Lot 81: Vintage Breitling Navitimer Chrono-Matic 1806 “Reverse Panda” Dial Circa 1970s

The world’s first Smart Watch was introduced in 1942 by Breitling; The Chronomat. It was a rotating logarithmic slide rule chronograph that allowed for complex calculations to be executed with the turn of your fingers. Throughout the 1930s to 50s, Breitling continued creating chronographs with different scales to suit different professions, such as tachometers for production engineers and drivers, and pulso-meters for doctors. Fast forward to 1969 Breitling introduces the Chrono-Matic line, featuring original and funky design cues synonymous with the 70s. The Navitimer we have up for auction is a fine example of the eclectic and avant-garde styling of the Chrono-Matic line with it’s giant 47mm case and sought after reverse panda themed dial. In hindsight Breitling was a true forerunner of the extremely large watch trend that is still in vogue today. The internal rotating bezel of this 1806 is mint and has not suffered from water ingress. Moving over to the inner dial and sub registers everything is clean, the luminous of the markers and the handset is matching plus all the printing is crisp. The funky shaped & colored handset is all 100% original and period correct. The 47 mm case is in great shape and remains unpolished, the angular lines of the Octagonal shaped case are clear and crisp. The period correct crown and pushers are in perfect shape as is the black crown cap. The only part that shows signs of wear is the outer rotating bezel that has lost some black paint over the years, a common issue on all these watches. The movement of this watch is based on the Buren 1282 with a micro rotor and was not initially designed to attach a chronograph mechanism. This led to the un-usual crown placement at the 9 o’clock position. The expensive design made the movement a victim of the quartz boom that happened very shortly after and consequently, the number of these watches with the crown on the wrong side is pretty low! An interesting watch that sits virtually in every vintage watch collector’s wish list, this Breitling Navitimer Chrono-Matic 1806 has been fully cleaned & serviced and is ready for a new home! Manufacturer: Breitling Year: 1970s Reference No: 1806 Model Name: Navitimer Material: Stainless Steel Calibre: Calibre 11 Bracelet/Strap: Black Leather with white stitch Case Size: 47mm Accessories: n/a We do our best to ensure that all our watches are exactly as described. In the event that the watch operates outside of the listed specifications, the Auction house will only accept full returns. Due to the nature of vintage timepieces we cannot guarantee water resistance. Pre-Owned timepieces may require servicing to perform to specification unless it has been specified. We provide a 24hr/Accuracy reading for reference purposes only.