Breitling

Breitling defined the modern aviator's chronograph: the Navitimer of 1952 was the first wrist instrument with a circular slide rule, adopted as the official watch of the AOPA. Honeyrock's selection focuses on the Navitimer family across B01 and Heritage references, the Premier B01 Chronograph, and the Triumph Ice Blue Top Time limited edition. Every piece authenticated in-hand by our physician-led vetting team.

Breitling

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5,250.00

Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Silver "Panda" Dial | Ref. AB0145211G1A1
Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Silver "Panda" Dial | Ref. AB0145211G1A1
Breitling

Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Silver "Panda" Dial | Ref. AB0145211G1A1

$5,200.00

Breitling Top Time | Triumph Ice Blue Limited Racing Edition " Zorro" Design
Breitling Top Time | Triumph Ice Blue Limited Racing Edition " Zorro" Design
Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 | Ref. AB0118221B1X1
Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 | Ref. AB0118221B1X1
Breitling

Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 | Ref. AB0118221B1X1

$5,250.00

Breitling Navitimer Heritage Chronograph 42mm | Black Dial | Ref. A1332412
Breitling Navitimer Heritage Chronograph 42mm | Black Dial | Ref. A1332412
Breitling Navitimer Automatic 38 | Black Dial | Bidirectional Bezel | Ref. A17325
Breitling Navitimer Automatic 38 | Black Dial | Bidirectional Bezel | Ref. A17325
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Breitling Navitimer 42 mm | Ref. A23322
Breitling Navitimer 42 mm | Ref. A23322
Breitling

Breitling Navitimer 42 mm | Ref. A23322

$4,000.00

Breitling Navitimer 1 B01 Chronograph 43 | Ref. AB0121211B2X1
Breitling Navitimer 1 B01 Chronograph 43 | Ref. AB0121211B2X1
About Breitling

The Breitling lines that matter

Breitling positioned itself as an instrument-maker before it became a luxury house. The company supplied chronographs to the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, to the AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) from the 1950s onward, and to airline cockpits across Pan Am, KLM, and TWA. The brand identity rests on tools that pilots and divers actually used at altitude or depth.

The Navitimer, introduced in 1952 and standardised as the AOPA's official watch in 1954, was the first wrist chronograph with a circular logarithmic slide rule. The rotating outer bezel allows pilots to perform fuel consumption, airspeed, time-distance, and unit conversion calculations without instruments. The line survives across multiple case diameters: 38mm, 42mm, 43mm, and 46mm, with B01 in-house calibres in current production and earlier Heritage references using the older calibre 17 base.

The Premier, originally launched in 1943 as Breitling's first dress chronograph, was revived in 2018 with the B01 calibre. The Premier B01 Chronograph 42 sits at the intersection of formal and tool: chronograph functionality without the pilot's slide rule, with a cleaner dial architecture than the Navitimer.

The Top Time, introduced in 1964, was Breitling's youth-market chronograph: smaller case, simpler complications, designed for motorsport rather than aviation. The recent Top Time Triumph collaboration, including the Ice Blue "Zorro" Limited Racing Edition, references the 1960s racing heritage with contemporary materials.

Other lines worth knowing for context include the Chronomat (1984 rebirth, B01-equipped sport chronograph), the Superocean (1957 dive line, 300m to 2000m water resistance variants), and the Avenger (military-derived instruments).

What separates Breitling at the movement level

The B01 calibre, launched in 2009, is Breitling's first in-house automatic chronograph movement. It features a 70-hour power reserve, column-wheel chronograph architecture, and vertical clutch coupling. The B01 is COSC-certified across the Breitling lineup that carries it, including the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 (reference AB0121211B2X1) and Premier B01 Chronograph 42 (AB0118221B1X1).

Earlier and parallel Breitling production uses the calibre 17, an ETA Valjoux 7750-based chronograph movement. The Navitimer Heritage Chronograph 42mm (reference A1332412) and Navitimer references like A23322 use this base. The calibre 17 is COSC-certified, reliable, and serviceable at any qualified watchmaker, which has implications for long-term ownership cost.

The non-chronograph Navitimer Automatic 38 (reference A17325) uses the calibre 17 in time-only configuration with bidirectional slide rule bezel. This is the smaller, simpler Navitimer reference, popular with collectors who want the slide rule aesthetic without chronograph complexity.

The slide rule itself is a precision instrument. The outer rotating bezel carries a logarithmic scale aligned to a fixed inner scale, enabling multiplication, division, ratio, and unit conversion calculations. Functional verification (does it rotate smoothly, do the markings align with original specification) is part of authentication.

Buying pre-owned Breitling

The Breitling pre-owned market favours informed buyers. Five points matter:

  • B01 vs calibre 17: B01 references command a premium and offer longer service intervals. Calibre 17 references are more affordable and easier to service locally. Both are valid choices; understanding the distinction is essential.
  • Bezel condition: The Navitimer's slide rule bezel rotates frequently in actual use. Worn lettering or sticky rotation reduces value. Original sharp bezel markings are preferred.
  • Bracelet originality: The Pilot bracelet (signed clasp, beveled links) and Air Racer bracelet are reference-specific. Aftermarket or service bracelets are common; original-fit verification matters.
  • Dial originality: Navitimer dials have undergone subtle revisions across reference generations. Re-dialed examples can be detected through register placement, font, and printing technique.
  • Full set: Original box, COSC certificate, warranty card, and instruction manual increase value, particularly for limited editions like the Top Time Triumph.

What Honeyrock holds

The current Breitling selection at Honeyrock is Navitimer-heavy, with four Navitimer references representing the family's range.

The Navitimer 1 B01 Chronograph 43 (AB0121211B2X1) and Navitimer Heritage Chronograph 42mm (A1332412) cover the chronograph variants in B01 and calibre 17 respectively. The Navitimer 42mm (A23322) and Navitimer Automatic 38 with bidirectional bezel (A17325) cover the time-only side of the line.

The Premier B01 Chronograph 42 (AB0118221B1X1) represents the dress-chronograph side of the catalogue. The Top Time Triumph Ice Blue Limited Racing Edition "Zorro" is the racing-heritage reference, a full-set example of the recent motorsport collaboration.

Each piece has been authenticated in-hand by Honeyrock's physician-led vetting team, with calibre verification, bezel function, and bracelet originality confirmed before listing.