The Breitling Navitimer Buying Guide: References, Sizes and What to Pay

The Navitimer is the watch most people picture when they think of Breitling, and it is the model that gives the brand its identity. It is also one of the more complicated watches to buy pre-owned, because the family has run for decades across many case sizes and dial layouts.

What makes a Navitimer a Navitimer

The defining feature is the circular slide rule on the bezel, originally used for in-flight calculations. Combined with a chronograph and a busy multi-register dial, it produces a watch with more visual information than almost anything else on the market. You either love that density or you do not, and it is worth handling one before committing.

Size is the decision that matters most

Navitimers have historically run large. The bezel and the dense dial make the watch wear bigger than the case measurement suggests, so a reference that sounds reasonable on paper can overwhelm a smaller wrist. If you are between sizes, go down rather than up. Breitling has produced more restrained diameters in recent years, and those tend to be the easier watches to live with.

Where the value sits

Our Breitling collection runs from roughly $2,195 to $37,495 and is the largest single-brand selection we hold, which means there is real choice at every level. The Navitimer sits in the middle of that range for most steel references. If the slide rule is not essential to you, the Chronomat offers the same chronograph capability with a cleaner dial, and the Superocean covers the dive side of the brand.

What to check before buying

Look for a bezel that turns cleanly, chronograph pushers with a positive action, and a dial and hands that match the reference. Original bracelets are worth paying for, since sourcing a correct replacement later is expensive. Every Navitimer we list has been inspected and checked against its reference before going on sale.

See the current Navitimer selection or the wider Breitling collection.