Breitling Navitimer automatic “Iraqi General Youth Training Association” Chronograph Ref. 1806 "Fried Egg", 1970s

Dealer description — Bulang & Sons

Breitling SA was established in 1884 by Léon Breitling in Saint-Imier. After his death in 1914, the company was passed down to his son, Gaston, and later to his grandson, Willy, in 1935. In the 1940s, Breitling introduced a circular slide rule on the bezel of its Chronomat models—a feature that later became iconic with the launch of the Navitimer in 1954. By 1966, chronographs were in high demand—and so were automatic watches—but no one had yet solved the puzzle of combining the two. To tackle what was then the ultimate watchmaking challenge, Breitling joined forces with some unexpected partners. Rivals Breitling and Heuer-Leonidas brought their expertise in chronographs; Hamilton-Buren contributed their mastery of micro-rotors; and Dubois-Depraz added its know-how in developing intricate modular movements. Working in strict secrecy, the group launched what became known as “Project 99,” entering the competitive race to create the world’s first automatic chronograph. Thanks to their complementary strengths, the collaboration paid off. On March 3, 1969, they unveiled the Caliber 11 automatic chronograph movement during simultaneous press events in Geneva and New York. And here we have a bold Caliber 11 Navitimer in hand! Besides the consumer market, this watch has been supplied to the armed forces all over the world and is sometimes referred to as “Pizza,” or even more often nicknamed as “fried egg.” This particular Navitimer is a big one—measuring 48mm—with the telltale crown on the left side of the case, typical for Cal. 11-powered chronographs. It’s a technical-looking timepiece with multiple scales, two subdials, and a date window at six o’clock. The dial bears the wings of the Iraqi Air Force, rather than the usual Breitling logo. On the screw-down case back, Arabic script translates to: “Iraqi General Youth Training Association”—a program tied to military training in Iraq. This oversized Breitling comes on a steel three-row flat link Breitling bracelet and has been fully serviced by our watchmaker. Big, Bold, Breitling—touch base with us for this triple threat! Specifications: - Breitling Navitimer Automatic Chronograph reference 1806 - Dates to 1970s - 48mm steel case, with “Iraqi General Youth Training Association” engraving in Arabic language - Reverse panda dial with Iraqi Air Force wings - Caliber 11 automatic movement - Comes on a 3-row flat link Breitling steel bracelet - Fully serviced by our watchmaker