My cousin’s husband used to be a test pilot in the U.S. Air Force. In fact, at one point he ran the test pilot office at Edwards Air Force Base, and retired a full bird colonel. He’s the real deal. Why am I telling you this? Because when he was asked about the prominent 1:1 replica Breitling UK on his wrist, he replied, “I need a Navitimer so I can do my calculations!” (emphasis his).
That brief anecdote may tell you something about how the cheap fake Breitling Navitimer is viewed by the guys who fly jets for a living. That bit about calculations would be in reference to the Navitimer’s most recognizable feature, the “navigation computer” — a circular slide rule located on the rotating bezel that a pilot can use to handle all the calculations they need to make when planning a flight (airspeed, rate/time of climb/descent, flight time, distance, and fuel consumption functions, plus kilometer-nautical mile and gallon-liter fuel conversion functions). This slide rule bezel has been present on almost every AAA copy Breitling Navitimer has ever produced and is typically considered at the heart of this tool watch’s incredible popularity.
The Navitimer Today
At any given point in time over the years, there have been multiple versions of the Navitimer: optional dial colors, straps, bracelets, case material (steel and gold), special and commemorative editions, etc. In 2017, Swiss made replica Breitling was acquired by CVC Capital Partners, losing its independent status, and the current CEO Georges Kern took over. Recent years have seen the scope of the Navitimer collection expand. The current collection includes designs that broaden the traditional notion of what a Navitimer should be, including non-chronograph, time-only models. The modern UK perfect fake Breitling Navitimer 01 is reminiscent of the early 806s, but 2019 saw the release of a historically faithful recreation of the 806 that is accurate down to many details, from its case size to the number of “beads” on its bezel.
The current lineup features myriad options, but for true Breitling Navitimer replica online UK aficionados and pilots, the original vintage 806s are what really scratch the itch, whether one’s flying an airplane or a desk. That said, it’s hard to discount almost any version of the watch that spawned a genre (the wrist instrument), and contributed to one or two more (the pilot’s super clone watch and the tool watch). In a world where some argue that all wristwatches are anachronisms, this particular watch flips the bird at that notion and keeps getting better and better.