2026 is shaping up to be a strong year for Breitling, as the brand leans heavily into one of its heritage pillars: the Navitimer, particularly the Cosmonaute model. History was made in 1962 when American astronaut Malcolm Scott Carpenter wore the original Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute during his NASA Mercury‑Atlas 7 mission.
Breitling’s longstanding ties to aviation were further cemented when the timepiece became the first chronograph ever worn beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Today, the brand revives the icon through a new interpretation of the watch: Navitimer Cosmonaute Artemis II. This moniker was derived from a NASA mission of the same name, which saw a crewed flyby journey into outer space aboard the Orion capsule.
Despite signalling a return to modern space ambition, this limited edition piece—produced only in 450 units—also pays homage to the original reference. Join us as we take the Navitimer Cosmonaute Artemis II for a lap through outer space and deeper into the Breitling universe.
1. From Mercury-Atlas 7 to Artemis II
When Scott Carpenter approached Willy Breitling to create a modified Navitimer ahead of his NASA mission, the timepiece had already earned a reputation among aviation pilots for its highly functional slide-rule bezel. Even so, spaceflight presented an entirely different set of challenges. Particularly because Carpenter requested an entirely different level of specifications to make it both adapted for orbit and, get this, one that remained recognisably a Navitimer.
Most notably, Carpenter requested a 24-hour dial in place of the traditional 12-hour display. This is a practical adjustment for an astronaut witnessing multiple sunrises and sunsets while orbiting Earth. Meanwhile, details such as a more glove-friendly bezel and an expandable bracelet reflected the realities of operating inside a spacecraft. As a result, the pilot project (pun intended), Navitimer Cosmonaute, ultimately became the first Swiss wristwatch worn in space.
Still, what makes the Cosmonaute particularly compelling is not merely its “first in space” distinction. Plenty of watches have since laid claim to milestones linked to space exploration, but the fame lies in the enduring appeal signified by how purpose-built it feels. The Cosmonaute’s connection to space hardly ended with Scott Carpenter.
In the years that followed, Breitling watches continued to appear on the wrists of astronauts, from John Glenn and James McDivitt to Claudie André-Deshays aboard Soyuz TM-24, Robert Hines on a 2022 Dragon mission to the ISS, to Polish ESA astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski during a 2025 spaceflight. Today, the Navitimer Cosmonaute also made its way onto the Artemis II mission, proving that the watch remains remarkably close to the world it was originally designed for.
2. A Dial Born Beyond Earth
Arguably, the most distinctive element of the celestial narrative is the meteorite dial, rendered in a deep galaxy‑blue hue. Rather than a simple flourish, it’s a slice of extraterrestrial material whose iron‑nickel structure reveals a crystalline Widmanstätten pattern. Each dial carries its own fingerprint, serving a reminder that no two pieces of space rock (and no two watches, for that matter) are ever alike.
At the same time, the Breitling Cosmonaute Artemis II doesn’t lose sight of its roots. The familiar slide rule, AOPA wings, and three‑register chronograph layout remain, joined by a 24‑hour display that speaks directly to the watch’s original purpose. Red accents on the chronograph hand and scale punctuate the surface, while Super‑LumiNova® indexes and hands ensure the watch remains legible against its cosmic backdrop.
On the wrist, the galaxy‑blue meteorite dial is framed by a black slide rule, punctuated with red accents, and paired with a matching blue alligator strap. Sized at 41 mm in stainless steel, the case feels faithful to the lineage yet fresh in execution, balancing heritage with novelty.
If you flip the watch over, the story continues. The transparent sapphire caseback reveals the Calibre B02, surrounded by engravings of “Artemis II” and “One of 450,” while the mission logo adds a direct nod to the programme it honours.
3. A Familiar Cosmonaute Formula
Beyond its celestial aesthetics, the Navitimer Cosmonaute Artemis II remains mechanically faithful to the formula that has long defined the model. This latest iteration is powered by COSC-certified Breitling Calibre B02, a manual-winding chronograph movement beating at 4Hz with a 66-hour power reserve.
The decision to retain a hand-wound movement feels particularly fitting here. Historically, manually wound calibres have long been closely associated with early spacefaring watches, largely due to their reliability and practicality in environments where automatic rotors were once viewed with scepticism.
As such, the B02 reinforces the Cosmonaute’s historical lineage whilst preserving a tactile quality increasingly appreciated by collectors today.
