RETRO LIZARD MB STRAPS BAND FOR 810 815 824 19mm & NOS VINTAGE BREITLING BUCKLE
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CHOOSE FROM BLACK OR BROWN!
IN THE MID TO LATE 40s, BREITLING STARTED USING THE VENUS 178 IN ITS REFERENCE 765 WATCHES, AND TURNED THESE INTO ITS AWESOME AVI IN THE EARLY 50s. THE AVI WAS AN EXPENSIVE, WATER PROOF, LARGE STEEL CHRONOGRAPH, BUT IT HAD NO SLIDE RULE, JUST A ROTATING BEZEL.
SOMETIME IN 1949, BREITLING CHANGED ITS REPRESENTATIVE IN THE UNITED STATES FROM WHITE PLAINS WATCH COMPANY, AND OCCASIONALLY OTHERS, TO AN EXCLUSIVE MARKETING AGREEMENT WITH WAKMANN WATCH COMPANY.
ICKO WAKMANN WORKED MIRACLES FOR BREITLING, AND THE UNITED STATES STARTED TO DOMINATE BREITLING'S WATCH SALES.
ACCORDING TO BREITLING LORE, BREITLING COMMENCED MARKETING ITS FAMOUS NAVITIMER IN 1952, USING ITS ESTABLISHED VENUS 178 MOVEMENT. THIS TURNS OUT TO BE FALSE! THE ONLY REMAINING MYSTERY ABOUT THE 1952 CLAIM IS WHY BREITLING MAKES IT.
LIKE MOST OF THE OTHER BREITLING EXPERTS, I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT BREITLING NAVITIMERS WERE FIRST MADE IN 1954.
IN 1954, BREITLING INTRODUCED THE NAVITIMER, AND IT USED NO REFERENCE AT ALL. THE WATCH WAS JUST CALLED THE AOPA, FOR THE AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOT ASSOCIATION IN FREDERICK, MARYLAND, IN THE UNITED STATES. THE MOVEMENT USED WAS A VALJOUX 72. TODAY, THESE WATCHES ARE SCARCE AND FETCH UPWARDS OF $10,000 EACH. THEY ARE AMONG THE MOST RARE OF THE BREITLING NAVITIMERS. I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT I HAVE AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE IN MY COLLECTION, WITH ORIGINAL EXECUTED PAPERS. THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE WATCH'S EXISTENCE BEFORE THIS IN LITERATURE OR RECORDS ANYWHERE. THE WATCHES DID NOT BEAR THE NAME BREITLING ON THE DIAL. BREITLING HAD NO REFERENCE FOR THEM IN 1954 (AND CERTAINLY NOT IN 1952 OR 1953). THE WATCHES WERE ALMOST COMPLETELY SOLD THROUGH AOPA, AND WERE NOT MARKETED ELSEWHERE. A FEW OF THE EARLY BREITLINGS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED WITH BREITLING'S "B" INSIGNIA INSTEAD OF THE AOPA INSIGNIA. THESE WERE APPARENTLY MARKETED IN EUROPE ON A VERY SMALL SCALE AND NOT THROUGH AOPA. THE WATCH WAS MADE WITHOUT CHANGE THROUGH MOST OF 1955, BUT A FEW EXAMPLES FROM LATE 1955 HAVE SHOWN UP WITH THE VALJOUX MOVEMENT AND THE 806 REFERENCE NUMBER. BREITLING CHANGED MOVEMENTS TO THE VENUS 178 IN LATE 1955. THE MOVEMENT WAS USED FOR ALMOST ALL OF THE REMAINING BREITLING NAVITIMER 806s ISSUED INTO THE EARLY 1970s.
SOME OF THE EXPERTS WHO HAVE ADOPTED THE 1954 OPINION, IN ADDITION TO MYSELF, INCLUDE KURT BROENDUM, THE WORLD'S ACKNOWLEDGED EXPERT ON BREITLING NAVITIMERS AND ITS PIONEER ON WRITING AND RESEARCH, AND MARK AND THERESA HEIST OF HOROLOGICAL SERVICES, THE OFFICIAL REPAIR CENTER FOR VINTAGE AND OTHER BREITLINGS PAST FACTORY SERVICE. THEY HAVE SEEN MORE VINTAGE BREITLING NAVITIMERS THAN ANYBODY. (THEY HAVE RECENTLY SUBSTANTIATED THAT ALL OF THE APPARENT 1953 NAVITIMERS HAVE BEEN CLOSELY GROUPED FROM 1960).
THE OTHER SCARCE AND EARLY BREITLING NAVITIMER IS THE 18K GOLD NAVITIMER. THE WATCH IS SO SCARCE THAT EVEN THE HEISTS HAVE ONLY SEEN TWO. THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARILY VALUABLE WATCH. I AM FORTUNATE TO HAVE ONE IN MY PERMANENT COLLECTION, IN NOS CONDITION. I ALSO HAVE A MINT ONE FOR SALE.
IN ABOUT 1957, BREITLING STOPPED USING THE BREITLING "B" FOR NON AOPA NAVITIMERS AND REPLACED IT WITH THE AOPA INSIGNIA, BUT WITHOUT THE AOPA LETTERING. THIS IS THE FIRST USE OF THE WINGED BREITLING LOGO FOR BREITLING ITSELF, RATHER THAN FOR AOPA. THE INSIGNIA WOULD NOT BE CHANGED TO INCLUDE THE "B" INSIDE THE WINGS UNTIL THE EARLY 80s.
