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Choose the Navitimer if aviation history, a functional circular slide rule and pilot-style chronograph design are what draw you to Breitling. Choose the Chronomat if you prefer bezel rider tabs, the Rouleaux bracelet and a broader sports-watch identity. The practical difference is especially clear in water resistance: Breitling’s collection pages state 30 m for Navitimer and 200 m for Chronomat, though you should verify the rating and instructions for the exact reference.
Neither collection has just one size, movement or function. The right comparison is between specific references, guided by the design you like, the complications you need, fit on your wrist and how you plan to wear the watch.
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What is the difference between the Chronomat and Navitimer?
| What to compare | Navitimer | Chronomat |
|---|---|---|
| Design purpose | Aviation-oriented chronograph with a circular slide rule intended for flight calculations. | Developed for the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team; a sports-watch design with cockpit and off-duty roots. |
| Visual signatures | Rotating circular slide-rule bezel and a detailed, instrument-like dial. | Bezel rider tabs and the Rouleaux bracelet; Breitling also identifies an onion crown as a signature. |
| Sizes listed by Breitling | 32, 36, 41, 43 and 46 mm. | 32–44 mm, with 32, 36, 40 and 44 mm families highlighted. |
| Functions listed | Time-only, date, GMT, chronograph and perpetual-calendar chronograph executions. | Automatic timekeeping and chronographs, including B31 and B01 families. |
| Collection-page water resistance | 30 m; Breitling says the collection is not designed for swimming or submersion. | 200 m. |
| Movements named on collection pages | B19, B23, B20 and Caliber 01. | B31 automatic and B01 chronograph variants. |
These are collection-level descriptions, not guarantees that every size, function, movement or rating applies to every watch in the family. Check the specification and care guidance for the reference you are considering.
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Which design suits you?
Choose the Navitimer for the slide rule and aviation character
The Navitimer’s circular slide rule is its defining feature. It is not merely a decorative bezel: the rotating scale is designed to support calculations, which gives the watch its distinctive dense dial and instrument-like appearance. If you want a watch whose look is inseparable from aviation history, this is the clearer choice.
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- Swiss Made. Blue Dial with Black Sub-Dials, Date Feature and Slide Rule Feature
- Chronograph Feature: Large Central Chronograph Seconds Hand, 30 Minute Counter Sub-Dial at 3 O'Clock, 12 Hour Counter Sub-Dial at 6 O'Clock and Small Seconds Sub-Dial at 9 O'Clock
- Breitling Caliber 01, Self-winding Automatic Chronometer Movement (COSC Chronometer Certified)
- Polished Stainless Steel Case on Brown Crocodile Leather Strap, 43mm Case Diameter
- Cambered Scratch Resistant Sapphire Crystal Glareproofed on Both Sides
Breitling says the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) asked Willy Breitling to create a pilot chronograph in 1952. The brand says the Navitimer was released to the public in late 1955, after an original AOPA version, and that its slide rule adapted an earlier Chronomat concept. These are Breitling’s accounts of the collections’ history; see its Navitimer history.
Choose the Chronomat for rider tabs and the Rouleaux bracelet
The Chronomat is easier to identify by its rider tabs on the bezel and its Rouleaux bracelet. Those details give it a more overtly sports-watch look than the Navitimer’s calculation-focused dial. Breitling says the design was developed for the Italian Frecce Tricolori team and launched publicly in 1984; its Chronomat collection page presents the rider tabs, onion crown and bracelet as enduring signatures.
Breitling says the collection was redesigned in 2020 while retaining signature design codes from the original. That history may appeal if you want a watch with a clear sports-watch identity, but the current models vary substantially in size and function.
How do sizes and functions compare?
Navitimer options
Breitling’s current Navitimer collection page lists 32, 36, 41, 43 and 46 mm sizes, with time-only, date, GMT, chronograph and perpetual-calendar chronograph executions. The range can suit very different preferences, but diameter alone does not tell you how a watch will sit on your wrist. Case shape, thickness, lug-to-lug length and bracelet fit matter too.
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- Model UB0121211F1A1
Chronomat options
Breitling describes the Chronomat range as spanning 32 to 44 mm. Its named families include the Chronomat 32, Automatic 36, B31 Automatic 40 and Super Chronomat B01 44. This makes the collection worth considering whether you want a smaller, simpler automatic watch or a larger chronograph, but compare the exact case rather than assuming that all Chronomats wear alike.
Match the complication to how you will use the watch
If you need a GMT function or a perpetual calendar, Breitling lists those among Navitimer executions; confirm which current reference offers the function you want. If you want a chronograph, both collections have options, so compare the specific models’ dimensions, movement and controls rather than treating the collection name as the deciding factor.
Before buying, try the actual reference if possible. If you cannot, compare its case dimensions—particularly lug-to-lug length and thickness—with a watch you already know fits you.
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Breitling’s Navitimer collection page states 30 m water resistance and says the watch is not designed for swimming or snorkeling. Its Chronomat collection page states 200 m. That makes the Chronomat the more practical starting point if you expect regular water exposure, but collection summaries should not replace the specification and operating instructions for the exact reference.
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- Calibre Breitling 01 (Manufacture)
- Power reserve of over 70 hours.
- From the New 2018 Colllection
Water-resistance markings describe test conditions, not a promise that every watch is suitable for every water activity. Follow the reference-specific guidance, and do not treat a Navitimer as a swimming or dive watch based on the collection’s heritage or appearance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which movements and power reserves should you compare?
Movement choice depends on the reference. Breitling’s Navitimer page names B19, B23, B20 and Caliber 01. For the Chronomat it lists B31 automatic models and B01 chronographs; the collection includes both simpler automatic watches and chronographs, so those calibers are not interchangeable descriptions of every model.
For the specifications it publishes, Breitling says the Navitimer flagship Caliber 01 is COSC-certified and has approximately 70 hours of power reserve. The Chronomat page states a 78-hour reserve for the B31 and 70 hours for B01 chronographs; it describes the B01 as an in-house Manufacture Caliber and COSC-certified. These figures apply to the named movements, not automatically to every watch in either collection. Check the exact product page for the reference under consideration: Navitimer and Chronomat.
Chronomat or Navitimer: which should you buy?
- Pick the Navitimer if the slide-rule bezel, aviation history or a listed GMT or perpetual-calendar chronograph execution is central to what you want.
- Pick the Chronomat if you prefer rider-tab styling, the Rouleaux bracelet, a sports-watch identity or the collection page’s higher stated water resistance.
- Compare exact references before deciding if case size, movement, chronograph function or water use matters more than the collection’s overall character.
Current like-for-like prices and retailer availability are not established here, so a collection-level price verdict would be misleading. Compare the exact references and your local market before treating cost as a tie-breaker.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
