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The first watch to kick off the new Breitling x Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1® team partnership had to be the iconic Navitimer. So we had to review it!

If you haven’t heard, the newest timing partner to enter the Formula One® grid is Breitling, teaming up with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team this year. Was it a surprise? Was it a surprise? Perhaps at first glance. But strategically, it makes complete sense. Precision timing and high-performance engineering define both Breitling and Aston Martin. Aligning these two icons on the Formula One® grid isn’t just logical — it’s a natural extension of their shared ethos.

The collaboration isn’t just with the F1 team either. It’s a much wider collaboration between the Swiss watchmaker and the British carmaker – spanning the full Aston Martin universe, from the high-performance vehicles that are handcrafted in Gaydon and St Athan to the team’s pursuit of glory in Formula One®.

Breitling Joins Aston Martin To Ignite A Shared Legacy

The multi-year deal places Breitling front and centre for motorsport enthusiasts, specifically Formula One® and the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team. What better way to celebrate this partnership than with the brand-new Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43, designed specifically for the new venture between the two great brands?

We covered the partnership and details on this model when it was launched a few weeks ago, but we really had to get our hands on the watch to, pardon the pun, “test drive” it for ourselves. On paper, the watch looks really good, and in real life, I feel it’s just a touch better!

Initial Thoughts

When we first heard about the new partnership between Breitling and Aston Martin late last year, I, for one, as well as the rest of the team, were pretty excited. Cars and watches just go together, and yes, we are watch lovers first and foremost, but I can safely say that most of us here at Watch Advice also love our sports cars as well.

Personally, my affinity for Aston Martin probably traces back to those formative James Bond years. Even when Bond briefly swapped to BMW in the mid 90s and early 2000s it was always Aston Martin that felt like the true fit — understated, powerful and distinctly British. Either way, Aston Martin makes beautiful cars, and on my list of supercar royalty, Aston Martin would be up there.

It was interesting to see how Breitling would approach partnering not only with the Aston Martin brand overall, but also directly with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team for the 2026 season. We are only a week away from the start of the 2026 season, so I feel this review comes in very timely, as we’ll be eagerly anticipating it. On that note, keep an eye out for our Formula One® week special in the lead up to the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne at the start of March.

The watch itself, however, is a bit of a different take on the classic Navitimer 43 chronograph. By that I mean, it still looks and feels like a Navitimer. Just a whole lot more sporty thanks to the materials it’s made from and also the subtle and somewhat not-so-subtle nods to the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team’s colours.

On the wrist, first impressions? It’s light. The titanium case and carbon fibre dial make this Navitimer noticeably lighter than standard models. The combination of the titanium case and carbon fibre dial means the watch wears noticeably lighter than your traditional Navitimer, and, depending on whether you like a lighter sports watch or not, you will either love it or you won’t.

The other thing I immediately noticed was the dial colour is a much more subtle nod to the Aston Martin green, which means it works much better as an everyday watch compared to other collaborations that have used green on the dial, and those end up being much more overt and less wearable daily.

The Design

Breitling has done a superb job with this watch. The brand has managed to keep the heart and soul of the Navitimer, along with all the classic design cues, and blend this with the colours of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team, not to mention material cues in the titanium and carbon fibre, all of which are used in the fast-paced world of Formula One®.

The 43 mm titanium case is the same proportion as you find in the steel models, that being 13.96 mm thick and a lug-to-lug of 49.07 mm. Breitling has also polished the case so you get a very similar aesthetic to the steel versions, albeit a slightly darker shade that is consistent with titanium watches. Perhaps the biggest difference on this is the dial.

The brand has infused green flecks within the carbon fibre, so you get an almost camouflage-style look with the blacks, greys and greens that come through and, depending on the angle, can go from a very, very dark shade to a slightly lighter shade in the sun.

This means that of the many green-dial collaborations we’ve seen in recent years, this is one of the more restrained and wearable interpretations. The execution feels deliberate and refined rather than decorative or gimmicky.

The pops of yellow on the chronograph hand and along the strap edge add energy, but they are the one element that makes this slightly less boardroom-friendly. However, if it were me, I’d still proudly wear this piece with my shirts and jackets if I had one of those jobs.

Breitling has given the strap the Aston Martin green treatment on the underside, which hides away nicely when you’re wearing the watch, but again, it’s another subtle nod to the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team. On a small side note, the topside fabric is designed to mimic a car seat belt. You don’t notice too much in photos, but in person, once you’re told and feel it, it’s very obvious, and another subtle way Breitling has integrated elements of Aston Martin into the watch.

How It Wears

My first thought, strapping it on my wrist, was that it does play with your mind a little bit. It looks like a Breitling Navitimer 43 Chronograph, but the lightness is instantly noticeable on the wrist.

The combination rubber and textile strap is on the slightly stiffer side, as this is a brand-new watch that hasn’t really been worn. We were one of the first in the country to see it – as a result, it still had its stickers on the case and had not been broken in yet. That aside, the strap looks great on, and those pops of yellow on the side do make this piece stand out a little.

Breitling has opted to put the strap on the reverse way, with the strap threading through towards your body and the strap keeper on the inside of the wrist instead of the outside. I’ve said in a few reviews that I’m not a big fan of straps facing this way, and quite a few brands do this now with their watches. If I were to own this piece, I think I would probably swap it around to the traditional way and, to make this a slightly more versatile piece, quite possibly purchase a second strap that was a little bit more subtle to wear on occasions where it calls for it.

