Aston Martin and Breitling have formalised a relationship that took me by surprise. Breitling now holds the title of Official Watch Partner to Aston Martin and the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, in a global, multi‑year agreement that links Gaydon’s hand‑built performance cars with Swiss chronograph engineering focused on speed and control. Both houses grew from a fascination with measuring and mastering velocity. One built the instruments, the other shaped the machines. The first fruit of this collaboration – the Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco F1.
Adrian Hallmark, Aston Martin CEO, frames the partnership in clear terms: “Aston Martin and Breitling have crossed paths at key moments in design and culture. 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.” Georges Kern, Breitling CEO, draws a direct line between case and bodywork: “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.” Lawrence Stroll, Executive Chairman of Aston Martin and its F1 team, underlines the competitive intent: “Our pursuit of a World Championship demands partners who match our ambition. Beyond a shared heritage, we are united by values that drive everything we do.”
Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team
The first physical result arrives as the Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team. The name sets the context plainly. Breitling returns the Navitimer to the world of racing and positions this reference as the timing instrument for Aston Martin’s latest F1 campaign. Production stays capped at 1,959 pieces, a nod to the year of Aston Martin’s first Formula One entry.
Material chosen for performance
Breitling builds the watch around a 43 millimetre titanium case, a debut for the Navitimer line. The profile stands 13.69 millimetres high, with a lug‑to‑lug span of 49.07 millimetres and a 22 millimetre lug width. Titanium suits the brief, cutting weight on the wrist while supporting the familiar notched bezel and pump pushers. Sapphire covers both sides, with a cambered, double‑antireflective crystal on top and a screwed sapphire back. Water resistance remains 30 metres, which keeps this piece firmly in the instrument‑chronograph category rather than a crossover sports watch.
A subtle integration of elements
The dial moves the Navitimer vocabulary into Aston Martin territory without shouting. Breitling uses a chopped carbon fibre base, enlivened by subtle Aston Martin Racing Green mottling. Classic white sub‑dials create a reverse‑panda layout, while the applied hour markers and Arabic twelve sit in bright contrast. A zesty lime tone highlights the chronograph seconds hand and selected details, echoing the current Aston Martin Aramco livery. The slide‑rule bezel stays present and functional, so owners can still carry out calculations for speed, distance and fuel usage if they wish. Hands and indexes carry Super‑LumiNova, improving night‑time legibility compared with some heritage Navitimer references.
A well known and robust workhorse
Breitling anchors all this to its in‑house Manufacture Calibre B01. The automatic movement uses a column wheel and vertical clutch architecture and runs at 4 Hz. Power reserve sits around 70 hours, and COSC certification confirms chronometer‑grade performance. The movement feels appropriate for an Aston‑aligned piece: modern, robust, and proven across the brand’s upper chronograph lines. Through the sapphire back, the owner sees a matte black tungsten rotor with PVD coating, customised with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team logo. Additional engravings read “One of 1959” and “Instruments for Drivers”, pushing the Navitimer identity from cockpit to pit lane.
Accents that bring recognition
Breitling pairs the watch with a leather strap embossed to recall a racing harness or high‑grade seatbelt webbing. The buckle uses a folding pin design for security and convenience. The colour accents continue under the strap, where green tones echo both the dial flecks and Aston Martin bodywork. On the wrist, the combination of titanium case, compact lugs and supple strap should deliver a lighter, more focused experience than many steel Navitimers, particularly for daily wear around the paddock or in the car.
Price positions the watch clearly in the upper tier of contemporary sports chronographs. Breitling lists the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team at €10,500, which reflects the titanium case, limited production and co‑branding with a current F1 outfit. Within the Navitimer family, that figure tracks closely with other B01 special editions, yet the Aston Martin link and titanium construction give this model a distinct identity.
A new era for two major players
The wider story matters as much as the reference number. Breitling and Aston Martin share early twentieth‑century roots in speed, then reappear together in the cultural memory of the 1960s. Enthusiasts still recognise the bond between the Aston Martin DB5 and Breitling’s Top Time on Sean Connery’s wrist. This new partnership shifts the focus to current motorsport and to a broader Aston Martin universe that stretches from Gaydon’s road cars to Silverstone’s wind tunnel.
This Navitimer does not close that narrative; it opens a chapter. Both brands already hints at further exclusive releases across the lifespan of the agreement. Expect future pieces that speak more directly to road cars, to limited projects and perhaps to Aston’s drive toward electrified performance. For now, the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team gives collectors a clear starting point. It links a foundational Breitling icon to one of the most closely watched teams on the grid and signals that, for both brands, time and speed now share the same racing line.
Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team Technical Specifications
Reference: EB01381A1B1X1 – € 10,500
Movement
- Calibre: Breitling Manufacture Calibre B01
- Type: Self‑winding mechanical chronograph
- Diameter: 30 millimetres
- Thickness: 7.2 millimetres
- Power reserve: Approximately 70 hours
- Components: 346
- Frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 hertz)
- Chronograph: Column wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4‑second, 30‑minute and 12‑hour totalisers
- Display: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date window, chronograph functions
- Certification: COSC‑certified chronometer
Case
- Material: Titanium
- Diameter: 43 millimetres
- Thickness: 13.69 millimetres
- Lug‑to‑lug length: 49.07 millimetres
- Lug width: 22 millimetres
- Water resistance: 3 bar (30 metres)
- Crystal: Cambered sapphire crystal, glareproofed on both sides
- Caseback: Screwed sapphire crystal with Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team logo, “One of 1959” and “Instruments for Drivers” engravings
- Crown: Non‑screw‑locked, with two gaskets
- Bezel: Polished titanium with circular slide rule
- Limited edition: 1,959 pieces
Dial and Hands
- Dial: Carbon‑fibre dial with Aston Martin Racing Green and lime accents
- Sub‑dials: Contrasting white chronograph counters
- Hour markers: Applied indexes with Arabic numeral at 12 o’clock
- Luminous material: Super‑LumiNova on hour and minute hands and indexes
- Functions on dial: Central chronograph seconds, 30‑minute and 12‑hour counters, small seconds, date window at 6 o’clock
Strap
- Material: Embossed leather strap inspired by racing harness belts
- Detailing: Lime‑coloured stitching and Aston Martin green underside
- Attachment: 22 millimetre lug width
