Breitling AOPA 'Small-Bead' Navitimer

Regular price: $12,000
Regular price
Sale price: $12,000
Unit price: per

REF 806

Manual-winding

40 MM

– Show less

SKU	AS11384
Article Number	40940250
ref	806
case size	40 MM
movement	Manual-winding
approximate age	1950s
dial color	Black
material	Stainless Steel
style	Aviator
category	Vintage
bracelet	Leather
lug width	22 MM
Includes	Analog:Shift Logan Brown Montone leather strap with stainless steel pin buckle.
overall condition	Very good condition overall. Sharp case shows light wear consistent with age and use. Dial has light and even patina with indices intact. Handset shows minor wear. Crisp caseback engravings.

Inquire about this item

REF 806

Manual-winding

40 MM

– Show less

SKU	AS11384
Article Number	40940250
ref	806
case size	40 MM
movement	Manual-winding
approximate age	1950s
dial color	Black
material	Stainless Steel
style	Aviator
category	Vintage
bracelet	Leather
lug width	22 MM
Includes	Analog:Shift Logan Brown Montone leather strap with stainless steel pin buckle.
overall condition	Very good condition overall. Sharp case shows light wear consistent with age and use. Dial has light and even patina with indices intact. Handset shows minor wear. Crisp caseback engravings.

Why We Love it

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How many watches are can you spot from a mile away? How many watches have come to define their genre? Besides the Breitling Navitimer, not too many. Not too many at all.

When Breitling designed the Navitimer in the early 1950s, the concept of a civilian tool watch was a novel idea. Watch companies produced a few purpose-designed pieces for military use in the early 20th century, but most watches that were sold at retailers were designed with purely fashion in mind. In the 1950s and 1960s, the tool watch market exploded, fueled by the popularity of SCUBA diving and the growing interest in aviation. Breitling was one of the earliest manufactures to respond to the trend when they released the Navitimer in 1954.

We’ve been referring to the Navitimer as a watch, but that’s not quite right. This is a wrist-worn navigation computer. The Navitimer’s most distinctive feature, the slide rule bezel, is used by pilots to calculate airspeed, ascent and decent rates, flight time, distance traveled, fuel consumption and even imperial to metric unit conversions. The Navitimer truly is a computer, and also happens to be one of the best damn looking watches out there. How cool is that?

Breitling has been selling Navitimers consistently since the 1950s, so we can’t say that vintage 806s are a rare find. Yet while there are a lot of them out there, finding one in good condition is not an easy task. For whatever reason, most were not treated very well by their original owners and are now in a sad shape, which is an unfortunate fate for any watch, let alone one of the most iconic pieces ever made. Refinished dials run rampant, and calling the wear to dials “patina” is often a generous use of the term.

Lucky for you, we’ve sourced a lovely, all-original example of the ref. 806 that is worthy of our clients’ collections. This is the Navitimer for Navitimer geeks.

Featuring an early AOPA signed dial (Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association), this 806 dates to the 1950s, sporting all of the most desirable Navitimer features. Besides the AOPA logo on a beautifully patinated matte black dial, the bezel features an early small-bead ring to boot! If you’re a Breitling guy, you’re probably drooling right now.

Whether you’re looking for a pilot's watch or just a cool vintage chronograph, the Navitimer is a worthy consideration. It’s as iconic as any watch can be, and there’s a reason why Breitling has been making them for five decades (answer: they’re awesome). This example just happens to be one of the best on the market, so if you’ve ever had any inclination to pick up a Navitimer, this is the one to get.

For a look at this history of this important chronograph, check out this great article by our friend Ed Estlow over at Gear Patrol HERE.

Brand Story

Breitling, one of the most illustrious names in the annals of the “tool watch,” was founded by Léon Breitling in 1892. And though the firm is no longer operated by its namesake family, it still produces some of the world’s best pilot’s watches, many of which now feature in-house movements.

The company first started manufacturing wrist chronographs as early as the 1930s. In 1936 they became an official supplier to military forces of the United Kingdom and Canada. While perhaps best known for the Navitimer and Chronomat lines — which were used heavily by pilots of many nations — Breitling also produced scores of other chronograph models that merit consideration, such as the more affordable Top Time and Premier. Dive watches, such as the Super Ocean, are also part of the company’s offerings.

The late 1970s was a turbulent time for the Swiss watch industry, and many storied houses were swept away by the Quartz Crisis. By 1978, Breitling was in trouble due to the illness of its leader, Willy Breitling, and the steep decline in sales that had cut through the entire industry. Unable to keep operations going, the company was liquidated, and parts, toolings and naming rights were sold off.
Between 1979 and 2017, Breitling continued under the ownership of the Schneider family. In 2017 an 80% stake in the firm was sold to a British private equity firm, with the remaining 20% sold in 2018. In 2019, the company released the caliber B01, an in-house, automatic chronograph movement that’s since found its way into the Chronomat and Navitimer collections, bringing the tale of this famed manufacturer full circle.

A:S Guarantee

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a two-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

Shipping & Returns

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.