Name: Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 AB0138241B1A1
Brand: Breitling
SKU: AB0138241B1A1

The Navitimer B01 43mm is the current production Navitimer built around Breitling's own caliber B01, a movement Breitling developed entirely in-house after years of relying on supplied ebauches. At 43mm it sits at the middle of the Navitimer size range, which makes it the most wearable option for buyers who find the 46mm too large. The slide rule bezel is fully functional and still used by pilots for flight calculations, not a decorative afterthought.

What it is

Breitling introduced the B01-powered Navitimer in 2017, marking the first time the reference carried a fully proprietary column-wheel, vertical-clutch chronograph movement rather than a Valjoux or ETA base. The AB0138241B1A1 is the current 43mm reference in steel on a bracelet with a black dial, introduced as part of the post-2017 lineup under the Breitling rebranding effort led by CEO Georges Kern. Earlier Navitimers used the Valjoux 7750 and, before that, the Valjoux 72 in vintage references going back to 1952.

The B01 is COSC certified, rated to -4/+6 seconds per day, and runs at 28,800 vph with a 70-hour power reserve. No significant case or movement revisions have been made to this generation.

Buying notes

Confirm the reference number rather than relying on dial appearance alone, as Breitling makes the Navitimer B01 43mm in a wide range of dial colors and strap configurations that share similar aesthetics but differ in value on the secondary market. The bracelet clasp on early production examples showed wear faster than expected; inspect the deployment clasp teeth and butterfly mechanism closely on pre-owned pieces. Chronograph pushers on slide-rule bezels accumulate grime at the bezel teeth, which is cosmetic but worth factoring into a pre-purchase inspection.

Box and papers carry more weight with Breitling buyers than with some other brands, so missing papers have a more pronounced effect on resale price here. Service history documentation is worth asking for on any example with visible pusher or crown wear.

Market read

New retail on the AB0138241B1A1 sits around $8,900 USD. The secondary market currently prices this reference at a modest discount to retail, typically $7,000 to $8,000 for unworn or near-mint examples with box and papers, reflecting the broader softening of the Breitling secondary market after the post-pandemic correction. Breitling does not carry the resale premium of Rolex or Patek, so buyers are not paying above retail for this reference.

That dynamic works in favor of collectors buying to wear: you are getting a COSC-certified in-house movement at a price below its manufacture cost equivalent from other brands.

Service expectations

The caliber B01 is Breitling's own movement and is serviced at authorized Breitling service centers. Breitling recommends a service interval of approximately five years, and a full chronograph service typically runs $600 to $900 USD through the manufacturer. Independent watchmakers with experience on column-wheel, vertical-clutch chronographs can service the B01, though parts availability outside authorized channels is limited compared to movements built on widely distributed ebauches.

Editorial copy is AI-drafted from primary sources and reviewed by Grail Atlas before publication. Where the text is uncertain about a fact, it says so. Email corrections@grailatlas.com if something reads wrong. Signals on this page (community, OSINT) are clearly separated from the editorial sections.

GPHG 2022EnteredIconique category

Entry to the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève is voluntary and made by the brand. An entry is a watch registered for that year's competition, not a jury verdict, and several large houses including Rolex, Patek Philippe and Omega do not take part at all.

Mass-produced#1 in familyOfficial press photos

What it was up against

Iconique, GPHG 2022

The Iconique category at GPHG 2022 held 10 entries. These are the other 9.

Filter the full GPHG field for Iconique, 2022

Live pricing is coming soon. Get notified when it is available for this reference.

Movement tier: unclassified · caliber Breitling Cal. 01: in-house automatic chronograph, 28,800bph, 70h PR, 47j; column-wheel, vertical clutch; COSC-certified; used in Navitimer, Chronomat, Premier · 70h power reserve (2.9 days) · see-through caseback

Also uses Breitling Cal. 01

Large case: suits wrists 7 in+ (18 cm+)

43 mm case. A bold, statement-size wear. Best suited to larger wrists where the case sits flush.

