Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute Ref. 809

£5,000.00
Sold

  • Year: 1966.

  • Movement: Venus 178 hand wound mechanical movement with 24 hour hand complication. Column wheel chronograph.

  • Case size: 40mm. Slide rule bezel 2mm wider for use with pilots gloves.

  • Dial: Original black dial with silver subdials. Tritium hands and numerals.

  • Strap: Breitling black leather strap and Breitling buckle.

  • Crystal: Plexiglass Crystal.

  • As with all watches bought from Watts On Watches, this watch comes with a 12 month warranty.

  • Unless otherwise stated, it is common for vintage watches to not come with box and papers. In the rare example that a watch does come with box and papers it will be mentioned in the description. All purchases come with bespoke Watts On Watches packaging and purchase documentation.

  • Year: 1966.

  • Movement: Venus 178 hand wound mechanical movement with 24 hour hand complication. Column wheel chronograph.

  • Case size: 40mm. Slide rule bezel 2mm wider for use with pilots gloves.

  • Dial: Original black dial with silver subdials. Tritium hands and numerals.

  • Strap: Breitling black leather strap and Breitling buckle.

  • Crystal: Plexiglass Crystal.

  • As with all watches bought from Watts On Watches, this watch comes with a 12 month warranty.

  • Unless otherwise stated, it is common for vintage watches to not come with box and papers. In the rare example that a watch does come with box and papers it will be mentioned in the description. All purchases come with bespoke Watts On Watches packaging and purchase documentation.

When it comes to watches worn in space, everyone knows about the Omega Speedmaster and the iconic moment in history where it became the first watch worn on the Moon. But only the clued up few of you may know that the first Swiss wristwatch worn in space was the Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute. 

Scott Carpenter is the reason why the Breitling Cosmonaute exists. He was one of the original astronauts selected to be part of NASA’s Project Mercury back in 1959. After wearing a standard Navitimer during his time as an air force pilot, he approached Breitling and requested them to produce a Navitimer with a 24-hour dial. Breitling registered the name "Cosmonaute" in 1961 and then in 1962 a modified Navitimer with a 24-hour dial was the first Breitling to go to space.

The Cosmonaute was powered by the Venus 178 movement, a very reliable column wheel chronograph movement. The main difference between the Navitimer and Cosmonaute is the use of the 24-hour dial which was required as the hour hand only moves across the whole dial once per day.