Orbital Material: BREITLING Announces NAVITIMER COSMONAUTE ARTEMIS II Featuring a Meteorite Dial
Breitling has announced the 'Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Artemis II', a limited edition of 450 pieces featuring a galaxy blue meteorite dial, honoring the legacy of the first Swiss wristwatch in space.
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- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 06:00
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In 1962, astronaut Scott Carpenter approached Breitling with a request. He wanted them to create a special Navitimer with a 24-hour dial for his orbital flight aboard the Aurora 7 spacecraft.
The result was the first Swiss wristwatch to reach space. Today, over 60 years later, the Cosmonaute continues to be a part of the history of space exploration. Honoring its past and future, Breitling announces a new limited edition model: the 'Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Artemis II'. Featuring a striking galaxy blue meteorite dial, this model brings a piece of space to your wrist, with every dial possessing a unique character.
For over 70 years, the Navitimer has served as an essential tool for pilots and has also played diverse roles as a cultural icon. This year, under the title 'Navitimer Stories', we unravel the journey of this timepiece from the perspectives of aviation, lifestyle, and technical excellence. It demonstrates why this watch remains an unfading presence to this day.
On May 24, 1962, astronaut Scott Carpenter boarded the Mercury 7 and orbited the Earth three times with a customized Navitimer strapped to his wrist. Carpenter had known of this pilot's chronograph since his flight training days and trusted the functionality of its built-in slide rule. The special version, designed to Carpenter's specifications, featured a 24-hour display to distinguish day and night while in orbit, and was later named the Navitimer Cosmonaute. With this flight, Breitling officially claimed the honor of being the first Swiss wristwatch in space. The importance of this watch does not stop there. Astronauts continue to wear the Cosmonaute on missions to this day.
This limited edition looks to the future of space exploration while paying homage to Carpenter's historic flight. Limited to a production of only 450 pieces, this watch is powered by the manual-winding Breitling Manufacture Caliber B02 and features a galaxy blue meteorite dial cut from a stone that came from space. Composed primarily of iron and nickel, when this meteorite is etched, a naturally intersecting pattern known as the 'Widmanstätten pattern' emerges, ensuring no two dials are identical. Engravings of 'Artemis II' and 'One of 450' celebrate modern space exploration, and the Artemis II mission logo is printed on the open caseback.
Breitling CEO Georges Kern states: 'The Cosmonaute was made for space flight. Incorporating materials of cosmic origin into the design is an expression of the curiosity toward the unknown that continues to drive space exploration today.'
A Solitary 24-Hour Chronograph
The Cosmonaute is a true Navitimer at its core, possessing all the hallmarks of the aviation icon, including the circular slide rule, the AOPA wings logo, and a three-subdial chronograph layout. The major difference from other watches is the 24-hour display powered by the Manufacture Caliber B02. Developed for space flight, this dial is designed to align with mission control time so that day and night can be clearly distinguished in orbit, where sunrise and sunset repeat approximately every 90 minutes.
This model is reminiscent of the original Cosmonaute with its classic proportions and 41mm case. It combines the first galaxy blue meteorite dial in a Cosmonaute with a black circular slide rule, a red chronograph seconds hand, and red accents. The strap is a blue alligator leather strap that harmonizes with the dial.
A Legacy Passed Down Beyond Earth
While many brands claim groundbreaking achievements in space exploration, only Breitling can definitively say it produced the first Swiss wristwatch worn in orbit. It was the first watch designed specifically for space flight, and was later released to the general public in the exact specifications requested by Carpenter.
The connection between the Cosmonaute and space does not end with its first flight. Over the ensuing decades, Breitling watches have continued to shine on the wrists of astronauts.
John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, wore a Navitimer in his daily life
The result was the first Swiss wristwatch to reach space. Today, over 60 years later, the Cosmonaute continues to be a part of the history of space exploration. Honoring its past and future, Breitling announces a new limited edition model: the 'Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Artemis II'. Featuring a striking galaxy blue meteorite dial, this model brings a piece of space to your wrist, with every dial possessing a unique character.
For over 70 years, the Navitimer has served as an essential tool for pilots and has also played diverse roles as a cultural icon. This year, under the title 'Navitimer Stories', we unravel the journey of this timepiece from the perspectives of aviation, lifestyle, and technical excellence. It demonstrates why this watch remains an unfading presence to this day.
On May 24, 1962, astronaut Scott Carpenter boarded the Mercury 7 and orbited the Earth three times with a customized Navitimer strapped to his wrist. Carpenter had known of this pilot's chronograph since his flight training days and trusted the functionality of its built-in slide rule. The special version, designed to Carpenter's specifications, featured a 24-hour display to distinguish day and night while in orbit, and was later named the Navitimer Cosmonaute. With this flight, Breitling officially claimed the honor of being the first Swiss wristwatch in space. The importance of this watch does not stop there. Astronauts continue to wear the Cosmonaute on missions to this day.
This limited edition looks to the future of space exploration while paying homage to Carpenter's historic flight. Limited to a production of only 450 pieces, this watch is powered by the manual-winding Breitling Manufacture Caliber B02 and features a galaxy blue meteorite dial cut from a stone that came from space. Composed primarily of iron and nickel, when this meteorite is etched, a naturally intersecting pattern known as the 'Widmanstätten pattern' emerges, ensuring no two dials are identical. Engravings of 'Artemis II' and 'One of 450' celebrate modern space exploration, and the Artemis II mission logo is printed on the open caseback.
Breitling CEO Georges Kern states: 'The Cosmonaute was made for space flight. Incorporating materials of cosmic origin into the design is an expression of the curiosity toward the unknown that continues to drive space exploration today.'
A Solitary 24-Hour Chronograph
The Cosmonaute is a true Navitimer at its core, possessing all the hallmarks of the aviation icon, including the circular slide rule, the AOPA wings logo, and a three-subdial chronograph layout. The major difference from other watches is the 24-hour display powered by the Manufacture Caliber B02. Developed for space flight, this dial is designed to align with mission control time so that day and night can be clearly distinguished in orbit, where sunrise and sunset repeat approximately every 90 minutes.
This model is reminiscent of the original Cosmonaute with its classic proportions and 41mm case. It combines the first galaxy blue meteorite dial in a Cosmonaute with a black circular slide rule, a red chronograph seconds hand, and red accents. The strap is a blue alligator leather strap that harmonizes with the dial.
A Legacy Passed Down Beyond Earth
While many brands claim groundbreaking achievements in space exploration, only Breitling can definitively say it produced the first Swiss wristwatch worn in orbit. It was the first watch designed specifically for space flight, and was later released to the general public in the exact specifications requested by Carpenter.
The connection between the Cosmonaute and space does not end with its first flight. Over the ensuing decades, Breitling watches have continued to shine on the wrists of astronauts.
John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, wore a Navitimer in his daily life