Breitling, in partnership with Aston Martin, has launched the Navitimer B01 Chronograph, becoming the official watch partner of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 team. With the new F1 season about to begin and the teams' new liveries attracting attention, the watchmaking world is also seeing some changes. Aston Martin Aramco and Breitling have established a new official watch partnership (not just with the F1 team, but also with the Aston Martin brand itself). For the past five years, this role has been held by Girard-Perregaux, with whom they have collaborated on a series of special edition watches. To celebrate this new collaboration, Breitling has launched the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43, a special edition watch for the Aston Martin Aramco F1 team.
As for why Breitling and Aston Martin have become such a perfect match, there is actually a fascinating history between the two brands. In the 1965 film *Thunderball*, Sean Connery's James Bond received the first high-tech wristwatch in the film series—the Breitling Top Time—from Q. His car in the film was the iconic Aston Martin DB5. Frankly, if this wasn't enough to spark a cultural collaboration, I don't know what would.
Breitling also has a historical connection with Formula 1 racing. In the 1960s, Graham Hill and Jim Clark (famous for driving for the Lotus team) both wore Breitling Navitimer watches on the track, applying aviation-grade functions like speed calculations and fuel consumption to the racetrack, making them essential tools for racing drivers. It was during the same period, specifically in 1959, that the Aston Martin team made its F1 debut.
Therefore, when discussing the first watch produced through this collaboration, choosing the Navitimer series, so closely associated with the sport, was a natural choice. That's exactly what they did, resulting in the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team watch. This watch is relatively large at 43mm in diameter, designed to clearly display the extensive information on the dial. Fortunately, the case is crafted from lightweight titanium for the first time, somewhat compensating for its size.
Similarly, the dial adheres to the high-performance philosophy, being made from lightweight and durable carbon fiber. The dial has undergone a special treatment, with some textures appearing green, a signature color of Aston Martin, which is also reflected in the matching yellow chronograph seconds hand. However, from a distance, the overall shape resembles an inverted panda, with white subdials contrasting uniquely against the black dial.
Below the dial is the Breitling in-house B01 movement, a COSC-certified chronograph movement with a 70-hour power reserve. Through the transparent case back, the new Aston Martin F1 team logo rotor is visible within the movement. The case back is engraved with "1959" to commemorate the year Aston Martin started competing in Formula 1.
This Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team watch is priced at £8,900. It features an embossed leather strap with a seatbelt texture on the surface and an Aston Martin-themed lining. I think this is the first watch from their collaboration, and it's excellent—it pushes Breitling's boundaries in terms of material usage. This makes me excited about two things: 1. The new Aston Martin livery to be released later this week, which will feature the Breitling logo on the race cars. 2. The possibility of a future Aston Martin-themed Top Time watch.
Model: Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team Reference Number: EB01381A1B1X1 Case: 43 mm diameter x 13.69 mm thickness, titanium case, polished titanium bezel, sapphire crystal case back Dial: Carbon fiber dial with racing green accents, Super-LumiNova luminous hour markers and hands Water Resistance: 30 meters (3 bar) Movement: Breitling Caliber B01 Automatic Chronograph Movement Frequency: 28,800 volts/hour (4 Hz) Power Reserve: 70 hours Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph, date Strap: Leather strap with racing harness-style embossing