Five Affordable Alternatives to the Breitling Navitimer

The Breitling Navitimer has been the quintessential aviation watch for over 60 years, and it’s the watch that many people imagine when they think of a “pilot’s chronograph.” A captivatingly busy dial with its jumble of subdials and scales makes this watch instantly recognizable and one of the most iconic watches of all time. It’s full of history with a technical look and a bold, eye-catching presence all at once, and it makes you feel ready to grip the controls of a fighter plane.

As you likely already know, however, a watch like the Navitimer is more than a tool: It’s a Swiss watchmaking masterpiece and a luxury statement that may be out of reach for many people. While Breitling makes its own somewhat affordable alternative in the form of the three-hand, time-only Navitimer 1 watch that starts around $4,850, the Navitimer that everyone knows — and let’s be real, that everyone wants — is a chronograph. Thanks in part to its in-house automatic chronograph movement, you’ll pay $9,000 for one of those.

But not to fret, as there are some great ways to get a similar experience for a fraction of the cost. Here are some of the best.

Casio Edifice EF527D-1AV

Amazon

Casio Edifice EF527D-1AV

Specs

Case Size	45.5mm
Movement	Quartz chronograph
Water Resistance	100m

• $190.00 at Amazon

Though far from the luxury experience of a Breitling, this highly affordable Casio offers the dazzling array of scales and notched bezel that characterizes a Navitimer as well as the chronograph functionality. Many Navitimers are also big, and if that’s the type of experience you’re looking for, it’s what this Edifice delivers with a 45.5mm case diameter. Considering you can pick one up for little more than a Benjamin, it’s an easy recommendation if it’s basically that cool technical look you’re after.

Seiko Flightmaster SNA411

Amazon

Seiko Flightmaster SNA411

Specs

Case Size	42mm
Movement	Seiko 7T62 quartz chronograph alarm
Water Resistance	200m

• $736.00 at Amazon

For its original SRP of $200, this is a lot of a watch. Since being discontinued by Seiko, remaining examples go for more than twice their original cost — and it’s still arguably a good deal. The Flightmaster’s resemblance to the Navitimer is clear, with a chronograph layout, slide rule scales and a notched bezel, but it’s got a charm of its own that’s made it one of Seiko’s many cult classics. You can set a second time zone as well as an alarm on the subdial at 6 o’clock and, of course, you can expect highly reliable and accurate time-telling and chronograph functionality from the Seiko quartz movement inside.

Citizen Promaster Air A-T

Citizen

Citizen Promaster Air A-T

Specs

Case Size	46mm
Movement	Citizen E660 Eco-Drive atomic quartz chronograph Perpetual Calendar
Water Resistance	200m

• $580 at Citizen
  $725 (20% off)

Citizen has loads of pilot’s watches that are so busy and complicated they make the Navitimer look quaint, but the closest dupe offered by the brand is the Promaster Air A-T. Like the Breitling icon, the Citizen offers chronograph functionality with a three subdial layout and an external sliderule bezel. It’s also a monster like the largest examples of the Navitimer, clocking in at a beefy 46mm. Unlike the mechanical Navitimer, the Promaster Air A-T has a quartz movement that’s powered by light with atomic clock synchronization, so it’s pretty much always accurate.

Hamilton Khaki Aviation Converter Auto Chrono

Hamilton

Hamilton Khaki Aviation Converter Auto Chrono

Specs

Case Size	44mm
Movement	Hamilton H-21-Si automatic chronograph
Water Resistance	100m

• $2,145 at Hamilton Watch

If you want an automatic dupe for the Navitimer, you’re going to pay a lot more than you will for a quartz watch. But this handsome Hamilton still comes in a bargain, costing less than a quarter as much as the cheapest Navitimer chronograph. The layout is different, with the three chronograph registers aligned vertically rather than horizontally, but functionally it’s very similar to the Breitling. You’re getting a Swiss-made automatic chronograph movement, a slide rule bezel that works a lot like Breitling’s and a 44mm case with plenty of wrist presence.

Sinn 903 St

Sinn

Sinn 903

Specs

Case Size	41mm
Movement	La Joux-Perret 8000 automatic chronograph
Water Resistance	100m

• $3,520.00 at sinn.de

Sinn legitimately bought the rights to the Navitimer dial design in the 1980s as the Quartz Crisis was in full swing and Breitling was in financial trouble. The vintage Sinn 903 watches are themselves sought after, but the brand has continued to tweak and produce its version of the Navitimer. One notable element that’ll help you spot the difference right away between a Navitimer and a 903 is that Sinn’s interpretation has an additional crown at 10 o’clock for turning the inner rotating bezel (whereas Breitling’s bezel is directly manipulated), as well as a 41mm case size.

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