Breitling Navitimer B02 Cosmonaute PB02301A1B1A1 - Review & Buying Guide

There are complications that make life easier. That may sound impossible in real life, but in the luxury watch realm, complications are designed to be pretty intuitive and useful. For instance, once you realise what a chronograph is, it is the easiest to use.

Founded in 1884, Breitling is a renowned leader in watchmaking. The Swiss luxury brand pioneered the development of navigational tool watches and invented the modern chronograph. Although Breitling was always a luxury watchmaker associated with aircraft and instruments, it wasn’t until the release of the famous Navitimer in 1952 that the brand reached its pinnacle of success. In fact, most of Breitling’s identity is associated with the Navitimer. 

As the name suggests, the Navitimer was designed for navigation. It is a highly capable chronograph with an integrated analogue flight computer that allows aviators to calculate distance, speed, rate of climb/descent, fuel consumption, and more. It features a signature slide-rule bezel, enabling pilots to easily perform essential flight calculations directly from their wrist.

The Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute was released in 1962 to assist an astronaut’s pioneering space mission and became a famous name in Breitling’s catalogue. It was the first Swiss wristwatch worn in space.

60 years later, Breitling issued two new limited edition variants of the Navitimer Cosmonaute in 2022 to commemorate the anniversary of that mission—the Navitimer Cosmonaute PB02301A1B1A1 with a stainless steel bracelet and the Navitimer Cosmonaute PB02301A1B1P1 with a leather strap. Here, we will talk about the Cosmonaute with a seven-row steel bracelet.

Before diving into the details, let's begin with a brief overview of the watch that started it all. 

History of Breitling’s Pilot Watch ‘Navitimer’

Going back to the golden age of aviation (1930s – 1940s), when pilots needed a precise timekeeping instrument for flight calculation and navigation, Breitling created the legendary Navitimer to meet their needs. Officially launched in 1952, the Navitimer marked a revolutionary moment in aviation watches. It showcased an innovative design, merging chronograph functions with a refined slide-rule bezel to become an essential tool for pilots.

Pilots appreciated the dial's clear framework despite its complex appearance and the ease with which they could operate the slide rule bezel while wearing gloves. In short, the Navitimer achieved early success for its practical utility in the cockpit. It allowed pilots to easily calculate metrics like average speed, fuel consumption, and rate of climb/descent.

Throughout its history, the Navitimer has achieved significant milestones through various notable models. 

Story of the First Swiss Wristwatch In Space: Navitimer ‘Cosmonaute’

In 1962, Willy Breitling received a call from Scott Carpenter, an astronaut from NASA's Mercury Seven group, asking the watchmaker to create a custom Navitimer for his space mission. Carpenter had been introduced to the Navitimer by a group of military pilots and had since become a fan of the computational slide rule. However, taking the watch to space required a few modifications.

Scott wanted to keep the slide rule to perform manual calculations but asked to remove the minutes-to-hours conversion scale. He envisioned the watch with a flexible metal bracelet, designed to slide comfortably over his spacesuit, along with a bezel designed for easy gripping while wearing gloves. But his most notable request was to substitute the 12-hour scale for 24 hours to track the day and night in orbit.

Willy Breitling was given two months to fulfil the astronaut’s order and achieved the deadline to make history! The Navitimer Cosmonaute was born, and it went on to orbit the Earth three times on Scott’s wrist, becoming the first Swiss wristwatch in space.

The Scott Carpenter ‘Limited Edition’ Cosmonaute

As the story goes, Scott Carpenter splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean, 250 miles from the intended rescue point, and spent three hours on a lifeboat before the crews arrived. The Navitimer Cosmonaute was made for space and not the seas, and hence, it was badly damaged by the saltwater. Scott sent the watch back to Willy Breitling, who then promptly replaced it with a new one. While the dial was destroyed, the Breitling family owned the original.

On the 60th anniversary of its journey aboard the Aurora 7 spacecraft, the mythic watch with the 24-hour dial was re-released to pay tribute to the historic mission. To celebrate the occasion, Breitling presented the first public viewing of the original Cosmonaute since 1962 and launched a limited-edition version. 

The Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Limited Edition was released in 2022 in two variants - the PB02301A1B1A1 (stainless steel bracelet) and PB02301A1B1P1 (leather strap). 

Limited to 362 pieces, the watch’s new design pays tribute to the original Cosmonaute while incorporating features that make it an ideal instrument for today’s enthusiasts.  For instance, it is equipped with the essentials like the circular sliding ruler for mathematical calculations, the wing logo and the three chronograph registers to remind the military time display. 

Basic elements of ‘Scott Carpenter” Cosmonaute model:

• All-black dial with three sub-dials at 3/6/9 o’clock
• Large Arabic numerals for 2 through 24
• Enhanced legibility by the simplified slide rule
• Only one printed scale on the dial

Characteristics of the new ‘Limited Edition’ Cosmonaute:

• Date display included in the hour register
• Use of platinum for the bezel
• Case back pays tribute with markings “First Swiss Wristwatch in Space” 
• Movement features marking “Carpenter” and the “Aurora 7 logo”, visible through the sapphire crystal. It also includes the Mercury 7 capsule and a few words stating what it achieved: ' 3 orbits around the earth.’

Initial Review of the Limited Edition ‘Cosmonaute’ PB02301A1B1A1

The Cosmonaute re-issue, limited to 362 pieces, is what we think faithfully honours the aesthetics of the original. Of course, it has certain updates to make it appealing to the modern generation, but it definitely works its way to being a limited edition.

Visually, the watch appears like a traditional-looking Navitimer with the signature busy dial and the typical slide rule. The size is consistent with the Navitimer collection, featuring a 41mm diameter. Unlike most remakes that omit the date feature, the new Cosmonaute incorporates a date window within the hour register. This placement keeps it subtle and ensures it doesn’t interfere with the overall design.

However, some of the most remarkable luxe upgrades seen are the platinum bezel and open sapphire crystal case back. The platinum adds a premium touch and makes this a collector’s piece, and the sapphire crystal case back provides a fantastic display of the Breitling B02 movement, created specifically for this watch. Based on Breitling's flagship B01, the new B02 movement is expertly crafted and stands out as one of the best in its class at this price point.

Special bridge engravings mark the occasion, such as Mercury 7, Carpenter, three orbits around Earth, and a replica uniform badge from the rocket’s space capsule. That’s not the end. The case back is also engraved with the mission date, the phrase ‘First Swiss wristwatch in space’, and the limitation to 362 pieces.

The limited edition Cosmonaute fits very well on all wrist types, including smaller wrists, making it appealing to a wide variety of people. The original Cosmonaute was unsuited for exposure to water, and Breitling made significant efforts to make the new iteration waterproof. So, the Limited Edition has a rated water resistance of only 30 metres. This can cause slight displeasure to those looking for a diving timepiece.

Well, perhaps then you should get a Superocean Heritage, a Chronomat, an Avenger or an Endurance Pro, for that matter. But if you want one with a rotating slide rule and fancy the Navitimer tag, you’d better not dive into the water.

REVIEW: Breitling Navitimer B02 Cosmonaute PB02301A1B1A1

Basics:

• Model: PB02301A1B1A1
• Case Size: 41mm
• Material: Stainless steel & Platinum 
• Bezel: Platinum, Bidirectional, Slide Rule 
• Dial: 24-Hour, Black 
• Bracelet: Stainless steel 
• Crystal: Sapphire 
• Movement: Hand Wound, B02 Calibre 
• Power Reserve: 70 hours
• Water Resistance: 30 metres
• Retail Price: £9600

Case

The watch's case measures 41mm and is 13 mm thick. It has both polished and satin-finished surfaces. The Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute Limited Edition PB02301A1B1A1 measures 47.09mm from lug to lug, making it beautifully wearable on all wrist sizes and also remaining in tune with the original variant.

Bezel

The platinum bezel adds a premium touch to this limited edition. It is fluted and intends to improve operability. Respecting Carpenter’s request to remove the logarithmic ‘C’ scale to reduce clutter, this new Cosmonaute removes the scale and the tachymeter. 

Dial

As we said before, the new Cosmonaute is a nod to the past but with a modern construction. This is why you can only see the name ‘Navitimer’ on the dial, not ‘Cosmonaute’. This is partly because the Navitimer is a more recognisable model name.  

