Breitling Navitimer

Cosmonaut 809

Used - very good) | Year of manufacture 1962 | Without original box | Without original papers

basic data
Gender	Men's Watch/Unisex
brand	Breitling
Model	Navitimer Cosmonaut
reference number	809
Elevator	manual winding
material housing	steel
Material bracelet	leather
year of manufacture	1962 (approximate)
Condition	very good (worn, no to hardly visible signs of wear)
scope of delivery	Without original box, without original papers, papers
Location	Goods on commission, shipping takes place 3-5 days after receipt of payment.
Price	17'999 CHF

plant
Elevator	manual winding
caliber/movement	Venus 178
number of stones	17
Housing
material housing	steel
diameter	41mm
waterproofness	Not waterproof
Material bezel	steel
Glass	plexiglass
dial	Black
Numbers dial	Arabic
bracelet
Material bracelet	leather
color bracelet	Black
clasp	pin buckle
material	steel
functions
Chronograph

Description

The first Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute

The "First Swiss wristwatch in space", designed according to the wishes of astronaut Scott Carpenter. Breitling delivered the "astronaut design" prototype to Carpenter on May 18, 1962. He then wore it during his Mercury Atlas 7 mission on May 24, 1962. Aboard the Aurora 7 spacecraft, Carpenter orbited his Cosmonaute on his wrist during Earth three times during this mission before both returned safely to Earth and landed in the Atlantic.

Production of the Navitimer Cosmonaute Mk1 with the extra wide bezel began in late June 1962 with a limited production batch. The exact number of Mk1 examples made is not known, as later Mk3 examples were fitted with cases from the same production batch, but it is certainly an icon of the brand and of rarity.

At Scott Carpenter's request, the display was given a 24-hour dial so he could tell day from night in space. In addition, the hour and minute recorders on the dials have been removed to improve legibility. The hands of the Mk1 and Mk2 Navitimer Cosmonaute are unique: a central chrono hand with a luminous teardrop tip and a wide luminous tip that is slightly longer than that of the Navitimer Mk1 and Mk2. The bezel of the Navitimer Cosmonaute Mk1 is significantly wider than that of other models to facilitate operation with spacesuit gloves.

The gloss black 24-hour dials feature luminous Arabic numerals and hands, and several logo variants were available, including applied gold wings, both with "AOPA" and "Breitling" lettering, some without "Cosmonaute » on the dials

Movement: Venus caliber 178 modified; WOG encoded
Case: conical lugs, approx. 40 mm in diameter
Bezel: large pearls, approx. 42.6 mm in diameter
Dial: Black 24-hour display, monochrome slide rule
Hands: wide luminous syringe and unique minute hand, central chrono hand with luminous teardrop tip