Breitling’s successful series of Blacksteel watches – the cases are steel with a DLC coating – has a new addition: the Navitimer Cosmonaute Blacksteel. Limited to 1000 pieces, the Navitimer Cosmonaute Blacksteel is the latest variation of the Cosmonaute, with its distinctive 24-hour dial.

The original Cosmonaute was worn by astronaut Scott Carpenter aboard the Aurora 7 capsule in 1962, and the 24-hour dial was intended to help Carpenter distinguish day from night back on Earth. In reference to that, the Cosmonaute Blacksteel is engraved with the Aurora 7 mission insignia on its case back. And of course this has the classic Navitimer slide rule bezel, which allows for calculation of speed, distance and other navigation tasks.

Inside is the COSC-certified, in-house B02 manual wind chronograph movement. The Blacksteel case measures 43 mm and is water-resistant to 30 m. The Cosmonaute Blacksteel will retail for US$9590 in the USA and S$14,180 in Singapore (including 7% GST). – SJX