The new Cosmonaute uses a 24-hour dial with a mix of Arabic numerals and indices. This 24-hour display helps distinguish between day and night. The three chronograph registers at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock divide the continuous sequence of digits into two-hour intervals, with the 9 o’clock sub-dial displaying seconds and the 3 and 6 o’clock registers showing minutes and hours, respectively.

The date window at 6 o’clock has a matching black background, and the date is shown in white printing, creating a stark contrast. The hands and indices have a vintage-style Super-LumiNova luminosity to match the model's heritage theme, and the beige colour also stands apart from the regular Navitimer.

The tachymeter scale surrounding the dial and the white slide rule help perform simple calculations. As fitting of a Navitimer, the dial has the wing logo of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association at 12 o’clock.

Bracelet

The Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute B02 PB02301A1B1A1 is presented on a brushed/polished seven-row Navitimer stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp. 

Movement

The most significant update in this new Cosmonaute PB02301A1B1A1 is the B02 movement, equipped with a vertical clutch and a column wheel. This hand-wound chronograph with a 24-hour display has been in production since 2013 and is a modification of the hand-winding Calibre B09, which itself is based on Calibre B01. The B02 movement operates at a frequency of 4 hertz.

The central hour hand in this model traces 24 hours in a day rather than 12 hours; thus, the dial has special 24-hour markings. This ability of the model to tell the 24-hour time distinguishes it from the rest of its family.

Other Things 

The open sapphire crystal case back provides a glimpse of the B02 movement inside. The bridge features special engravings commemorating the occasion, including the words "Carpenter," "3 Orbits Around the Earth," and "Aurora 7," along with the names of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, the pioneering group chosen for NASA's first human-crewed spaceflights. The Aurora 7 logo surrounds three circles, reinforcing the three Earth orbits as performed by Scott Carpenter.

On the side of the case are chronograph pushers and the crown. The crown is not screwed down, and this is why the watch offers a low water resistance of only 30 metres.

Price & Availability

Priced at £9600, the Breitling Navitimer Limited Edition Cosmonaute Reference PB02301A1B1A1 is definitely a catch. Being a watch commemorating Scott Carpenter’s 1962 space mission, the Cosmonaute Ref. PB02301A1B1A1 is a popular timepiece, making it challenging to find one at retail. Let alone the fact that it is a limited edition.

However, you can always try your luck on the pre-owned market for this impeccable black timepiece. 

Why buy the Limited Edition Cosmonaute PB02301A1B1A1?

We’ve always had a special admiration for the Navitimer, which is actually an aviation instrument. The Cosmonaute is essentially a more complex version of the same thing. It is quite an impressive timepiece, especially since Breitling decoded the winning formula the first time itself.

The new limited edition PB02301A1B1A1 pays tribute to the original while offering collectors everything they would seek in a premium timepiece. For instance, the platinum bezel and sapphire case back does add a touch of exclusivity to this rare timepiece. 

Speaking of the visual elements, what sets the Cosmonaute apart is its 24-hour dial display format, which gives the watch a much-needed functional twist compared to the typical 12-hour models. Another tweak that really matters is the movement, the B02 Calibre, a hand-wound version of the B01 that has actually been modified to have a 24-hour display. Whatever it is, it works wonderfully.

Moreover, it doesn't sacrifice style amidst all the precision and function. On the wrist, it sits perfectly. The steel and platinum design is perfect for both formal and casual occasions. Whether you’re heading to a business meeting or an evening party, this watch will fit into any setting. 

The PB02301A1B1A1 Cosmonaute’s extra rarity and platinum bezel are both very tempting. This watch is not just in tune with the original but also with the changing tides of the watch trend. 

Conclusion

The ‘Limited Edition‘ Breitling Navitimer B02 Cosmonaute is available in only 362 pieces available. It is a true horological masterpiece, embodying the best of Breitling’s aviation and space heritage. Its blend of history, precision, updates and modern styles makes it a beloved choice for collectors and enthusiasts alike. And its exclusive limited-edition status makes it easy to see why we love this timepiece so much! Owning one of them is not just about wearing a watch but literally having a piece of astronomical history tied to your wrist.