[Important] Vintage Watch Store "PRINCIPE PRIVE - Epoca d'Oro" Receives World-Rare 18K Solid Gold BREITLING Navitimer Ref. 806

PRINCIPE PRIVE - Epoca d'Oro, a vintage watch store renowned for its unique aesthetic in selecting timepieces from the 1950s to the 1990s and highly regarded by domestic and international watch collectors and fashionistas, has received a world-rare Breitling Navitimer Ref. 806 with an 18K solid gold case.

Please enjoy the history of this watch, unraveling from the history of the Navitimer.

This model can be purchased at PRINCIPE PRIVE - Epoca d'Oro - Official Website.

STORY In 1954, Breitling unveiled the world's first wristwatch equipped with a rotating slide rule. This model was developed in 1952 at the request of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and was born as a full-fledged chronograph equipped with the renowned Valjoux 72 movement and a 12-hour totalizer.

At the time, many of these models were sold to the American market, and Breitling leveraged the AOPA name as a marketing strategy, spreading its reach to pilots worldwide through its network.

In 1955, with the introduction of the Mark 1.3, the reference number "806" was assigned for the first time. Also, at this stage, the Breitling name began to be engraved on the dial for the first time.

Subsequently, the Venus Caliber 178, which announced Breitling's high quality to the world, began to be incorporated with the birth of the Mark 2. In the latter half of the Mark 2, the manufacturer code for export models to the United States was changed from BOW to WOG. This code was shared with WAKMANN, the distributor brand responsible for sales in the American market, indicating Breitling's strong focus on the American market at the time.

Going further back, in 1950, Breitling watches were officially adopted by the French Air Force, which led to the creation of the "765 AVI (Aviation)" in 1953.

In 1962, the dial design underwent a significant change, and the following year, 1963, the Navitimer transitioned from an all-black 3-register to silver-white subdials, greatly improving legibility. This marked the birth of the Mark 3. Around this period, WAKMANN began to establish a factory in France. In the subsequent Mark 4, the bezel, which had a distinctive bean-like design, was changed. Initially featuring 98 beads, later changed to 94, and then 93, this generation saw a change to a milled bezel with square notches. This bezel specification existed for only a brief period in early 1964 and is now a rare detail commanding a premium.