IN 1960, BREITLING MADE A FEW NAVITIMERS OUT OF SERIAL SEQUENCE. THESE WATCHES, WITH OTHER FEATURES THAT WERE APPROPRIATE FOR 1960 NAVITIMERS, WERE MADE WITH AN"8" INSTEAD OF A "9" AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SERIAL NUMBER, THUS GIVING RISE TO THE MYTH THAT BREITLING NAVITIMERS WERE FIRST MADE IN 1952 INSTEAD OF 1954. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE SEEN ALMOST AS MANY PHONY 1953 NAVITIMERS AS THE ONES MISTAKENLY MADE BY BREITLING IN 1960.
IN 1959 or 1960, BREITLING MADE A MINOR CHANGE IN ITS CASE FOR THE NAVITIMER BY ENLARGING THE BEAD SIZE ON ITS BEADED BEZEL. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF EVOLUTIONS OF THIS CHANGE, BUT IT IS HARD TO TELL BECAUSE OF MINOR PRODUCTION VARIATIONS AND WEAR TO THE WATCHES. THE WATCHES, LIKE THE NAVITIMERS BEFORE, CONTINUED TO HAVE ALL BLACK DIALS, AND WERE ALMOST ALL, IF NOT ENTIRELY, MADE FOR AOPA.
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE ALL OF THE SO-CALLED 1953 NAVITIMERS HAVE THIS LARGE BEADED BEZEL, NOT THE ONE WITH THE SMALLER BEADS. THEY ALSO HAVE THE LATER VENUS 178 MOVEMENT USED FOR NAVITIMERS SINCE 1956, AS OPPOSED TO THE EARLIER MODEL USED BY BREITLING IN ITS EARLY (PRE 1956) 765 AND 765 AVI.
IN 1962, BREITLING INTRODUCED A 24 HOUR VERSION OF THE NAVITIMER CALLED THE COSMONAUTE WHICH WAS FRENCH FOR "ASTRONAUT". THE 1962 MODEL INCLUDED A UNIQUE SECOND HAND, WHICH WAS ABANDONED SOME TIME IN 1963 IN FAVOR OF THE NEW HAND SETS THAT WOULD BE INTRODUCED IN THE 12 HOUR VERSION IN OR POSSIBLE DECEMBER OF 1963. LATE (DECEMBER) 1963, BREITLING INTRODUCED WHITE SUBDIALS WHILE CONTINUING WITH THE BEADED BEZEL. THESE ARE VERY SCARCE. SOME HAVE SHOWN UP WITH 1964 HANDS, WHILE OTHERS HAVE THE EARLIER HANDS IN USE SINCE 1954. IN JANUARY 0F 1964, BREITLING INTRODUCED A COIN EDGE BEZEL WHILE CONTINUING WITH THE LATE 1963 DIAL WITH SMALL WHITE SUBDDIALS AND THE 24 HOUR AOPA OR AOPA STYLE INSIGNIA. THE DOUBLE WING INSIGNIA, IN GREY, WAS INTRODUCED IN EITHER JANUARY OR FEBRUARY OF 1964, AND THE 24K GOLD AOPA AND AOPA TYPE INSIGNIA DISAPPEARED IN FAVOR OF A GOLD PRINTED AOPA INSIGNIA IN FEBRUARY OF 1964. THIS INSIGNIA CONTINUED IN USE FOR AOPA WATCHES UNTIL IT WAS REPLACED IN 1965 WITH THE A SILVER AOPA INSIGNIA WHICH CONTINUED IN USE TOGETHER WITH THE THE DOUBLE PLANE INSIGNIA FOR NON AOPA 806 NAVITIMERS FOR THE BALANCE OF THE 806'S PRODUCTION YEARS.
WAKMANN MADE ONE OTHER LITTLE KNOWN CHANGE IN THE MARKETING OF THE 24 HOUR NAVITIMER. THERE ARE ERRORS IN THE PUBLISHED WAKMANN HISTORY THAT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THE CHANGE HAPPENED, BUT I BELIEVE IT TO BE 1964 OR 1965. THE CHANGE HAS BEEN FORGOTTEN BY COLLECTORS TODAY. THE WORD"COSMONAUTE" (WITH AN E) IS FRENCH, AND HAS THE SAME MEANING AS THE ENGLISH WORD "ASTRONAUT". IN THE EARLY AND MID 60'S HOWEVER, THE WORD "COSMONAUT" (WITH NO E) WAS THE ANGLICIZED WORD FOR A RUSSIAN ASTRONAUT AND PRONOUNCED THE SAME WAY AS THE FRENCH WORD.
