We’ve always had a soft spot for Breitling’s Navitimer. It’s one of those rare watches that manages to be instantly recognizable from across the room, with its circular slide rule bezel and busy-yet-balanced dial. Now, Breitling has taken that iconic formula and cranked it up with their new Navitimer B19 Perpetual Calendar Chronograph – bringing one of watchmaking’s most prestigious complications to their flagship model without losing an ounce of its tool watch soul.
From Gold to Steel: Making the Good Stuff More Accessible
Last year, while celebrating their 140th anniversary, Breitling wowed the watch world with their B19 movement – an in-house perpetual calendar chronograph – but they tucked it exclusively inside gold watches with eye-watering $60K price tags. Now the good news: they’ve brought that same horological firepower to a non-limited steel model that’s less than half the price.
The steel case with platinum bezel is a killer combo that strikes a perfect balance between luxury and wearability. While still a significant investment at $29K (it’s still a Breitling after all), this makes Breitling’s perpetual calendar chronograph one of the most attainable on the market from a major Swiss brand – and it’s not even limited.
That Ice Blue Dial Though
Let’s talk about that dial color for a minute. The ice-blue sunburst finish looks absolutely stunning in early shots we’ve seen of the watch – shifting between pale blue and silver depending on how the light hits it. Against this backdrop, Breitling has managed to make a perpetual calendar actually legible – no small feat considering how much information is being displayed.
The way they’ve integrated all these functions into the traditional Navitimer layout is clever too. Each of the three sub-dials pulls double duty, with the calendar information on the outer rings and chronograph functions on the inner tracks. The moonphase at 12 o’clock is the cherry on top, adding a touch of celestial romanticism to an otherwise technical watch.
Why This Matters to Watch Nerds
For years, if you wanted a perpetual calendar chronograph, you were looking almost exclusively at watches from the likes of Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, or A. Lange & Söhne – all priced well into six figures and well beyond the means of most watch enthusiasts. Then came smaller independents like Habring² offering slightly more accessible options – but still, not quite there.
Breitling jumping into this arena is significant. They’ve taken what’s historically been considered a dress watch complication and integrated it into the most pilot-watch-looking pilot’s watch ever created. It’s like showing up to a black-tie event wearing immaculately tailored jeans – breaking the rules in the best possible way.
The “Actually Usable” Perpetual Calendar
Perpetual calendars can be fussy things – leave them unworn for a week and you’re in for a headache trying to reset multiple displays. Breitling has addressed this with their 96-hour power reserve (that’s four days for the non-mathematicians among us) and two discreet corrector pushers on the case side.
At 43mm across and just under 15mm thick, it’s certainly not small by any means, but it does appear to wear more comfortably than the dimensions might suggest. That’s the Navitimer magic – it’s always been a big watch, but one that somehow feels right at home on most wrists – and we’ve experienced that first hand in our reviews.
Spec Sheet
Case Size: 43mm diameter
Case Material: Stainless steel with platinum bezel
Dial: Ice-blue sunburst
Movement: Breitling B19 automatic perpetual calendar chronograph
Power Reserve: 96 hours
Water Resistance: 30 meters
Features: Perpetual calendar, chronograph, moonphase, slide rule bezel
Strap Options: Black alligator leather or stainless steel bracelet
Certification: COSC-certified chronometer
Pricing & Availability
The Breitling Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar is available now through Breitling boutiques and authorized dealers, priced at $29,000 on alligator strap (ref. PB1920251C1P1) or $29,500 on steel bracelet (ref. PB1920251C1A1).
Recap
Breitling Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar
Breitling brings their spectacular in-house perpetual calendar chronograph movement to a non-limited steel and platinum Navitimer with an ice-blue dial, creating one of the most attainable and wearable triple-complication watches in today’s market.
