Created at the height of the jet age, a period of rapid aeronautical innovation, the Concorde redefined what was possible in the sky, cutting trans-Atlantic flight times in half at twice the speed of sound and lifting passengers high enough to glimpse the curve of the Earth. Nicknamed “the White Bird” for its distinctive shape, the Concorde flew higher and faster than any commercial aircraft before or since. Cruising at 60,000 feet, it offered its roughly 100 passengers a rare view of the stratosphere’s deep blue. The supersonic aircraft was a symbol of a time when the world dreamed bigger.

That notion returns in the new Navitimer Tribute to Concorde. Breitling’s iconic pilot’s chronograph, originally created as a tool for civil aviation, meets one of the sky’s most daring achievements. The result merges two: the watch born during the golden age of air travel, and the aircraft that pushed commercial flight into the future. A modern evolution of Breitling’s icon, it is designed with the Navitimer’s classic hallmarks and charged with the energy of supersonic travel.

Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling, says, “Flying with the Concorde was like nothing else. Today, travel is a necessary step to reach a destination, but a Concorde flight was an experience in itself. It’s only natural that we pay homage to the 50th anniversary of its first flight with our iconic Navitimer.”

The Concorde’s pioneering spirit is also what defined the Navitimer, a watch that regularly appears on collectors’ lists as one of the greatest of all time. The Navitimer was designed in 1952 for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Known as the first wristwatch flight computer, its patented circular slide rule could perform crucial onboard calculations. And while it began as a practical tool-watch for pilots, its influence went far beyond aviation, becoming the first Swiss wristwatch in space with astronaut Scott Carpenter before finding its way onto the wrists of Formula 1 legends Graham Hill and Jim Clark, and musicians Serge Gainsbourg and Miles Davis, among other cultural icons. Now, over 70 years later, it blends heritage and technical expertise with modern innovation and style.

TRIBUTE TO 50 YEARS SINCE TAKE OFF

The Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Tribute to Concorde is expressed through a blue dial in the shade of the stratosphere as seen from the plane, paired with a matching alligator strap. Contrasting white subdials and an inner slide rule reference Concorde’s nickname, the White Bird.

Limited to 593 pieces, it references the Olympus 593 turbojet engines that powered the aircraft. The caseback is engraved with “One of 593,” “Tribute to Concorde,” “Jetliner,” and “Mach 2,” the aircraft’s cruising speed beyond the sound barrier.

The Navitimer Tribute to Concorde brings together two aviation legends. Fifty years after the Concorde’s first flight, it honors an aircraft that redefined what was possible and a belief that the future belongs to those who dream bigger.