THERE WAS STILL A BIG RED SCARE IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THE FRENCH WORD "COSMONAUTE" WAS TOO EASILY CONFUSED WITH THE RUSSIAN. RUSSIA WAS BRIEFLY AHEAD OF THE UNITED STATES IN WHAT WAS CALLED "THE SPACE RACE" IN THE UNITED STATES. THE OBSTACLE WAS A BIG MARKETING HURDLE, AND WAKMANN INTRODUCED THE NEW NAME, ASTRO-TIMER, FOR THE 24 HOUR WATCH. THIS ALSO EXPLAINS WHY THE WORD "NAVITIMER" STAYED ON THE DIAL OF THE 809 COSMONAUTE, AND WHY THE WORD "COSMONAUTE" WAS SELDOM SEEN, ALTHOUGH IT APPEARS ON SOME OF THE EARLY DIALS FROM 1962 AND IN THE FAMOUS ADVERTISEMENT WITH THE MESH BRACELET. IF YOU WANT AN EMAILED COPY OF THE WAKMANN CATALOG LISTING WITH THE ASTRO-TIMER NAME, LET ME KNOW. THE WORD "COSMONAUTE" IS CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT IN THE WAKMANN LITERATURE.
THROUGHOUT THE REMAINING 60S, BREITLING MADE VARIOUS CHANGES TO ITS INCREASINGLY SUCCESSFUL NAVITIMERS AND COSMONAUTES. THE COIN EDGE WAS ENLARGED IN ITS FIRST YEAR, 1963, BUT THE SMALLER COIN EDGE IS SEEN SPORADICALLY THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE EARLY 60s. ORANGE DIAL INDICATORS AND SLIDE RULE INDICATORS WERE INTRODUCED IN 1966, AND LATER REPLACED BY RED INDICATORS IN 1967.
IN 1968, SOME VALJOUX MOVEMENTS WERE USED, AND THIS CONTINUED THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE 60s AND EARLY 70s.
IN 1972, BREITLING CEASED PRODUCTION OF THE 806 AND 809 NAVITIMERS AND COSMONAUTES, AND ALMOST CEASED PRODUCTION ENTIRELY. SOME WATCHES WERE FINISHED AND SOLD UNDER THE BREITLING NAME BY OLLECH & WAJS, AND LATER, OLLECH & WAJS CONTINUED MAKING THESE GREAT WATCHES UNDER THE "AVIATION" NAME.
THE DELUXE LIZARD BAND IS A CUSTOM REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL GENERIC DELUXE LIZARD BANDS USED BY BREITLING ON NAVITIMERS. THE RESULT IS THAT THIS NAVITIMER LOOKS JUST AS IT WOULD HAVE OUT OF THE BOX.
Exported By ExportYourStore
- MODIFIED ITEM : Yes
- MPN : 810 815 824
- BAND COLOR : Black
- BRAND : Breitling and Montbrillant Peaux
- COUNTRY/REGION OF MANUFACTURE : Switzerland
- BAND MATERIAL : 1 GENUINE LIZARD
- COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE : Switzerland
- STRAP BRAND : Montbrillant Peaux
- BAND WIDTH : 19mm
- BAND TYPE : Two-Piece Strap
- MODIFICATION DESCRIPTION : A genuine Breitling buckle has been affixed to a Montbrillant Peaux strap.
- CLASP TYPE : Breitling Buckle
RETRO GENUINE LIZARD STRAP
&
VINTAGE BREITLING
DOUBLE PLANE
TWIN JETS
BUCKLE
DOUBLE PLANE
TWIN JETS
BUCKLE
(Montbrillant Peaux is an independent strap brand, not affiliated with Breitling)
CUSTOM LIZARD STRAP
MADE TO ORIGINAL
VINTAGE BREITLING SPECIFICATIONS
YOUR BREITING 810 OR OTHER VINTAGE CHRONOGRAPH WILL LOOK LIKE IT DID RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX.
IN 1942, BREITLING INTRODUCED ITS OTHER MOST FAMOUS WATCH, THE CHRONOMAT. LIKE THE LATER NAVITIMER, IT WAS A SLIDE RULE WATCH. IT WAS , MARKETED BOTH TO PILOTS AND TO ENGINEERS, AND IT PUT BREITLING ON THE MAP AS A MAJOR WATCH COMPANY.CUSTOM LIZARD STRAP
MADE TO ORIGINAL
VINTAGE BREITLING SPECIFICATIONS
YOUR BREITING 810 OR OTHER VINTAGE CHRONOGRAPH WILL LOOK LIKE IT DID RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX.
If you maximize the last picture, you can read under the watch features that AOPA Navitimers had lizard straps.
BREITLING'S LIZARD STRAPS USED ON
NAVITIMERS AND COSMONAUTES THROUGHOUT THE 50s AND 60s WERE GENERIC.
THEY WERE 22mms. AT THE LUGS AND 16 mms.. AT THE BUCKLE, SO THE TAPER WAS EXTREME. THEY HAD A SINGLE VERY WIDE KEEPER. THE SAME STRAPS, ALSO GENERIC, WERE USED BY OTHER WATCH MANUFACTURERS, NOTABLY, WAKMANN. THEY WERE MADE FOR BREITLING AND WAKMANN BY VARIOUS STRAP MANUFACTURERS, NOTABLY J&B CHAMPION IN THE UNITED STATES WHICH WAS THE LARGEST MARKET, BUT J&B'S NAME DID NOT APPEAR EITHER. IN THE VERY LATE 60s BREITLING STARTED SIGNING THEIR STRAPS, BUT FEW WERE MADE WITH THIS SPECIFICATION. MY CUSTOM MADE REPLICA STRAPS ARE LEGAL AND LEGITIMATE UNDER EBAY'S RULES BECAUSE THEY ARE COPIED FROM A GENERIC PRODUCT, AND THEY ARE CORRECTLY CALLED REPLICAS BECAUSE THEY ARE MADE TO THE SAME SPECIFICATIONS AS THOSE USED BY BREITLING ON THE GENERIC BANDS IN USE IN THE 50s AND 60s.
