American aircraft manufacturing giant Boeing rolled out the final 747 Jumbo Jet from its assembly line in Everett, Washington, last month, bringing an end to the iconic aircraft’s production run that spanned over half a century. Introduced in 1967, the Boeing 747 is widely recognized as the aircraft that singlehandedly transformed the aviation industry by bringing air travel to the masses. Boeing produced 1,574 examples of the 747 over the last 50 years in various configurations that have shuttled over 5.9 billion people across 75.5 billion miles as of 2020. To pay tribute to the legendary aircraft and celebrate its storied legacy, Breitling has released a limited-edition timepiece called the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Boeing 747. As you might have guessed correctly, the commemorative piece is limited to 747 pieces.
“What better way to commemorate the revolutionary jumbo jet than with a revolutionary chronograph,” said Breitling CEO Georges Kern. “The Boeing 747 brought air travel to the skies, just as the Breitling Navitimer brought the adventure of aviation to style-savvy watch enthusiasts.”
There couldn’t have been a better timepiece to celebrate the Boeing 747’s legacy than the Navitimer as it is one of the most recognizable chronographs ever made.
Introduced in 1952, the Navitimer soon after its release became the official watch of the AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association). The commemorative Navitimer is finished in the same color scheme as that of the original 747. It features a warm cream dial along with black sub-dials and a red inner-slide rule scale with light blue accents.
If you look carefully, you’ll find the red scale on the dial features the inscription “BOEING 747” fit tightly between the numbers. The sapphire caseback surround is engraved with “The Original Jumbo Jet” and “One of 747.” The 43mm stainless steel case houses Breitling’s COSC-certified caliber 01 that features a column wheel and vertical clutch.
It beats at 28,800vph with a power reserve of 70 hours and can be seen through the transparent caseback. The Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Boeing 747 is priced at $9,400 when paired with a leather strap and $9,800 on the bracelet.
