Going to Space: It’s Not Just Omega Watches

In April 2026, NASA’s Artemis II mission drew to a successful close. This event marked not only the most extensive test of human spaceflight since the first lunar landing in 1969, but also set a historic record for the farthest human journey into deep space. As the four astronauts splashed down in the Pacific aboard the Orion spacecraft, watch enthusiasts noticed that—in addition to their officially issued Omega timepieces—the crew members were also wearing Breitling pilot’s watches while inside the zero-gravity cabin. This unexpected highlight once again rekindled the world's collective memory of Breitling’s profound and irreplaceable legacy as a pioneer in the history of human spaceflight.

When it comes to space watches, Breitling’s historical legacy stands second to none. Turning back the clock to 1962—the height of the Cold War—astronaut Scott Carpenter, a member of NASA’s "Mercury Seven" program, was preparing to embark on the Aurora 7 mission. In that nascent era, before NASA had established standard-issue timekeeping equipment for its astronauts, Carpenter keenly understood the critical importance of possessing a reliable mechanical watch to serve as a backup to his onboard instrumentation in extreme environments. By then, he was already intimately familiar with the Breitling Navitimer—a timepiece equipped with a "flight computer" slide rule. However, he recognized a specific challenge: while orbiting the Earth, the relatively short duration of a mission meant that an astronaut would experience multiple sunrises and sunsets within a single flight; consequently, a traditional 12-hour dial would render an astronaut completely unable to distinguish between day and night. To address this practical operational requirement, Carpenter submitted a special request to Breitling: to modify the Navitimer by halving the speed of its hour hand to create a 24-hour display dial. Breitling swiftly rose to the challenge; the resulting modified timepiece was subsequently christened the "Cosmonaute." On May 24, 1962, the watch accompanied Carpenter into space, where it successfully completed the monumental feat of orbiting the Earth three times—thereby securing its place in horological history as the very first Swiss wristwatch to venture into outer space.

As the 2026 Artemis II mission reignites the ambitious endeavor to return humans to lunar orbit, Breitling once again takes center stage in the realm of space exploration. The Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Artemis II—the very timepiece accompanying astronauts into space on this journey—serves as a tribute to a glorious legacy spanning over 60 years.

Limited to just 450 pieces, this timepiece is powered by the brand’s in-house B02 manual-winding movement and faithfully preserves the Cosmonaute series' signature 24-hour display mechanism. Eschewing ostentatious futurism, it features a dial crafted from authentic galactic-blue meteorite—showcasing unique Widmanstätten patterns—thereby encasing a genuine fragment of the cosmos directly within its 41mm stainless steel case. Best luxury replica Breitling Navitimer watches price at Repwatcheaprice, cheap watches for men and women.