THE BUCKLES ARE ORIGINAL O.E.M. BREITLING BUCKLES LEFT OVER FROM THE 70s. THE STRAPS ARE MADE TO FIT BOTH THE BUCKLES AND 806 NAVITIMERS, 809 COSMONAUTES, AND 765 AVIs AND COPILOTS, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS 70s BREILTINGS THAT TAKE A 22mm BAND.
THE BUCKLES ARE ORIGINAL O.E.M. BREITLING BUCKLES LEFT OVER FROM THE 70s. THE STRAPS ARE MADE TO FIT BOTH THE BUCKLES AND 806 NAVITIMERS, 809 COSMONAUTES, AND 765 AVIs AND COPILOTS, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS 70s BREILTINGS THAT TAKE A 22mm BAND.
IN THE MID TO LATE 40s, BREITLING STARTED USING THE VENUS 178 IN ITS REFERENCE 765 WATCHES, AND TURNED THESE INTO ITS AWESOME AVI IN THE EARLY 50s. THE AVI WAS AN EXPENSIVE, WATER PROOF, LARGE STEEL CHRONOGRAPH, BUT IT HAD NO SLIDE RULE, JUST A ROTATING BEZEL.
SOMETIME IN 1949, BREITLING CHANGED ITS REPRESENTATIVE IN THE UNITED STATES FROM WHITE PLAINS WATCH COMPANY, AND OCCASIONALLY OTHERS, TO AN EXCLUSIVE MARKETING AGREEMENT WITH WAKMANN WATCH COMPANY.
ICKO WAKMANN WORKED MIRACLES FOR BREITLING, AND THE UNITED STATES STARTED TO DOMINATE BREITLING'S WATCH SALES.
ACCORDING TO BREITLING LORE, BREITLING COMMENCED MARKETING ITS FAMOUS NAVITIMER IN 1952, USING ITS ESTABLISHED VENUS 178 MOVEMENT. THIS TURNS OUT TO BE FALSE! THE ONLY REMAINING MYSTERY ABOUT THE 1952 CLAIM IS WHY BREITLING MAKES IT.
LIKE MOST OF THE OTHER BREITLING EXPERTS, I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT BREITLING NAVITIMERS WERE FIRST MADE IN 1954.
IN 1954, BREITLING INTRODUCED THE NAVITIMER, AND IT USED NO REFERENCE AT ALL. THE WATCH WAS JUST CALLED THE AOPA, FOR THE AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOT ASSOCIATION IN FREDERICK, MARYLAND, IN THE UNITED STATES. THE MOVEMENT USED WAS A VALJOUX 72. TODAY, THESE WATCHES ARE SCARCE AND FETCH UPWARDS OF $10,000 EACH. THEY ARE AMONG THE MOST RARE OF THE BREITLING NAVITIMERS. I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT I HAVE AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE IN MY COLLECTION, WITH ORIGINAL EXECUTED PAPERS. THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE WATCH'S EXISTENCE BEFORE THIS IN LITERATURE OR RECORDS ANYWHERE. THE WATCHES DID NOT BEAR THE NAME BREITLING ON THE DIAL. BREITLING HAD NO REFERENCE FOR THEM IN 1954 (AND CERTAINLY NOT IN 1952 OR 1953). THE WATCHES WERE ALMOST COMPLETELY SOLD THROUGH AOPA, AND WERE NOT MARKETED ELSEWHERE. A FEW OF THE EARLY BREITLINGS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED WITH BREITLING'S "B" INSIGNIA INSTEAD OF THE AOPA INSIGNIA. THESE WERE APPARENTLY MARKETED IN EUROPE ON A VERY SMALL SCALE AND NOT THROUGH AOPA. THE WATCH WAS MADE WITHOUT CHANGE THROUGH MOST OF 1955, BUT A FEW EXAMPLES FROM LATE 1955 HAVE SHOWN UP WITH THE VALJOUX MOVEMENT AND THE 806 REFERENCE NUMBER. BREITLING CHANGED MOVEMENTS TO THE VENUS 178 IN LATE 1955. THE MOVEMENT WAS USED FOR ALMOST ALL OF THE REMAINING BREITLING NAVITIMER 806s ISSUED INTO THE EARLY 1970s.
SOME OF THE EXPERTS WHO HAVE ADOPTED THE 1954 OPINION, IN ADDITION TO MYSELF, INCLUDE KURT BROENDUM, THE WORLD'S ACKNOWLEDGED EXPERT ON BREITLING NAVITIMERS AND ITS PIONEER ON WRITING AND RESEARCH, AND MARK AND THERESA HEIST OF HOROLOGICAL SERVICES, THE OFFICIAL REPAIR CENTER FOR VINTAGE AND OTHER BREITLINGS PAST FACTORY SERVICE. THEY HAVE SEEN MORE VINTAGE BREITLING NAVITIMERS THAN ANYBODY. (THEY HAVE RECENTLY SUBSTANTIATED THAT ALL OF THE APPARENT 1953 NAVITIMERS HAVE BEEN CLOSELY GROUPED FROM 1960).
