An early signed dial Breitling Navitimer with AOPA logo
Reference: 806
Circa: 1961
Movement: Venus Cal. 178 manual-wind movement
Case: Stainless steel 42mm with beads of rice bezel; snap-on case back; push-down crown; and chronograph pushers at 2 and 4 o'clock
Dial: Black dial with luminous Arabic numerals and hands; inner double time scale for Miles Per Hour and Kilometers Per Hour; outer revolving slide rule on silvered chapter ring; subsidiary dials at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock for 12 hour, 30 minute, and constant seconds
More about Breitling:
In the early 1950s, Breitling released their first pilot’s watch, the ref. 806. Featuring a slide rule chronograph, the model was called the “Navitimer." The slide rule was an important innovation for pilots, because it equipped them with the means to make important calculations to make their flights successful. While the Chronomat was the first Breitling model to feature a slide rule, the Navitimer--with its long association with the Aircraft Owners & Pilot's Association or AOPA--established Breitling's reputation as a watch company for pilots. The AOPA proceeded to declare the Navitimer as their official timepiece.
The present watch is an example of a ref. 806 with both the AOPA logo and the Breitling logo. Additionally, it features black subsidiary dials for 12 hour, 30 minutes, and constant seconds. Later versions of the Navitimer bore silver engine-turned subsidiary dials started in 1962.