In a tribute that connects watchmaking with space history, Breitling has launched a limited-edition Navitimer Cosmonaute to mark what would have been astronaut Scott Carpenter’s 100th birthday. The new watch isn’t just a reissue—it’s a story told in platinum, space-blue leather, and engraved steel, celebrating the man who wore the first Swiss wristwatch into space.
To mark 100 years since the birth of American astronaut Scott Carpenter, Breitling has introduced a limited-edition timepiece that brings together precision watchmaking and spaceflight history. The Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Scott Carpenter Centenary is limited to just 50 pieces.
On May 24, 1962, Mr. Carpenter orbited the Earth three times aboard NASA’s Mercury-Atlas 7 mission, becoming the second American to do so. On his wrist was a one-of-a-kind Navitimer, custom-built by Breitling at his request. While the original Navitimer was designed as a pilot’s tool, Mr. Carpenter needed specific modifications for space: a wider bezel for use with gloved hands, a stretch-metal bracelet that could fit over a space suit, and most notably, a 24-hour dial. With the sun rising and setting every 90 minutes in orbit, the 24-hour display was essential for maintaining a sense of time.
It was a challenge Willy Breitling, the brand’s third-generation founder, was quick to accept. The result was the Navitimer Cosmonaute, delivered just days before Mr. Carpenter’s launch. That watch became the first Swiss wristwatch to reach space, and an enduring symbol of innovation.
Now, over six decades later, Breitling is celebrating that milestone and the man behind it with a special tribute in platinum. The new Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute features a deep blue dial, meant to reflect the vivid color of Earth as seen from orbit, while a white slide rule ring mirrors the planet’s swirling cloud cover. The same blue is extended to the alligator leather strap, fastened with a white-gold folding clasp.
Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling, said, “Breitling has been part of some of the most important moments in watchmaking, but sending the first Swiss wristwatch into space is one of our proudest achievements. Willy Breitling didn’t hesitate when Scott Carpenter asked for a watch built for space; he made it happen. That spirit – being innovative, taking risks, pushing limits – is how we still operate today.”
Powered by the hand-wound Breitling Manufacture Caliber B02, the watch includes a 24-hour display as a direct reference to Carpenter’s original request. This manual movement – less reliant on motion than automatics—offers better dependability in zero gravity. It is COSC-certified, delivers around 70 hours of power reserve, and is visible through the sapphire crystal caseback.
The caseback also includes several unique engravings: “Carpenter,” “Aurora 7,” “3 orbits around the Earth,” and “Mercury 7,” the name of NASA’s first astronaut group. Additional engravings read “First Swiss wristwatch in space,” “One of 50,” and “Scott Carpenter Centenary 1925–2025.”
On the dial, the winged logo of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) sits at 12 o’clock, highlighting the Navitimer’s history as the official watch of the world’s largest pilots’ club since 1952. The watch includes three subdials for running seconds, chronograph minutes, and hours, along with a discreet date window positioned at 6 o’clock. Mushroom-style pushers allow for smooth operation, and the red chronograph seconds hand ensures clear legibility when measuring elapsed time.
Each timepiece is presented in a polished wooden box with an inscription inside: “First Swiss wristwatch in space. May 24th, 1962.” The set also includes a replica of the Mercury 7 name badge from Mr. Carpenter’s space suit.
Mr. Carpenter’s original Cosmonaute did not return from space unscathed. After splashdown, he landed 250 nautical miles off course in the Atlantic and spent three hours in a life raft waiting for rescue. During that time, saltwater corroded the dial. Willy Breitling later replaced the damaged watch, and the original remained untouched in the brand’s archives for decades.
In 2022, the historic piece made its first public appearance for the 60th anniversary of Mr. Carpenter’s mission. It was later displayed at Breitling’s “Then & Now” pop-up museum in Zurich, as part of the brand’s 140th anniversary. Over time, the damage on the dial took on a weathered texture, uncannily resembling the surface of a distant planet.
Though damaged during the mission, the original watch is recognized as a significant artifact from the early era of space exploration. The new centenary edition continues the legacy of the Navitimer Cosmonaute, marking Scott Carpenter’s 100th birth anniversary with a 50-piece tribute that reflects both the historical significance and technical evolution of the first Swiss wristwatch in space.