THE OTHER SCARCE AND EARLY BREITLING NAVITIMER IS THE 18K GOLD NAVITIMER. THE WATCH IS SO SCARCE THAT EVEN THE HEISTS HAVE ONLY SEEN TWO. THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARILY VALUABLE WATCH. I AM FORTUNATE TO HAVE ONE IN MY PERMANENT COLLECTION, IN NOS CONDITION. I ALSO HAVE A MINT ONE FOR SALE.
IN ABOUT 1957, BREITLING STOPPED USING THE BREITLING "B" FOR NON AOPA NAVITIMERS AND REPLACED IT WITH THE AOPA INSIGNIA, BUT WITHOUT THE AOPA LETTERING. THIS IS THE FIRST USE OF THE WINGED BREITLING LOGO FOR BREITLING ITSELF, RATHER THAN FOR AOPA. THE INSIGNIA WOULD NOT BE CHANGED TO INCLUDE THE "B" INSIDE THE WINGS UNTIL THE EARLY 80s.
IN 1960, BREITLING MADE A FEW NAVITIMERS OUT OF SERIAL SEQUENCE. THESE WATCHES, WITH OTHER FEATURES THAT WERE APPROPRIATE FOR 1960 NAVITIMERS, WERE MADE WITH AN"8" INSTEAD OF A "9" AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SERIAL NUMBER, THUS GIVING RISE TO THE MYTH THAT BREITLING NAVITIMERS WERE FIRST MADE IN 1952 INSTEAD OF 1954. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE SEEN ALMOST AS MANY PHONY 1953 NAVITIMERS AS THE ONES MISTAKENLY MADE BY BREITLING IN 1960.
IN 1959 or 1960, BREITLING MADE A MINOR CHANGE IN ITS CASE FOR THE NAVITIMER BY ENLARGING THE BEAD SIZE ON ITS BEADED BEZEL. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF EVOLUTIONS OF THIS CHANGE, BUT IT IS HARD TO TELL BECAUSE OF MINOR PRODUCTION VARIATIONS AND WEAR TO THE WATCHES. THE WATCHES, LIKE THE NAVITIMERS BEFORE, CONTINUED TO HAVE ALL BLACK DIALS, AND WERE ALMOST ALL, IF NOT ENTIRELY, MADE FOR AOPA.
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE ALL OF THE SO-CALLED 1953 NAVITIMERS HAVE THIS LARGE BEADED BEZEL, NOT THE ONE WITH THE SMALLER BEADS. THEY ALSO HAVE THE LATER VENUS 178 MOVEMENT USED FOR NAVITIMERS SINCE 1956, AS OPPOSED TO THE EARLIER MODEL USED BY BREITLING IN ITS EARLY (PRE 1956) 765 AND 765 AVI.
IN 1962, BREITLING INTRODUCED A 24 HOUR VERSION OF THE NAVITIMER CALLED THE COSMONAUTE WHICH WAS FRENCH FOR "ASTRONAUT". THE 1962 MODEL INCLUDED A UNIQUE SECOND HAND, WHICH WAS ABANDONED SOME TIME IN 1963 IN FAVOR OF THE NEW HAND SETS THAT WOULD BE INTRODUCED IN THE 12 HOUR VERSION IN OR POSSIBLE DECEMBER OF 1963. LATE (DECEMBER) 1963, BREITLING INTRODUCED WHITE SUBDIALS WHILE CONTINUING WITH THE BEADED BEZEL. THESE ARE VERY SCARCE. SOME HAVE SHOWN UP WITH 1964 HANDS, WHILE OTHERS HAVE THE EARLIER HANDS IN USE SINCE 1954. IN JANUARY 0F 1964, BREITLING INTRODUCED A COIN EDGE BEZEL WHILE CONTINUING WITH THE LATE 1963 DIAL WITH SMALL WHITE SUBDDIALS AND THE 24 HOUR AOPA OR AOPA STYLE INSIGNIA. THE DOUBLE WING INSIGNIA, IN GREY, WAS INTRODUCED IN EITHER JANUARY OR FEBRUARY OF 1964, AND THE 24K GOLD AOPA AND AOPA TYPE INSIGNIA DISAPPEARED IN FAVOR OF A GOLD PRINTED AOPA INSIGNIA IN FEBRUARY OF 1964. THIS INSIGNIA CONTINUED IN USE FOR AOPA WATCHES UNTIL IT WAS REPLACED IN 1965 WITH THE A SILVER AOPA INSIGNIA WHICH CONTINUED IN USE TOGETHER WITH THE THE DOUBLE PLANE INSIGNIA FOR NON AOPA 806 NAVITIMERS FOR THE BALANCE OF THE 806'S PRODUCTION YEARS.