Not yet rated

Community + OSINT signals haven’t landed for this reference yet. We don’t publish a rating against zero signal: the number would mean nothing. Editorial body + caliber + market value still surface above; ratings appear once the signal corpus does.

Search pre-owned listings

Chrono24

eBay (sold listings)

WatchBox

Authentication

The slide-rule bezel is the most-copied element; verify scale spacing and rotation before anything else.

Known issues in the market

Outer fixed scale direction and spacing must match a genuine Navitimer; fake slide-rule bezels often have incorrect graduation intervals or reversed scale direction.
Cal. 01 is a column-wheel movement; any Navitimer B01 showing an ETA Valjoux 7750 cam layout through the caseback has a movement swap.
The rotating slide-rule bezel must turn smoothly and evenly; decorative or binding slide-rule rings are a counterfeit tell.

Area	What to check	What is correct	Red flag
case	Slide-rule bezel scale direction and spacing	Outer scale graduated for aircraft calculations with correct interval spacing and smooth rotation throughout its range	Reversed scale direction, uneven graduation spacing, or a bezel that binds at any point in its rotation
caseback	Cal. 01 column-wheel architecture	Column wheel visible through exhibition caseback, signed with Breitling Manufacture caliber designation	Valjoux 7750 cam layout with no column wheel; indicates movement swap to an ETA-based caliber
dial	Navitimer B01 designation	B01 printed on the dial alongside Breitling and Navitimer branding with consistent font weight	Missing B01 designation or inconsistent font weight compared to surrounding text

Common legitimate replacements

Slide-rule bezel rings can be sourced and swapped; a non-original ring affects value and aeronautical function.
Cal. 01 movement service should be performed by a Breitling-authorized watchmaker or a specialist with manufacture movement experience.

Expert resources: Breitling documentation at breitling.com. WatchUSeek Breitling subforum for Cal. 01 column-wheel identification and slide-rule scale verification guides.

Authentication guide

Last reviewed June 2026

The Navitimer B01 is a column-wheel chronograph with an in-house movement and a functional slide-rule bezel. The slide-rule bidirectional rotation, the column-wheel actuation feel, and the COSC rate are the three things that separate genuine B01 examples from replica examples with simpler cam-lever chronograph movements.

Known reproduction risks

toggle

HIGH RISK

Chinese factory replicas with ETA 7750 or Seagull ST-19 movements, printed slide-rule scales, and spongy pusher actuation.

Pusher feel that is spongy or inconsistent compared to the positive click of a column-wheel movement
Slide-rule scale markings that are printed flat with no depth under loupe
Caseback exhibition showing ETA 7750 bridge layout instead of Cal. B01
Rotor without Breitling branding or with a generic motor-frame rotor
Sub-dial text with inconsistent line weight or blurring under loupe

The fastest functional tell is the column-wheel actuation. Press the start/stop pusher slowly and listen for a mechanical click; a cam-lever chronograph produces a different feel and sound. This can be compared against a known genuine B01 or demonstrated by an authorized dealer.

MEDIUM

Earlier Navitimer generations with non-B01 movements sold as B01 examples.

Caseback without exhibition window or with a solid caseback where the B01 generation should have an exhibition back
Movement visible through an exhibition caseback that is ETA 7750-based (Breitling 01 predecessors) rather than Cal. B01
Dial text without "CHRONOMETER" certification designation on a stated COSC-certified example

Dial variants by era

toggle

Era	Description	Identifiers
2019 to present (ref. AB0138241B1P1 and variants)	Current B01 43mm generation in multiple dial colors. Black, blue, and silver dials are the common configurations. Contrasting sub-dial registers.	"NAVITIMER" text on the dial in the correct Breitling typeface at the top "CHRONOGRAPH" or "CHRONOMETER" text below the brand name as appropriate for the variant Three sub-dials: 30-minute register at 3, running seconds at 6, 12-hour register at 9 Slide-rule scale: two concentric rotating rings on the bezel with arithmetic scales Bidirectional bezel rotation with clear click stops for the outer ring and free rotation for the inner ring Breitling "B" logo at 12 on the dial

Service part flags

toggle

Slide-rule bezel

Original: The Navitimer slide-rule bezel has two concentric rings: an outer fixed ring and an inner rotating ring. The outer ring rotates bidirectionally on most Navitimer generations (unlike the unidirectional dive bezel). The arithmetic scales are engraved and filled, not printed.

