Omega Speedmaster vs Breitling Navitimer
The Moon Watch meets the Pilot's Chronograph
Quick Verdict
The Omega Speedmaster Professional ($5,000–$10,000) is the icon of space exploration with NASA heritage and manual-wind purity, while the Breitling Navitimer — priced higher within the same band — is the pilot's ultimate tool with its slide-rule bezel and COSC-certified automatic. Both are historically significant investment-grade chronographs.
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Specifications Compared
| Feature | Omega Speedmaster Professional | Breitling Navitimer B01 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5,000–$10,000 | $10,000–$25,000 |
| Case Size | 42mm | 43mm |
| Movement | Manual-Winding Caliber 3861 | Automatic Breitling 01 (Manufacture) |
| Caliber Type | In-House Manual-Winding Manufacture (Co-Axial) | In-House Automatic Chronograph Manufacture |
| Power Reserve | 50 Hours | 70 Hours |
| Water Resistance | 50m (5 ATM) | 30m (3 ATM) |
| Crystal | Hesalite or Sapphire | Cambered Sapphire |
| Case Material | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel |
| Origin | Swiss Made | Swiss Made |
Category-by-Category Analysis
Design & Aesthetics
Space-age minimalism vs aviation complexity
The Speedmaster's design is clean, legible, and almost understated for a chronograph — a 42mm steel case with a tachymeter bezel. The Navitimer is busy and proud of it — a 43mm case dominated by the circular slide-rule bezel. The Speedmaster is more versatile for daily wear; the Navitimer is a bold statement piece.
Movement & Performance
Manual wind vs automatic — different philosophies
The Speedmaster runs the Caliber 3861, a METAS-certified co-axial manual-wind movement with 50-hour power reserve. The Navitimer uses the B01, an in-house COSC-certified automatic with 70-hour power reserve. The Speedmaster requires daily winding (purists love this); the Navitimer winds itself. Both are chronometer-certified.
Wearability & Fit
Speedmaster is slimmer and more versatile on the wrist
At 42mm × 13.18mm, the Speedmaster wears more compactly than the 43mm × 13.59mm Navitimer. The Speedmaster's flat bezel creates a cleaner profile. The Navitimer's slide-rule bezel extends the visual diameter significantly. For wrists under 7 inches, the Speedmaster is the safer choice.
Value & Cost of Ownership
Speedmaster is meaningfully cheaper with stronger resale
Both sit in the $5,000–$10,000 band, but the Speedmaster undercuts the Navitimer's MSRP by well over a thousand dollars. It also holds value significantly better — Speedmasters typically retain 80-90% of MSRP on the secondary market, while Navitimers often trade at 65-75% of MSRP. Omega service costs are also somewhat lower than Breitling's.
Brand Heritage
The Speedmaster has the strongest heritage story in horology
The Speedmaster was the first watch worn on the Moon (Apollo 11, 1969) and is still NASA flight-qualified. That's a heritage no other watch can match. The Navitimer's aviation story is strong — it's been the official AOPA pilot's chronograph since 1952 — but "Moon" beats "cockpit" in cultural cachet.