WAKMANN MADE ONE OTHER LITTLE KNOWN CHANGE IN THE MARKETING OF THE 24 HOUR NAVITIMER. THERE ARE ERRORS IN THE PUBLISHED WAKMANN HISTORY THAT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THE CHANGE HAPPENED, BUT I BELIEVE IT TO BE 1964 OR 1965. THE CHANGE HAS BEEN FORGOTTEN BY COLLECTORS TODAY. THE WORD"COSMONAUTE" (WITH AN E) IS FRENCH, AND HAS THE SAME MEANING AS THE ENGLISH WORD "ASTRONAUT". IN THE EARLY AND MID 60'S HOWEVER, THE WORD "COSMONAUT" (WITH NO E) WAS THE ANGLICIZED WORD FOR A RUSSIAN ASTRONAUT AND PRONOUNCED THE SAME WAY AS THE FRENCH WORD.
THERE WAS STILL A BIG RED SCARE IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THE FRENCH WORD "COSMONAUTE" WAS TOO EASILY CONFUSED WITH THE RUSSIAN. RUSSIA WAS BRIEFLY AHEAD OF THE UNITED STATES IN WHAT WAS CALLED "THE SPACE RACE" IN THE UNITED STATES. THE OBSTACLE WAS A BIG MARKETING HURDLE, AND WAKMANN INTRODUCED THE NEW NAME, ASTRO-TIMER, FOR THE 24 HOUR WATCH. THIS ALSO EXPLAINS WHY THE WORD "NAVITIMER" STAYED ON THE DIAL OF THE 809 COSMONAUTE, AND WHY THE WORD "COSMONAUTE" WAS SELDOM SEEN, ALTHOUGH IT APPEARS ON SOME OF THE EARLY DIALS FROM 1962 AND IN THE FAMOUS ADVERTISEMENT WITH THE MESH BRACELET. IF YOU WANT AN EMAILED COPY OF THE WAKMANN CATALOG LISTING WITH THE ASTRO-TIMER NAME, LET ME KNOW. THE WORD "COSMONAUTE" IS CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT IN THE WAKMANN LITERATURE.
THROUGHOUT THE REMAINING 60S, BREITLING MADE VARIOUS CHANGES TO ITS INCREASINGLY SUCCESSFUL NAVITIMERS AND COSMONAUTES. THE COIN EDGE WAS ENLARGED IN ITS FIRST YEAR, 1963, BUT THE SMALLER COIN EDGE IS SEEN SPORADICALLY THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE EARLY 60s. ORANGE DIAL INDICATORS AND SLIDE RULE INDICATORS WERE INTRODUCED IN 1966, AND LATER REPLACED BY RED INDICATORS IN 1967.
IN 1968, SOME VALJOUX MOVEMENTS WERE USED, AND THIS CONTINUED THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE 60s AND EARLY 70s.
IN 1972, BREITLING CEASED PRODUCTION OF THE 806 AND 809 NAVITIMERS AND COSMONAUTES, AND ALMOST CEASED PRODUCTION ENTIRELY. SOME WATCHES WERE FINISHED AND SOLD UNDER THE BREITLING NAME BY OLLECH & WAJS, AND LATER, OLLECH & WAJS CONTINUED MAKING THESE GREAT WATCHES UNDER THE "AVIATION" NAME.
THE DELUXE LIZARD BAND IS A CUSTOM REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL GENERIC DELUXE LIZARD BANDS USED BY BREITLING ON NAVITIMERS. THE RESULT IS THAT THIS NAVITIMER LOOKS JUST AS IT WOULD HAVE OUT OF THE BOX.
Each Montbrillant Peaux (aka MB) strap comes packaged in a luxury wood gift box, as pictured.
If you don't see your watch, please send me its name and reference number, and I will look it up.
AEROMARINE SERIES
Academy (20mm) (Reference #A51038) | Chrono Shark (20mm) (Reference # A13051) | Chrono Shark Quartz (20mm) (Reference # A53605) | Intruder (20mm) (Reference # A51035) | Shark-Automatic (20mm) (Reference # A17605) | Shark-Quartz (20mm) (Reference # A58605)
AVENGER SERIES
Avenger (22mm) (Reference #A13380) | Avenger Bandit (22mm) (Reference # E13383) | Avenger Blackbird (24mm) (Reference # V17310) | Avenger Blackbird 44 (24mm) (Reference # V17311) | Avenger Hurricane (24mm) (Reference # XB1210) | Avenger Hurricane 12H (24mm) (Reference # XB0170) | Avenger Hurricane Military (24mm) (Reference # XB1210) | Avenger II (22mm) (Reference # A13381) | Avenger II GMT (22mm) (Reference # A32390) | Avenger II Seawolf (22mm) (Reference # A17331) | Avenger Seawolf (22mm) (Reference # E17370) | Avenger Seawolf Chrono (22mm) (Reference # A73390) | Avenger Seawolf Steel (22mm) (Reference # A17330) | Avenger Seawolf Skyland (22mm) (Reference # A13380) | Chrono Avenger (22mm) (Reference # E13360) | Chrono Avenger M1 (22mm) (Reference # E73360) | Chrono Avenger Sixty-Nine (22mm) (Reference # A69360) | Super Avenger (24mm) (Reference # A13370) | Super Avenger II (24mm) (Reference # A13371)
BREITLING FOR BENTLEY
