There are  many things Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling, is admired for. One of them is probably his razor-sharp acumen for tapping into the popular zeitgeist, first at IWC where he transformed the brand into a global powerhouse and now at Breitling, where he is the architect of the House of Brands strategy announced last year.

Breitling’s latest announcement to kick off 2026 is more proof of just that. The house is joining hands with Aston Martin and the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team as their official watch partner, marking its full-fledged foray onto the high-octane, high-stakes F1 grid. It is set to be a multi-year, multi-platform partnership that involves product launches, joint events, dedicated Aston Martin corners in over 300 boutiques around the world, and it will span the full Aston Martin and Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team universe.

Fans of both Breitling and Aston Martin can expect a whole lot more than just stickers on cars in this 360-degree partnership, and first off the grid is the stealthy cool Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team in lightweight titanium.

Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team

Racing Ahead

Breitling is traditionally associated with aviation and pilot’s watches, thanks to the Navitimer that was first developed in 1952 to be worn by aviators so that they could calculate speed, intervals and fuel consumption easily in the cockpit.

The birth of the Navitimer in 1952 offered pilots a mechanical aviation computer with which they could calculate flight plan details. It remains a perennial favorite

But the brand also has a long history with motoring and motorsports, and loyal fans in those arenas. Back in the ’60s, F1 drivers Graham Hill and Jim Clark both won the F1 World Driver’s Championships twice, flew their own light aircraft and — you guessed it — wore Breitling Navitimers.

Graham Hill wearing Breitling Navitimer ref. 806 (Photo by Rainer Schlegelmilch/Getty Images)

Jim Clark wearing Breitling Navitimer ref. 806

Perhaps a more relevant and interesting nugget from the history archives is that of the Vitesse, which is French for “speed.” Created by Leon Breitling in 1907, the pocket watch was the first chronograph that measured speed between 15 to 250 miles or kilometers per hour. In fact, it was said to be so precise that the Swiss police used it to clock errant drivers.

That emphasis on chronometric rigor is clearly what Breitling is aiming to communicate with its official entry into the high profile Formula One, where nanosecond precision marks the difference between podium and, well, oblivion. And it’s a particularly appropriate one given that, since 1999, the brand has committed to ensuring that every single one of its movements receives COSC certification.

This means that each Breitling movement has passed rigorous independent timing tests and meets the required standards for chronometric accuracy. For mechanical movements such as the in-house Caliber B01 which drives this latest Navitimer, it translates to an average daily rate within +4/-6 seconds per day.

The Breitling Calibre B01

At the same time, Breitling’s new partnership taps on the historic motoring cachet of the Aston Martin brand name. Kern emphasizes the affinities between the two brands, “Aston Martin builds cars that are as much about presence as performance. We share that same heritage of iconic design: every line, finish and proportion has purpose. Nothing is left to chance.”

Indeed, there is a shared history that reaches back to 1965, when Breitling’s Top Time became the first watch ever tuned up by Q for James Bond, played by Sean Connery in Thunderball. And as fate would have it, the car of choice for 007 in that silver screen outing was the iconic Aston Martin DB5.

Sean Connery as James Bond in the 1965 instalment, Thunderball. On his wrist a special Breitling Top Time, outfitted by Q with a Geiger counter (Image by Allstar / United Artists)

Sean Connery, the original James Bond with the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

“Aston Martin and Breitling have crossed paths at key moments in design and culture,” says Adrian Hallmark, CEO of Aston Martin. “The partnership is a perfect showcase of excellence, design mastery and performance, something that is integral to everything that Aston Martin puts its name to.”

The partnership with Aston Martin will tap on three core pillars: the high tech Formula One pillar, the heritage pillar that taps on brand icons such as the DB5 and, last but not least, Lagonda, the historic British ultra luxury car marque that’s also part of Aston Martin. Says Kern, “You will see three totally different types of products in the market covering these three segments, and this makes the richness of the partnership.”

Given that the popularity of Formula One is at an all-time high, it is understandably an extremely compelling space for the brand. Last year, Formula One reported a global fanbase of 827 million, up 12 percent year on year, with a younger fanbase that is more diverse than ever. The phenomenal successes of Netflix’s Drive to Survive now into its fifth season and last year’s Brad Pitt-led F1 film have also stoked the popular currency of Formula One. In fact, it is now the most popular global sports league, with a fanbase that’s 11.4 percent greater than the next biggest competitor, NBA.

Breitling x NFL campaign

Breitling’s partnership with NFL that was announced last year has already given the brand access to America’s most popular sport. F1 is the logical next step to reach an ever wider, even greater international audience. Together with Aston Martin, which Kern shares, is a strong brand name in China and other Asian markets, Breitling is on a path to world domination.

“This team here has depths,” says Georges Kern, CE0 of Breitling. “And we have three pillars we can work on in the coming years. You know the rule in marketing, it’s very simple: be first or be better, and for sure, we’ll be better.”

Ultimate Speed, Absolute Precision

Kicking off the partnership is the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, a watch that commands presence on the wrist with its 43mm heft, a signature Breitling trait. But the association between the two brands is tastefully subtle, rather than in your face. Beyond the Aston Martin badge on the caseback, you’ll have to look closer to discern the codes that reinforce the bond on the grid.

Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team

The the Aston Martin badge on the caseback

The chronograph seconds hand in lime that’s drawn from the Aston Martin Aramco livery is the most evident. The case itself is made of lightweight titanium, the first ever used on the Navitimer.  The embossed leather strap is inspired by a racing harness and is rendered in Aston Martin Racing Green, but only on the back, not front, with strap edges in eye-catching lime.

The dial, meanwhile, is made of carbon fiber, another nod to the Formula One holy trinity of lightness, strength and precision. It is flecked with Racing Green and paired with white hour and minute hands, and indexes, treated with green Super-LumiNova for enhanced visibility in the dark. The classic Navitimer codes are all present: circular slide rule in very legible white, alongside the classic tri-compax chronograph layout, baton indexes and notched bezel. The signature AOPA wings sit at their traditional 12 o’clock place.

The carbon fiber dial flecked with Racing Green

The Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team is powered by Breitling’s Manufacture Caliber B01, a self-winding chronograph with column-wheel activation and a generous power reserve of 70 hours.

Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team

Finally, it is available in a limited edition of just 1,959 pieces, a tribute to the year Aston Martin first entered Formula One.

Tech Specs: Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team

Reference EB01381A1B1X1
Movement Self-winding Breitling Manufacture Caliber B01; 70-hour power reserve
Functions Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph and date
Case 43mm × 13.69mm; titanium; water resistant to 30m
Dial Carbon fiber; Super-LumiNova filled indexes
Strap Black embossed leather with back panel in Racing Green with pin buckle
Price CHF 9,900
Availability Limited edition of 1,959 pieces