Breitling’s aviation watch with a circular slide-rule bezel, introduced in 1952, is the Navitimer.
The Navitimer’s bezel and scales were designed to help pilots perform calculations such as multiplication, division, fuel consumption, airspeed, distance, and climb or descent rates. It was based on the earlier Chronomat concept but adapted more directly to aviation use.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association supported the design, and early examples carried the AOPA connection. The name combines “navigation” and “timer,” reflecting the watch’s intended role as a compact cockpit-style calculating instrument.
A Navitimer is not simply any Breitling with a busy dial. Its defining visual feature is the rotating logarithmic slide rule surrounding the dial. Modern electronic flight instruments have replaced most practical need for the scale, but the Navitimer remains one of the best-known pilot’s watches and a signature Breitling design.