Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Boeing 747 Honours a Giant of Aviation

If you ask anyone off the street to name a jumbo jet, chances are the only one he can name is the Boeing 747. It’s one of the most significant airplanes in history, revolutionising air transport with its vastly superior passenger capacity and flight range compared to other jets at the time of its launch in 1969. Now though, the final 747 has rolled off the production line with Boeing discontinuing the model. To mark the occasion, Breitling have created a limited edition Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Boeing 747.

The new watch is based on the re-vamped Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 from last year, which introduced a number of minor design updates. As such, the Boeing 747 edition has a 43mm diameter case made from stainless steel with a chunky grip and oversize crown, in classic pilot’s watch fashion.

Aesthetically, it’s had a complete makeover with a pale cream dial, black chronograph subdials and a red slide rule. It’s based on the vintage paint job of the very first 747, which is also cream with a red stripe along its flanks. There’s also an inscription of “Boeing 747” nestled into the slide rule. It feels like the civilian equivalent of Breitling’s Red Arrow timepieces and it’s a fitting tribute to the old giant. The only icing on the cake I can think of is if Breitling release a version based on the 46mm Navitimer, to really drive the theme home.

Inside, the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Boeing 747 houses the Breitling Manufacture Calibre 01. A COSC chronometer certified automatic movement with a 70-hour power reserve. It features hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph seconds, 30-minute timer, 12-hour timer and date functions. It’s visible through the exhibition caseback, which is also where you can see the engraving “One of 747 – The Original Jumbo Jet”.

As that case engraving indicates, the watch is limited to 747 pieces. Although, they have missed a trick by setting the price at £7,300 when it should obviously be £7,470. I think the key thing about this launch is that it’s just a fun recolour of the Navitimer – the majority of the releases from last year limited themselves to one or two colours at most and none of them had alternating colours between the central dial, slide rule and periphery. It makes me want to see what else Breitling can achieve with the display.