Replacement tells

Scale markings that are printed flat rather than engraved -- under loupe, genuine scales have depth and micro-shadows at the edge of each line
Inner ring rotation that sticks, catches, or has irregular resistance around its full range
Outer ring that is unidirectional only -- the Navitimer bezel rotates both ways
Scale alignment between inner and outer rings that is off-center relative to the 12 o'clock position

Chronograph pushers

Original: Round pushers at 2 and 4 o'clock. The top pusher (2 o'clock) starts and stops. The bottom pusher (4 o'clock) resets. Both should have firm, positive actuation with a distinct tactile click. Breitling chronographs are column-wheel controlled, which produces a more precise and consistent feel than cam-lever alternatives.

Replacement tells

Pusher actuation with a spongy or inconsistent feel -- column-wheel chronographs should have a clean, definite click
A reset that allows the chronograph to be reset while running (rather than requiring a stop first) indicates a non-original movement
Pushers that have excessive lateral play or visible misalignment with the case pusher holes

Sub-dial registers

Original: Three sub-dials with clearly printed scales and centrally pivoted hands. The register hands should be thin and delicate, with consistent sweep. On the B01, all sub-dial hands share the same lume treatment as the main hands.

Replacement tells

Register hands with inconsistent thickness or lume fill relative to the main hands
Sub-dial scales with printing that bleeds or is uneven in line weight under loupe
Register hand at 6 o'clock (running seconds) that does not stop when the chronograph start/stop pusher is pressed -- the running seconds continues independently of the chronograph on the B01 (this is correct behavior; confusion here is a common misread)

Caseback

Original: Exhibition caseback on the B01 43mm displaying Cal. B01. The movement should show Breitling's rotor with the brand name and the movement finishing visible on the bridges.

Replacement tells

Movement visible through the caseback with a bridge layout inconsistent with Cal. B01 -- ETA 7750 is a common swap and has a very different bridge geometry
Rotor without Breitling branding or with a generic rotor from a movement supplier
Cal. B01 movement plate visible but with finishing that is significantly lower quality than expected for an in-house Breitling caliber

Case back markings

toggle

2019 to present (B01 generation)

Exhibition caseback with Cal. B01 displayed
"Breitling" and "Swiss Made" on the movement plate
COSC chronometer certification text on the caseback
Reference number and serial number on the case band between the lugs
Cal. B01 plate should show straight-grain brushed finishing on the main plate bridges

Movement tells

toggle

Cal. B01 is COSC-certified at -4/+6 seconds per day. A timegrapher check with the chronograph running and stopped should show stable amplitude in both states -- a significant amplitude drop when the chronograph is engaged indicates worn column-wheel or lever issues.
Cal. B01 beats at 28,800bph with a 70-hour power reserve. A fully wound B01 43mm that stops before 60 hours warrants inspection.
The column-wheel is visible through the caseback on some orientations. It should show regular column spacing and smooth rotation during chronograph operations.
Cal. B01 is fully in-house and not based on an ETA 7750. The bridge layout is a distinctive horizontal-format movement with a different rotor placement than the 7750. Any movement with the 7750's specific vertical layout is not original.
Flyback function: the B01 does not have a flyback -- pressing reset while the chronograph is running will stop, then reset (two operations). If the watch resets and restarts in a single pusher action, the movement has been modified or swapped to a flyback-capable caliber.

Sources: Breitling -- Caliber B01 technical documentation and COSC certification; WatchUSeek -- Breitling Navitimer authentication forum; TimeZone.com -- Navitimer B01 movement identification guide.