At a glance, the carbon fibre dial doesn’t scream for attention. But spend a moment with it, and the intricate green flecks and patterns demand a second look — one of those details that rewards the wearer, and will time and time again. One small detractor: the anti-reflective coating on the domed crystal tends to give off that blue haze that is prominent with a domed crystal and a darker dial underneath. In some lighting, the glare does compete with the already busy dial. It’s not a deal breaker, but it’s worth mentioning.

Speaking of the busy dial, it is one of those aspects of a Navitimer that you accept because of its history of being a flight calculator on the wrist, but it’s also part of the charm of a Navitimer as well, even though 99% of us would never use the slide rule in this fashion.

As a casual watch, it is brilliant. It is a watch you can wear pretty much daily, and while it looks more formal, as most Navitimers do, with that titanium case and carbon fibre dial, it takes the watch out of the dressy sports watch realm and puts it more into that pure sports watch category. But just to showcase its versatility, we had Champs model it with his iconic jackets, which he is known for, and even with these, it still looks good.

The 43 mm case also fits most wrists above about 16 centimetres. To give you an indication, I have 17.5 centimetre wrists versus Champs (pictured above), who has a 16.5 centimetre wrist and on both, it still feels proportionate and balanced. If you had a 15.5-centimetre wrist or less, I would suggest it will start to wear fairly large, thanks to the 13.69 mm thickness, but again, this is offset by the lightness of the titanium case.

The Movement

The movement in the Breitling Navitimer Aston Martin edition is nothing new – the Calibre B01, which Breitling has been using for over 15 years. It was the brand’s first in-house movement, and these days it is well known and regarded in the industry. It still has the 70-hour power reserve and beats at the conventional 4Hz / 28,800 VpH, not to mention being COSC-certified as all Breitling movements are, but Breitling, being Breitling, has given the B01 calibre some Aston Martin treatment as well.

The matte-black rotor, developed specially for this edition, is made of tungsten coated with high-durability PVD (physical vapour deposition) and features the Aston Martin Formula One® Team logo. It is a small change, and again subtle, but enough to notice and add another small element to the watch as part of the new partnership.

The B01’s column-wheel architecture and proven durability make it a fitting engine for a Formula One® partnership. It’s a movement built for reliability, which mirrors the ethos of the sport itself.

The team and I have seen firsthand how Breitling makes the B01 Calibre at the Chronométrie in La Chaux-de-Fonds when we visited it last year, and Breitling has perfected the art of melding modern production line techniques with human intervention and craftsmanship along the way. Breitling’s philosophy when it comes to making watches is essentially, let the robots do what they do best, and the humans do what they do best – coming together in a way to create production efficiencies while ensuring the highest level of quality to make the best product possible.

Final Thoughts

Breitling was one of the very first luxury watch brands that I found myself having a strong affinity with, especially back in the early 2000s. So it was no surprise that it was one of the first brands I bought when I could finally afford to get into the entry mid-level luxury watch market. It is also a brand I have bought several watches from over the years and have loved them at that point in time, based on where my tastes lay, but for some reason, I’ve never owned a Navitimer.

Over the last year or so, I’ve spent more time delving into Breitling — both here and overseas in Switzerland — and reviewing pieces like the sensational B19 Perpetual Calendar in ice blue. The result? I’m appreciating the Navitimer more and more. And when it comes to this new iteration, thanks to Breitling‘s partnership with Aston Martin and the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team, it’s a different slant on a classic but done in a meaningful way.

This is one of the most compelling Navitimer variations in recent years, and among the best-executed motorsport collaborations in the market today. With limited production, high-end materials, and genuine brand alignment, it’s a watch that elevates both Breitling and Aston Martin in the eyes of enthusiasts.

The other thing to note is the price point. At A$15,990, if you’re already considering a Navitimer 43, this edition makes a compelling case for stretching the budget slightly further. The materials, limited production and genuine brand alignment give it more depth than a simple colour swap.

Speaking to Breitling, there’s been fairly strong interest around this piece already, and I would dare say that they will start to go quickly as more people experience it. If this partnership resonates with you, I’d suggest seeing it in person. The dial, in particular, needs to be experienced, and this is a piece that genuinely deserves a wrist test.

Reference: Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team (Ref. EB01381A1B1X1)

Specifications

• Dimensions: 43mm x 13.69mm thick, lug-to-lug: 49.07mm
• Case Material: Brused and polished titanium
• Dial: Carbon Fibre Dial with touches of green Super-LumiNova® luminescent hour and minute hands and indexes
• Crystal: Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides
• Movement: Breitling Manufacture Self-Winding Calibre B01 with tungsten rotor coated with dark PVD and Aston Martin logo
• Power Reserve: Approximately 70 hours.
• Beat Rate: 4Hz (28,800 VpH)
• Water Resistance: 30m (3bar)
• Strap: Belt-inspired embossed leather, green underside and yellow highlights.

Australian RRP: AU $15,990

Availability: Limited to 1,959 models. Available by inquiry in Breitling boutiques, authorised dealers, and online at Breitling.com.au

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