Breitling Commemorates Aurora 7 Flight with Limited Edition Navitimer Cosmonaute

Fifty years ago, US astronaut Scott Carpenter led a voyage into space on board the Aurora 7. On this golden year, luxury Swiss watchmaker Breitling honors the monumental flight with the Limited Edition Navitimer Cosmonaute.

The historical date was May 24, 1962, when a Breitling Navitimer chronograph became the first of its kind to embark on a space conquest via the Aurora 7, which orbited the earth thrice.

“In 1962, I saw Australian pilots wearing a Breitling Navitimer, which had a unique feature at the time – a circular slide rule – a tool used often in flight for navigation and communication,” said then-Lt. Commander Scott Carpenter. “I asked Breitling to create a special version of the watch for me with a 24 hour dial so I was able to tell the time in space, whether it was day or night since it’s always dark. To have them honor me 50 years later with a custom watch in my honor is extremely special.”

The novel timepiece made its debut at an exclusive celebration for customers and VIPs including US astronauts Carpenter, Captain Mark Kelly and Russian Cosmonaute Sergey Volkov on May 24 at the brand’s US Flagship Boutique in New York.

The venue was aptly transformed into outer space, with a 10-foot tall Aurora 7 capsule replica, 26-feet tall graphic images of Carpenter from the 1962 trip and models in thematic costumes fused with Breitling’s signature colors. The other Breitling branch in Aventura, Florida and Lewis Diamonds Timepieces in Texas reveled the piece through a live feed from New York. “Satellite party” is the more appropriate term.

As a commemorative gesture, Breitling USA President Thierry Prissert presented Carpenter with the first of the 1,962 Navitimer Cosmonaute pieces. The new Manufacture Breitling Caliber 02 alludes to the 1962 model with its 24-hour display and manual winding mode. Each exquisite piece features a manufactured movement that is completely developed in-house, and bears the Aurora 7 mission insignia on the case back.

The exclusive wristwatch is available at Breitling boutiques in New York, New York and Aventura, Florida, as well as at retailers throughout the US.

Photo credit: Breitling

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Seth Semilof co-founded Haute Living and, with business partner Kamal Hotchandani, launched Knockoff Watches Wholesale, the brands' luxury timepiece site, to educate buyers about the best watches in the world and to showcase the passion of collectors and the CEOs who lead the great maisons. His love of watches began early: a TAG Heuer at 13, an Omega at 16, and his first Rolex at 20. Through Knockoff Watches Wholesale he has been honored to visit the greatest watch manufactures in the world and meet the master watchmakers behind them. He has also personally featured private collections exclusive to Knockoff Watches Wholesale, taking readers inside the watch boxes of Kevin Hart, Carmelo Anthony, Tony Robbins and Swizz Beatz.