6.75 (24mm) (Reference #'s A44362, K44362, J44362, A44364, R44364) | 6.75 Speed (24mm) (Reference #'s A44364, R44364) | Barnato (24mm) (Reference #'s A25366, R25366) | Barnato 42 (22mm) (Reference # A41390) | Barnato Racing (24mm) (Reference #'s A25366, R25366) | Bentley 6.75 Midnight Carbon (24mm) (Reference # M44364) | Bentley B04 GMT (24mm) (Reference #'s AB0431, RB0431) | Bentley B05 Unitime (24mm) (Reference #'s AB0521, RB0521) | Bentley B05 Unitime Midnight Carbon (24mm) (Reference # MB0521) | Bentley B06 (24mm) (Reference #'s AB0611, RB0611) | Bentley B06 S (22mm) (Reference #'s AB0612, RB0612) | Bentley GMT B04 S Carbon Body (Intergrated) (Reference # NB0434) | Bentley GT3 (24mm) (Reference # V27365) | Bentley GT3 (24mm) (Reference #V27365) | Flying B (24mm) (Reference #'s A28362, K28362, J28362) | Flying B (24mm) (Reference #'s A28362, K28362, J28362) | Bentley Supersports 55 (24mm) (Reference # EB5520) | Flying B Chronograph (24mm) (Reference # A44365) | Flying B No. 3 (22mm) (Reference #'s A16362, R16362) | GT (22mm) (Reference # A13362) | GT Racing (22mm) (Reference # A133363) | Le Mans (24mm) (Reference # A22362) | Mark VI (22mm) (Reference #'s P26362, K26362, H26362) | Mark VI Complications (22mm) (Reference # P19362) | Mark VI Complications 29 (22mm) (Reference #'s H29363, L29363) | Motors (24mm) (Reference #'s A25362, H25362, K25362, D25362) | Motors Speed (24mm) (Reference #'s A25364, R25364) | Motors T (24mm) (Reference #'s A25363, H25363, K25363, D25363, A25365, R25365) | Motors T Speed (24mm) (Reference #'s A25365, R25365) | Mulliner Perpetual (24mm) (Reference #'s P29362, J29362, K29362) | Mulliner Tourbillon (24mm) (Reference #'s H18841, K18841, J18841) | Supersports (24mm) (Reference # A26364)
CHRONOMAT SERIES
Blackbird (2007) (22mm) (Reference # A44359) | Blackbird (Original) (20mm) (Reference #'s A13350, A13050, A13353) | Chrono-Matic (22mm) (Reference #'s A41360, K41360, G41360) | Chrono-Matic 1461 (24mm) (Reference # A19360) | Chrono-Matic 49 (24mm) (Reference #'s A14360, R14360) | Chrono-Matic LE 24H (22mm) (Reference # A22360) | Chrono-Matic QP (24mm) (Reference # R29360) | Chrono-Matic SE (22mm) (Reference # A41350) | Chronomat (2008) (22mm) (Reference #'s A13356, B13356, K13356) | Chronomat (1984-1996) (20mm) (Reference #'s 81950, A13048, B13048, D13048, A13047, B13047) | Chronomat (2001-2004) (20mm) (Reference #'s A13352, B13352, K13352) | Chronomat 01 (22mm) (Reference #'s AB0110, BB0110, HB0110, JB0110) | Chronomat 38 SleekT (20mm) (Reference # W13310) | Chronomat 41 (20mm) (Reference #'s AB0140, HB0140) | Chronomat 41 Airborne(20mm) (Reference # AB0144) | Chronomat 44 (22mm) (Reference #'s AB0110, BB0110, HB0110, JB0110) | Chronomat 44 Airborne (22mm) (Reference # AB0115) | Chronomat 44 Blacksteel (22mm) (Reference # MB0111) | Chronomat 44 GMT (22mm) (Reference # AB0420) | Chronomat Raven (22mm) (Reference # MB0111) | Chronomat Blackbird (22mm) (Reference # A44360) | Chronomat Calibre 13 (22mm) (Reference #'s A13356, B13356, K13356) | Chronomat Evolution (22mm) | Chronomat GMT (24mm) (Reference # AB0410) | Chronomat GT (20mm) (Reference #'s A13350, A13050, B13350, B13050, K13050, K13350) | Chronomat Longitude (20mm) (Reference #'s A20348, A20048) | Chronomat Luna Moonphase (20mm) (Reference #'s 81950, B13047) | Chronomat Vitesse (20mm) (Reference #'s A13350, A13050, B13350, B13050, K13050, K13350) | Chronomat Yachting (20mm) (Reference #'s 81950, B13047) |
CHRONOMATIC SERIES
Chrono-Matic (22mm) (Reference #'s A41360, K41360, G41360) | Chrono-Matic 1461 (24mm) (Reference # A19360) | Chrono-Matic 49 (24mm) (Reference #'s A14360, R14360) | Chrono-Matic LE 24H (22mm) (Reference # A22360) | Chrono-Matic QP (24mm) (Reference # R29360) | Chrono-Matic SE (22mm) (Reference # A41350) |
CHRONOLINER SERIES
Chronoliner (24mm) (Reference # Y24310) | Chronoliner B04 Boutique Edition (24mm) (Reference # YB0460) | Chronoliner Blacksteel (24mm) (Reference # M24310)
COLT SERIES
