It’s a tricky proposition to get into the watch game — that is, once you’ve tried on, started collecting or started obsessing over watches both affordable and more luxurious, it’s a hard sort of habit to quit.

That’s been the case with my love affair with some of the best watch brands for men, from the highly accessible (like Timex) to the more aspirational (like my home state’s own Shinola), not to mention an enviable selection of “grail watches” I’ve had my eye on for years.

That’s where luxury watch marketplace sites like Chrono24 or Bob’s Watches catch my eye — with thousands upon thousands of watches up for grabs, it’s a joy to browse the site, if an enviable pursuit that’s a bit hard to come by in terms of cash flow, for instance.

But whatever sort of iconic watch for men catches your eye, there’s a great chance you can find it at Chrono24, and that’s certainly the case with the formidable, highly functional Breitling Navitimer, a piece of wearable, usable horological history that adds plenty to your watch game rotation.

Of course, the best luxury watches for men are an investment in their own right, but Breitling brings plenty to the table (and your wrist game), with history of exceptional pilot watches made with top-notch Swiss craftsmanship. The Navitimer was first commissioned in 1952 as a pilot’s tool watch, playing off the Breitling manufacturing legacy of making airplane dashboards for aerial navigation.

As watch expert Teddy Baldassare notes, the handsome and dependable Breitiling Navitimer silhouette in its many variations has some serious staying power. “Instrumental in popularizing the pilot’s watch for the general public, it remains the flagship of Breitling’s modern-day collection,” he said, calling out its utility as a pilot’s chronograph watch.

A mix of stylish alligator leather, stainless steel and contrasting leather straps add to its expert blend of form and function, at least in my experience.

A guy can certainly dream, as even the Breitling Navitimer on the resale market remains quite a lofty goal for the watch collector (myself very much included). The Navitimer World Watch is especially appealing for the global traveler or the watch enthusiast, with variations available in case sizes as large as 46mm (although the Navitimer more commonly clocks in at a case size of about 43mm.

As Baldassere again notes that ” for the classic Navitimer itself, its most recent revamp came in 2022, with modifications that are subtle but substantial.”

For now, it seems a worthy goal to set — to own a piece of wearable watch history from one of the most iconic Swiss watch brands on the market. At both Chrono24 and elsewhere, the Breitling Navitimer reigns supreme among pilot’s watches, my friends — invest accordingly on the secondary watch market, if you’re feeling bold.