Tissot Navigator Chronograph (Ref. 817) "Lemania Cal. 827", 1960s

Dealer description — Craft & Tailored

In 1853 Charles-Félicien Tissot founded Ch. Félicien Tissot & Fils in Le Locle, Switzerland, with his son Charles-Emile Tissot, a watchmaker. Tissot began as a comptoir d’établissage , which was a network of independent craftsmen who were highly specialized in producing a variety of watch parts, sold to be assembled by various watch companies and then retailed. Tissot’s initial specialty was a focus on luxurious pocket and pendant watches, mostly destined for the United States market. The brand eventually became one of the world’s most prominent official timekeepers for sports, and naturally offered a range of classic sports watches to bring that expertise to individual wrists. One such sports watch was the Navigator Chronograph, which has become to be known as a sort of "holy grail" in the world of Tissot watch collecting. Featuring the famed Lemania cal. 827 movement housed within a beautiful 40.5mm compressor 817 case, it's a military-style chronograph that could have been manufactured today just as easily as the '60s. SPECS Stock # TSTNAV817 Brand Tissot Style Navigator Chronograph Model 817 Serial 25XXXXX Size Men's Material Stainless Steel Dial Matte Black W/ Blue Sub-Dials Millimeters 40.5 Bracelet Tissot Stainless Steel Bracelet CASE & BRACELET The stainless steel case is in excellent vintage condition, showing crisp chamfers, minimal signs of wear, and no notable evidence of previous polishing. The original bidirectional rotating diving bezel is exceptional with a light fade to a beautiful medium-grey color and shows almost no signs of use, with all markers remaining clear and visible. The case retains its original crosshatch crown and pump pushers. The case back shows gentle wear, appropriate for its age. The comes on its original and very rare oyster-style stainless steel Tissot-signed bracelet. DIAL & HANDS The matte black dial and blue sub-dials are gorgeous in color and in superb condition, showing virtually no signs of age and complementing each other perfectly. The tritium-filled Arabic numerals feature a rich yellow color and are fully intact, revealing no degradation under UV light inspection. The original tritium hands achieved a darker beige patina and exhibit no degradation under UV light inspection. ACCESSORIES None. The watch is keeping time, but the service history is unknown. A movement service can be provided upon request.