Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute Ref. 809

A beloved pilot’s watch from the ‘60s, this Breitling Cosmonaute features a complex 24-hour dial and a bold combination of black, white and steel. This example remains in excellent condition, showing little to no signs of wear.

The idea for the Cosmonaute was conceived by NASA astronaut Malcom Scott Carpenter, who took part in NASA’s Project Mercury in 1959. As a combat pilot in the Korean War, he wore a 12-hour Breitling Navitimer. He soon proposed the creation of a Navitimer with a 24-hour dial, thus the ‘Cosmonaute’ was born in 1962 as the first Breitling to go to space.

The Cosmonaute was produced and sold in the early to mid-sixties, with various dial configurations along the way. Each model, including this example, is powered by the Venus 178 movement. A fabulous and sharp-looking timepiece, the Cosmonaute represents an important part of Breitling’s rich history.