Vintage watch store "PRINCIPE PRIVE - Epoca d'Oro" receives a rare 18k solid gold Breitling Navitimer Ref. 806.

PRINCIPE PRIVE - Epoca d'Oro, a store highly regarded by domestic and international watch collectors and fashionistas for its unique aesthetic selection of vintage watches from the 1950s to the 1990s, has received an exceptionally rare 18k solid gold case Breitling Navitimer Ref. 806.

Please enjoy the history behind this timepiece, unraveled from the history of the Navitimer.

This model can be purchased at the <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" class="pr-link" data-link-id="89f86b91-1025-4b59-a691-d23c4e44fb08" href="https://principe-prive-epocadoro.com/ja/products/breitling-18k-navitimer-1967s?variant=53136178676019">PRINCIPE PRIVE - Epoca d'Oro - Official Website</a>.

STORY In 1954, Breitling announced 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). It was born as a full-fledged chronograph equipped with the legendary Valjoux 72 movement and a 12-hour totalizer.

At the time, many of these models were sold for the American market, and Breitling utilized the AOPA name as a marketing strategy, spreading the watch to pilots around the world through their network.

In 1955, with the arrival of the Mark 1.3, the reference number "806" was assigned for the first time. It was also at this stage that the Breitling name was engraved on the dial for the first time.

Subsequently, the Venus caliber 178, which made Breitling's high quality known to the world, was adopted with the birth of the Mark 2. In the late Mark 2 period, the manufacturer code for export models to the U.S. was changed from BOW to WOG. This code was shared with WAKMANN, the agency brand that handled sales in the American market, indicating that Breitling was focusing heavily on the U.S. market at the time.

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

In 1962, the dial design was significantly changed, and in 1963, the Navitimer changed from the all-black 3-register design to silver-white sub-dials, greatly improving visibility. This was the birth of the Mark 3. Around this time, WAKMANN began establishing factories in France as well. In the subsequent Mark 4, the bezel, which had a unique bead design, was changed. Initially, it had 98 beads, later changed to 94, and then 93, but in this generation, it was changed to a milled bezel with square notches. This bezel is a specification that existed only for a short period in early 1964, and it is now a rare detail that commands a premium.

With the arrival of the Mark 5, adopted from 1964 to 1967, the AOPA wing logo, which had been the symbol of the Navitimer for many years, disappeared, and the "Twin Jet (Twin Wing)" logo featuring two jets was adopted. This symbolized the beginning of a new era for Breitling, and this logo was simultaneously introduced to other models.

Then, in 1967, the Mark 6 appeared.

From this generation, gold case models were introduced in addition to the stainless steel models. "Cup gold" models, which combined a gold-plated middle case with a stainless steel back, were produced, and a very small number of 18k solid gold models were also manufactured. Also around this time, a red calculation reference point (red calculate point) was added to the slide rule scale, making the calculation position easier to understand. Furthermore, in 1968, the three sub-dials on the dial were enlarged, evolving into the design now known as the "Big Eye."

Thus, the story of the founding Navitimer model, Ref. 806, reached its conclusion in 1974.

BREITLING 18k NAVITIMER 1967s Ref: NAVITIMER 806 Price: 2,860,000 JPY

This model can be called a miraculous existence in the history of the Navitimer. It is the 18k solid gold Navitimer Ref. 806, which almost never appears on the market. It is an individual from the Mark 6 generation born in 1967, and it features a red calculate point on the slide rule scale.

For example, if you align the 50 (5000 meters) on the outer scale with the 60 (1 meter per second = 60 meters per minute) on the inner scale, the value read against the 10 on the inner scale becomes 83 minutes.

This is a function for instantly calculating how much flight time is available if, for example, you descend from an altitude of 5000 meters at 1 meter per second, which truly speaks to its essence as an aviation watch.

The crown has been replaced, and there are traces of repair on the strap hold of the lug area. However, the case has been carefully polished by our company within a range that does not cause thinning, and it is finished in a very beautiful state.

18k solid gold Navitimer Ref. 806. It may be the first and last encounter in a lifetime for many collectors.

Store Details PRINCIPE PRIVE - Epoca d'Oro - OMOTESANDO 3-5-19 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo Business Hours: 12:00 - 19:00

PRINCIPE PRIVE - Epoca d'Oro - Official Website https://principe-prive-epocadoro.com/ja/products/breitling-18k-navitimer-1967s?variant=53136178676019