Materials Face-Off
| Component | Omega Speedmaster Professional | Breitling Navitimer B01 |
|---|---|---|
| Co-Axial Caliber 3861 | Manual-wind chronograph with Co-Axial escapement (George Daniels design, licensed 1999). Si14 silicon balance spring, free-sprung balance, 234 components, 26 jewels | Stainless steel 316L — the industry-standard mid-range Swiss spec. |
| Hesalite Crystal | Hardened acrylic (Mohs ~2–3) with embossed central Omega logo — the NASA flight-qualified specification Mohs 2.5 | Synthetic corundum (Al₂O₃), grown via the Verneuil process for crystal blanks then formed into the cambered (domed) shape. Mohs hardness 9. Anti-refle Mohs 9 |
| Silicon Balance Spring (Si14) | Omega's proprietary Si14 silicon hairspring — in series production since 2008 | Super-LumiNova on the hands and markers. Grade and glow duration are not published by the manufacturer for this reference, so neither is claimed here. |
| Aluminum Tachymeter Bezel | Fixed black anodized aluminum with white tachymeter scale. Preserves the "DOT OVER NINETY" detail from the Apollo 11–era watches | Stainless steel 316L matching the case. |
| Stainless Steel Case | 42mm asymmetric case with integrated crown guards (added in 1964 for the 105.012 — the reference Buzz Aldrin wore on the Moon) | — |
Cost of Ownership Compared
The Omega Speedmaster Professional saves you $2,312 over 5 years of ownership
Who Should Pick Which
Pick the Omega Speedmaster Professional if…
- History and heritage enthusiasts — the only watch worn on the Moon, with NASA documentation to prove it
- METAS Master Chronometer accuracy at sub-$8,000 — antimagnetic to 15,000 gauss, 0/+5 sec/day
- Chronograph lovers — the manual-wind ritual and hand-wound feel is deeply satisfying
- Value seekers at grey market $5,200–$5,500 — one of the cheapest 5-figure-quality chronographs from a top-tier maison
- Available off-the-shelf — walk into any Omega boutique and buy one today (no Rolex-style waitlist)
Pick the Breitling Navitimer B01 if…
- Buyers wanting an in-house movement at the $9K price point
- Accuracy-minded buyers — COSC chronometer certification guarantees precision
- Weekend warriors — 70-hour power reserve means it survives two days off the wrist
- Those who prioritize scratch resistance — sapphire crystal
- Chronograph enthusiasts looking for a proven timing instrument
Omega Speedmaster Professional
- Hesalite scratches — acrylic at Mohs ~2–3 is dramatically softer than sapphire. Polishes out with PolyWatch in 5 minutes, but it's high-maintenance for desk-diving wear
- No screw-down crown, 50m water resistance — this is a NASA chronograph, not a dive watch. Shower-safe, swim-cautious, never deep water
- Manual wind — not for the set-and-forget buyer. Daily winding is part of the ritual; some find it charming, some find it inconvenient
- Wears thick at 13.18mm with a proud bezel — reads as 43–44mm visually because of the broad lug profile
Breitling Navitimer B01
- 30m water resistance is the headline weakness. At the upper end of the $5,000–$10,000 band this is the most-criticised spec. The Navitimer is an aviation tool, not a water watch.
- Slide rule learning curve. Most owners never actually use the slide rule for in-flight calculation. Knowing how to operate it is a horological badge-of-honour, not a daily-driver feature.
- Dial visual density. The Navitimer dial is the watch's character, but it is also the most cluttered face in any luxury watch under $10k. People who want a clean dial will not love this watch.
- 43mm wears large. The 43mm case + 22mm lug width + cambered crystal pushes the visual presence above the spec. Try before you buy if you're under 6.75" wrist.
Our Verdict
Omega
Speedmaster Professional
Choose the Speedmaster if you want the most historically significant watch ever made. Its manual-wind movement is a purist's dream, its NASA heritage is unmatched, and its resale value is among the strongest in the $5,000-$10,000 range.
Check Price on AmazonBreitling
Navitimer B01
Choose the Navitimer if you want a larger, more tool-focused chronograph with aviation DNA. The slide-rule bezel is a genuine analog computer, the in-house B01 is COSC-certified, and the automatic winding is more convenient for daily wear.
Check Price on AmazonThe Bottom Line
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch and the Breitling Navitimer B01 are the two most historically significant chronographs still in production — the Speedmaster went to the Moon in 1969, while the Navitimer has been the pilot's chronograph of choice since 1952.
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How This Page Was Made
Our comparisons are generated from a hand-maintained specification database and reviewed under our editorial standards. We use AI tools to assemble pages from that data. We don’t invent specs: every number traces back to the database, and when we correct an entry, the fix is applied site-wide. As an Amazon Associate, The Horologist earns from qualifying purchases.