BREITLING Navitimer Ref.806 1959 Re-Edition cal.B09 / Limited to 1,959, Unused

— A complete revival supervised by a leading collector —

One of the models that dominated conversation at Baselworld 2019 was Breitling's Navitimer Ref.806 1959 Re-Edition.

A revival of the 1959 production, popular as the last version of the first-generation model, made under the thorough supervision of Fred Mandelbaum, a leading worldwide collector of vintage Breitling.

— Where the name comes from —

The name Navitimer is a coinage combining "navigation" and "timer."

Its predecessor, the Chronomat, combined "chronograph" and "mathematics."

Both are simple and clear, and stay in the memory as names that state an excellent function plainly.

— Fused with aviation history —

The Navitimer 806, announced in 1959, was a 41mm manual-wind chronograph carrying the Venus 178.

Born in 1952, the Navitimer fused technical innovation, distinctive design and a deep connection to aviation history.

It became the official watch of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and established its standing as a pilot's watch.

— The role of a co-pilot —

With its distinctive slide rule bezel, the Navitimer made it possible to calculate fuel consumption, airspeed, distance and rates of climb and descent — all essential in flight.

Advertising of the day declared that the Navitimer was your co-pilot, and it played exactly that role.

Today, its look, recalling an aircraft instrument, can even start a conversation with the passenger beside you.

— The aesthetics of revival —

The Navitimer 806 revived in 2019 matches the original right down to the number of beads on the bezel — 94.

White hands and graduations are set on a black dial, with the beauty of an aviation instrument.

At 41mm across and 12.9mm thick, the size matches the original too; the only new features are 3 bar water resistance and Super-LumiNova.

— The essence of the Cal.B09 —

The Cal.B09 that Breitling fitted to the 2019 revival is a special mechanism, created by converting the firm's in-house chronograph movement Cal.01 to manual winding over about eighteen months.

The vertical clutch and column wheel construction remain, while the calibre carries the feel of a hand-wound watch and a classical beat.

With a 70-hour power reserve and COSC-certified accuracy, this movement is the heart that makes a complete revival of the 1959 Navitimer 806 possible — reproducing even the sub-dial positions of the original, which is a remarkable achievement.

It was originally a display piece in a Breitling boutique, and is in unused condition.

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