Not one, but two AAA replica Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaut watches have just been revealed. First, a watch that is actually over 60 years old and is on public display for the first time: The first Swiss wristwatch ever in space (wowzers), i.e., the specially modified Navitimer of astronaut Scott Carpenter. Second, the new 1:1 fake Breitling Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaut Limited Edition — a bit of a mouthful — the modern tribute to the piece Carpenter wore when he orbited the Earth three times while wearing his Navitimer Cosmonaute during his Mercury-Atlas 7 mission on the 24th of May, 1962. Exactly 60 years ago.
As luxury replica Breitling fans know at this point, pretty much every year since Georges Kern took over at the helm as CEO, the Grenchen-based watchmaker has released a single “heritage” edition that is nothing but pure, unadulterated fan service. Highly limited, this series of editions has included re-issues of the legendary Navitimer 806, along with a trio of the AVI 765 (a favorite of cheap fake Breitling historian and consultant Fred Mandelbaum).
This year, Swiss made replica Breitling is tapping another key brand milestone around the 1962 Cosmonaute, the 60th Anniversary of another legendary reference that carried two unique distinctions: first, it was recognized in Breitling collector circles as the first Swiss copy wristwatch in space, and second, its unique 24-hour time display, as specially requested by Carpenter himself.
Thankfully, the new cheap fake Breitling Navitimer reference PB02301A1B1P1 (or PB02301A1B1A1 if you want it on the bracelet) isn’t just a shot-for-shot re-issue of the Cosmonaute — it’s a decidedly luxe approach to one of the earliest known purpose-built watches for astronauts, one that acknowledges its fans (hat tip to Mandelbaum for his work here) with a hand-wound 24-hour-display movement with a chronograph, a stainless steel case, and a platinum bezel. Certainly a far cry in terms of materials and movement from the Swiss super clone Breitling ref. 809 that John Glenn would wear on his pioneering earth orbit in 1962, but just as strong in proper, unadulterated Cosmonaut vibes.
The case of the new Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaut replica for men measures 41mm and is just 13mm-thick – courtesy of the hand-wound-only B02 movement that ditches the self-winding system of the B01 it is based on. Power reserve and frequency maintain their impressive combination of 70 hours and 4 Hertz, and the column wheel and vertical clutch — all four are cornerstones of a proper modern chronograph movement — are all here, as well. Lug-to-lug the super clone Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaut measures 47.09mm, making it beautifully wearable and in tune not just with the original, but also with the changing tides of the big-watch trend.
On the wrist, the high quality replica Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaut makes me want to come up with a space-themed alternative term to “desk diving,” a phrase, in case you are new to watches, used for those of us who wear over-engineered dive fake watches online to the office but never in their intended element. Am I desk-ronaut (I do apologize) rocking a 24-hour dial that, don’t you know, Scott Carpenter requested for his space missions? I don’t know.
What I do know is that if I were in the market for a Navitimer, I’d be really tempted to try to get one of the 362 pieces of the new Swiss movement fake Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaut Limited Edition. It’s extra rarity and platinum bezel are both very tempting. On the flipside, the “regular” and also very fresh Navitimer has some eye-wateringly beautiful new renditions, is less expensive by a considerable amount — $1,800 — and is probably easier to read than the somewhat cramped and busy 24-hour dial on a 41mm watch.
With well over 1,000 points of sale worldwide but only 362 pieces available to sell, it goes without saying that most top replica Breitling fans likely won’t even see one of these in the metal until they’re long gone. Thus, Breitling has confirmed that the limited run will be sold specifically through its boutique network, and its e-commerce site, and will be available in two options: with best 1:1 fake Breitling’s seven-link stainless steel bracelet (ref. PB02301A1B1A1) for a price of $11,200 USD or on an alligator strap (ref. PB02301A1B1P1) for $10,800 USD.