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Breitling Navitimer Chrono-matic, Ref. 1806, c. 1970 — view 1 of 4
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Breitling Navitimer Chrono-matic, Ref. 1806, c. 1970

DocumentedDocumented from an auction catalogue; attribution as stated by the auction house.
Maker / attribution
Breitling (maker)
Date
c. 1970
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Lot
Item 41295905
Credit line
Auction lot record: lot 21, Man of the World, Auctionata U.S. (2015), via LiveAuctioneers
Catalogue title (original)
Breitling Navitimer Chrono-matic, Ref. 1806, c.1970 (English)

View the source record (auction lot) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by LiveAuctioneers auction archive (lot Item 41295905), this is a wristwatch by Breitling, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1970. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. The record is illustrated with 4 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Lot description — Auctionata U.S.

Breitling Navitimer Chrono-matic , Ref. 1806 Switzerland, circa 1970 Automatic movement, caliber 11, 17 jewels; hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph Black dial with printed white luminous Arabic numeral and Baton hour-markers, chronograph registers and constant seconds subdials, date aperture, minutes outer ring; White and black luminous Baton and orange Dauphine hands Stainless steel case, with bi-directional slide rule turning bezel, crown, pushers, and screw-down caseback Tan suede NATO strap with stainless steel pin buckle Hallmarked on the caseback Case Diameter: 47 mm; Height: 15.5 mm Length of Strap: 28.5 cm; Lugs Width: 22 mm Good age-related condition with minor traces of wear, dial shows age-realted patina, case has been polished; Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense Estimate by Auctionata Expert: $5,000 The watch case diameter is 47mm and 15.5mm in height. The strap length is 28.5cm and the lugs width is 22mm. Timepiece is in good age-related condition with minor traces of wear. Please note the dial shows age-related patina and the case has been polished. Overhaul is recommended at the buyer’s expense. Long-term precision and regularity cannot be guaranteed. Size and weight may deviate from the manufacturer’s indication. All watches are hand-measured and weighed. Please be advised that straps or bands made of materials derived from regulated species materials (including lizard, alligator, crocodile, et al) may not be sold with the watches and may be for display purposes only. We reserve the right to remove these straps or bands prior to shipping. Conditions may not specify mechanical replacements or imperfections to the movement, case, dial, pendulum, separate base(s) or dome. Watches with water resistant cases may have been opened to inspect the movements; however no warranty is given that the watch(es) are currently water resistant. We do not warranty nor guarantee the authenticity of any individual component parts, including wheels, hands, crowns, crystals, screws, bracelets, leather bands, and strap hardware, as repairs, restoration, and other subsequent work may have resulted in the replacement of original parts. Timepieces often contain extremely complex, fine, and rare mechanisms, as such, buyers should be aware that a general service, battery change, or further repair work, which is the sole responsibility of the buyer, may be necessary. No warranty of representation is made that any watch, clock, or timepiece is in working order and no catalog description of any lot should be interpreted as stating the aforementioned. Condition reports are only for general guidance and may or will not specify mechanical replacements or imperfections. Please be advised that certificates are not available unless otherwise specifically stated. Prospective buyers acknowledge the aforementioned paragraphs and accept responsibility for investigating and inspecting to satisfy themselves of the lots in which they may be interested. Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance.

Historical context

Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)

Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.

Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology

Atlas type guide

Wristwatches

Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.

After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.

What to look for

  • The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
  • The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
  • Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
  • Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.

Dating clues

  • Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
  • Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
  • Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

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