Move over Omega – Breitling is championing its own space-flight history with an Artemis II edition
It won't be the first watch you think of for space travel, but it just might be the most important
Quick Summary
If Artemis II has had you hankering for an Omega Speedmaster, you might want to hold onto your cash.
Breitling also has a moon watch with deeper history – and its new limited edition celebrates the recent lunar mission.
The recent Artemis II space flight reignited the lunar interests of many watch lovers. Many look to the iconic Omega Speedmaster as the figurehead for wrist-mounted space travel.
But it's far from the only noteworthy model. The Breitling Navitimer was actually the first Swiss wristwatch worn in space, as part of Scott Carpenter's mission on the Aurora 7 spacecraft.
Now, the brand has celebrated the latest Artemis II mission with a version of its commemorative Navitimer Cosmonaute. That features the Artemis II mission logo printed on the case back, and also engraves it along with 'One of 450' to denote the limited edition nature.
It's not any old cheap attempt at relevance, either. Four of these watches went up with the crew, and can be seen worn as tools while on the mission, making this just about as close to a real space watch as any of us are likely to get.
The 41mm chronograph is already a fantastic piece, powered by the brand's B01 calibre, which offers 66 hours of power reserve and a 4Hz beat rate.
The model is cased in stainless steel, and comes on a blue alligator leather strap. That matches nicely with the dial, which is crafted from Meteorite. That's not uncommon in special edition watches – particularly those with a lunar leaning – but its rare to see it in this blue hue.
Of course, this model also features the 24-hour dial, designed to help distinguish day from night while in orbit. That was first put into use by Scott Carpenter all the way back in 1962, and continues to be a useful complication for actual space use.
As mentioned above, the model is available as a limited edition of 450 piece, each priced at £9,500 (approx. €10,900 / US$12,750 / AU$18,000). That's a hair more costly than a standard Navitimer, but I think it's worth every penny.
The cost difference can be attributed to the dial material and the rarer combination of features in the movement and dial design, but the real value comes in the moment. Artemis II looks set to be one of the most prolific space flights of a generation, and owning a small piece of that might prove to be priceless.
