I have to admit that I was surprised by the somewhat ‘unconventional’ beaded bezel. Refusing to attribute a gender to the watch, the Portofino 37mm proved that you can swing it both ways and still look cool. Let’s not forget that back in 2014, when he was still CEO of IWC, Kern introduced the 37mm unisex Portofino Midsize to great fanfare with an all-star male and female cast including Cate Blanchett and Ewan McGregor. Designed to appeal to men and women, the deliberate genderless nature of Navitimer 1 is classic Kern. With a diameter of 38mm, the Navitimer 1 plays the unisex card to perfection. With no pushers on the case band and no counters on the dial, the highly instrument/tool nature of the watch is erased allowing it to redefine its character as a more elegant, could we say dress watch? Before everybody starts jumping up and down insisting that the Navitimer was and always will be a chronograph, Breitling points out that there was, in fact, a three-hand Navitimer produced in the 1950s, known as Ref. The first obvious fact is that, unlike the veteran Navitimer, the Navitimer 1 is not a chronograph.
Does the number 1 next to the name of this watch mean that is closer in spirit to the original Navitimer than the Navitimer 8, for example? The Navitimer 1 Automatic 38 is not a chronograph…! However, there are still questions to be answered. Flying in with a case size of just 38mm, the Navitimer 1 shatters the enduring myth of Breitling’s XXL pilot’s watches and, as the smallest case size in the Navitimer collection, is designed to open the doors on new markets. The subsequent launch of the Navitimer 1 took place in already turbulent skies. Inspired by historical onboard clocks and cockpit instruments made in Breitling’s Huit Aviation Department, the Navitimer 8 is, in fact, a coherent, attractive family which might have avoided the controversy by opting for a different name. Turbulence or smooth sailing on the horizon for Breitlingįollowing the hullabaloo provoked by the unveiling of the Navitimer 8 Collection – with die-hard fans of the legendary Navitimer chronograph offended by a collection that looks nothing like an original Navitimer – Breitling had a lot of explaining to do. Ideal for men with smaller wrists and women who like watches with a more virile personality, let’s take a closer look at the Navitimer 1 Automatic 38. The new 38mm Navitimer 1 three-hander would seem to be a direct response to his strategy and plays the unisex card to great effect. His mission is one of expansion and he hopes to attract women and lure the Asian market into the Breitling fold. With large market segments entirely overlooked by the brand’s predominant focus on oversized pilot’s watches, Kern has altered the flight plan. Georges Kern has been busy dusting off cobwebs and streamlining references (from 600 to 120) since he was appointed CEO of Breitling in the summer of 2017.