As part of the Wempe Signature Collection, Wempe and Breitling have redesigned the Navitimer Cosmonaute and equipped it with features that are available for the first time on a Cosmonaute and exclusively for this limited edition of 50 pieces.
If you search the Breitling web shop for a Navitimer Cosmonaute, the legendary watch that was probably the first Swiss watch to fly into space in 1962, you will find only two models. A Navitimer B12 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute with a rose gold case and green and black dial, and a special edition Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Scott Carpenter Centenary in platinum, which was unveiled at the beginning of the year to mark the 100th birthday of Scott Carpenter. The difference: only the Scott Carpenter Edition, limited to 50 pieces, has a hand-wound calibre, as was also used in the original 1962 model, and that was no coincidence: in zero gravity, hand-wound calibres were more reliable than automatic calibres. Back then, it was a Venus 178 calibre, whereas today the ultra-modern Breitling Manufacture Caliber B02 is used, which was developed specifically for the Cosmonaute.
Now, as part of the Wempe Signature Collection – which is dedicated to collaborating with selected watch manufacturers to create unique and strictly limited editions – another model with a hand-wound calibre is being released, available exclusively from Wempe and featuring several characteristics that are unique to this special edition: the rich dark green of the dial combined with the 24-hour scale in Super-LumiNova in the colour ‘Old Radium’, for example. Or hands plated in 18k red gold, colour-coordinated with the cognac-coloured alligator leather strap. And last but not least, an engraving with ‘Wempe Signature Edition’ and ‘One of 50’.
The first Signature Collection collaboration with Breitling was launched three years ago and “exceeded all records and expectations”, as Kim-Eva Wempe, managing partner of Wempe, mentioned at the launch of the second partnership. We took the watch with us on a day trip and are pretty convinced that it will be a resounding success once again.
The history of the Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute begins in 1962, when astronaut Scott Carpenter, himself a pilot and expert on pilot’s watches, approached the Swiss manufacturer Breitling. At that time, Breitling had already established itself as a leading specialist in pilot’s watches for decades, but Carpenter’s requirements were extraordinary and derived directly from the extreme conditions of space.
Carpenter needed a watch that would allow him to distinguish between day and night in the constant darkness of the cosmos. The solution was a 24-hour scale, a functional necessity that significantly influenced the design of the watch. He also requested a wider, fluted bezel, as he could only operate the watch in his space suit with bulky gloves. These specific, purpose-driven requests were not aesthetic gimmicks, but direct responses to the operational challenges of space, reinforcing Breitling’s position as a manufacturer of precision instruments for professionals.
The historic moment for the watch came on 24 May 1962. With the Navitimer Cosmonaute on his wrist, Scott Carpenter orbited the Earth three times in his spacecraft Aurora 7. This made the Cosmonaute the first Swiss wristwatch ever worn in space. Only a watch from a Russian manufacturer had previously been worn in space, on the wrist of Yuri Gagarin in 1961. A special technical decision played a decisive role in this: the watch was equipped with a hand-wound movement. As Kim-Eva Wempe, managing partner of Wempe, explains, this choice was ‘no coincidence’, as a hand-wound watch was ‘reliable in zero gravity’, unlike automatic movements, which could potentially cause problems in this environment. The reinterpretation of this watch, based on the historic hand-wound calibre, is therefore not only a tribute to a design, but also to the technological foresight of mechanical watchmaking.
To mark the 60th anniversary of the first Swiss wristwatch in space, Breitling launched a limited-edition reissue of the Navitimer Cosmonaute in 2022. Limited to 362 pieces, this model paid homage to the original, featuring a black dial with chronograph counters in the same colour and available with a black alligator leather strap or a stainless-steel bracelet. In another limited edition released just this year, Breitling celebrated Scott Carpenter’s 100th birthday with a new model featuring a platinum case and blue dial, limited to just 50 pieces.
The new Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Signature Collection combines authentic design features from the 1962 original with contemporary updates. The rich dark green dial is a first for a Navitimer Cosmonaute. A key feature with historical significance is the legendary winged logo of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), which is emblazoned on the dial at 12 o’clock. The historic 24-hour scale has been modernised for improved readability. Its numerals and indices are made of Super-LumiNova in the colour ‘Old Radium’, which glows green in the dark and thus looks strikingly similar to the original. On the one hand, it evokes an emotional connection to the patina of old watches, but on the other hand, the modern Super-LumiNova makes it much more reliable and durable. The design is complemented by faithful-to-the-original ‘mushroom pushers’ and the recessed arrangement of the three totalisers with radial grinding, which gives the dial a special plastic depth. The central stop second hand has been modernised and has a red lacquered tip.
An exclusive feature is the finishing of all hands. Both the hour and minute hands and all other hands are plated with 18k rose gold. This rose gold tone has been precisely colour-matched to the cognac-coloured alligator leather strap, which is another exclusive unique feature of this Wempe Signature Collection edition.
Inside the watch beats the hand-wound mechanical calibre B02, which is exclusively dedicated to the Navitimer Cosmonaute – a highly precise, fully integrated chronograph with column wheel and vertical clutch. The movement measures 30 mm in diameter and 6.83 mm in height. The calibre is finished with rhodium plating, stripe finishing, an engraved logo, sunburst finishing on the gear train and balance bridge, and blued screws. Its accuracy is confirmed by official COSC chronometer certification. The movement operates at a balance frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. The power reserve of around 70 hours is impressive.
The exclusivity of this model is underlined by its strict limitation to just 50 pieces. In addition to a sapphire crystal case back that allows a view of the beautifully finished Caliber B02, the case is engraved with ‘Wempe Signature Edition’ and ‘One of 50’.
The collaboration is also reflected in the voices of those responsible. Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling, describes the new edition as a continuation of the ‘successful partnership with Wempe’ and a ‘tribute to Scott Carpenter’s historic space flight’. For Kim-Eva Wempe, the realisation of this edition is a ‘very personal moment’ that pays ‘homage to an important piece of space history’ and, at the same time, to the art of mechanical watchmaking.
Scott Carpenter’s Cosmonaute from 1962 had a case diameter of 43 mm, which was understandable given the circumstances of having to operate the watch while wearing gloves. Fortunately, the new Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Signature Collection has a diameter of 41 mm, as is standard for modern Cosmonaute models. This makes the watch versatile for everyday use: sporty and casual with a jumper, an elegant companion on business trips or completely in its element as a genuine special chronograph with a leather flight jacket. With a height of 13 mm, it still fits comfortably under a jacket and shirt.
Anyone who thinks that Wempe and Breitling are charging astronomical prices due to the exclusivity and limited availability of this model is mistaken. At €9,950, the new Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Signature Collection is priced in line with the regular Navitimer B01 line. The price is therefore more than fair, considering the additional effort involved in the individual design and the limited availability.
The new Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Signature Collection will be available worldwide from 1 October 2025 in all Wempe branches with Breitling concessions and in the Wempe online shop.
