic field resistance.
Inspired by Ref. 637, the Navitimer Super 8 comes in a 46mm titanium or stainless steel case. The model has a bi-directional bezel. The case back is attached to the case with screws. This aviation-inspired watch provides water resistance to 30 meters only. There is an anti-reflective coating on both sides of the crystal that covers the green dial which is prone to scratching on the upper side. Even a light impact can cause superficial but visible scratches.
The Navitimer Super 8 B20 Automatic 46, which follows fashion closely by keeping pace with the ‘green dial’ trend that started last year, provides easy readability with large Arabic number indexes and phosphor-filled hands.
The Caliber B20 is based on the Tudor Caliber MT 5612 and provides approximately 70 hours of power reserve for full installation.
Available with a price tag of 6.050 CHF, the model is complemented by a brown NATO leather strap.