Chrono Colt (2006) (20mm) (Reference # A73380) | Chrono Colt Ocean (18mm) (Reference #'s A53050, A53350) | Chrono Colt Quartz (18mm) (Reference # A53035) | Chrono Colt Quartz SQ (18mm) (Reference # A73350) | Colt (16mm) (Reference # A77387) | Colt 36 (18mm) (Reference # A74389) | Colt 44 (22mm) (Reference # A74387) | Colt Automatic (2002) (18mm) (Reference # A17350) | Colt Automatic (2006) (20mm) (Reference # A17380) | Colt Automatic (2014) (22mm) (Reference # A17388) | Colt Automatic (1992-1998) (18mm) (Reference # A17035) | Colt Chrono Auto (2omm) (Reference # A13035) | Colt Chrono Transocean (2omm) (Reference #'s A53040, A53340) | Colt Chronograph (2014) (22mm) (Reference # A77388) | Colt Chronograph II (22mm) (Reference # A73387) | Colt Chronograph Automatic (22mm) (Reference # A13388) | Colt GMT (20mm) (Reference # A32350) | Colt Military PVD (18mm) (Reference # 57036) |
GALACTIC SERIES
Chrono Galactic (20mm) (Reference #'s A13358, B13358, C13358) | Galactic 36 Automatic (18mm) (Reference # A37330) | Galactic 36 SleekT (18mm) (Reference # W74330) | Galactic 41 (20mm) (Reference #'s A49350, B49350, C49350) | Galactic 44 (22mm) (Reference # A45320) | Galactic Chronograph II (22mm) (Reference # A13364) | Galactic Unitime SleekT (22mm) (Reference # WB3510) |
MONTBRILLANT SERIES
Montbrillant 1461 Jours (22mm) (Reference #'s A19030, A19330) | Montbrillant (20mm) (Reference #'s A41330, A41030, H41330) | Montbrillant (1996-1998) (20mm) (Reference # A30030, H30030) | Montbrillant 01 (20mm) (Reference # AB01301) | Montbrillant 1903 (22mm) (Reference # A35330) | Montbrillant Datora (22mm) (Reference # A21330) | Montbrillant Eclipse (22mm) (Reference #'s A43030, A43330) | Montbrillant Edition (22mm) (Reference #'s A48330, H48330) | Montbrillant Olympus (22mm) (Reference #'s A19350, H19350) |
NAVITIMER SERIES
AVI (22mm) (Reference # A13023) | Aviastar (22mm) (Reference # A13024) | Cosmonaute (2002) (22mm) (Reference #'s A22322, D22322, K22322) | Cosmonaute (Display Back) (22mm) (Reference #'s A12023, A12021, D12023) | Cosmonaute (1985-1991) (22mm) (Reference #'s A12019, K12019, 81600) | Cosmonaute (Lemania) (22mm) (Reference #'s A12020, A12022, A12322, D12020, D12022, D12322, K12020, K12022, K12322) | Grand Premier (22mm) (Reference # A13024.1) | Jupiter (Navitimer 2300) (20mm) (Reference # 80970) | Jupiter (Navitimer 3300) (20mm) (Reference # 80971) | Navitimer (2003-2011) (22mm) (Reference #'s A23322, K23322) | Navitimer 01 (22mm) (Reference #'s AB0120, RB0120) | Navitimer 01 Blacksteel (24mm) (Reference # MB0128) | Navitimer 01 46mm (24mm) (Reference #'s AB0127, RB0127) | Navitimer 1884 (24mm) (Reference # A21350) | Navitimer 1952 QP (22mm) (Reference # H29030, H29330, L29030, L29330) | Navitimer 1952 SE (22mm) (Reference # A41322) | Navitimer 50th Anniversary (22mm) (Reference #'s A41322, J41322, K41322) | Navitimer 92 (20mm) (Reference #'s A30022, D30022, K30022, J30022) | Navitimer Airborne (20mm) (Reference #'s A33030, D33030) | Navitimer Breitling Fighters (22mm) (Reference # A13330) | Navitimer GMT (24mm) (Reference #'s AB0441, RB0441) | Navitimer Olympus (22mm) (Reference # A19340) | Navitimer QP 95 (22mm) (Reference # K18022) | Navitimer Rattrapante (24mm) (Reference #'s RB0311, AB0310) | Navitimer Rattrapante (1997-1998) (20mm) (Reference #'s A34030, L34030) | Navitimer World (24mm) (Reference #'s A24322, K24322) | Old Navitimer II (22mm) (Reference #'s A13322, A13022, B13322, B13022, D13322, D13022) | Pluton (20mm) (Reference # A51038) | Pluton (Navitimer 3100) (20mm) (Reference #'s A51037, 80191, 80192) | Premier (20mm) (Reference # A40035) | Spatiographe (22mm) (Reference #'s A36030, D36030, A36330, D36330) | Twin Sixty (22mm) (Reference # A39022) | Twin Sixty 2 (22mm) (Reference #'s A39022, A39022.1) |
PROFESSIONAL SERIES
Aerospace (2001-2004) (20mm) (Reference #'s E75362, F75362, K75362) | Aerospace (2007-2013) (22mm) (Reference #'s E79362, F79362, K79362) | Aerospace (1985-1995) (20mm) (Reference #'s 80360, E56059, F56059, E56062, F56062) | Aerospace (1996-2000) (20mm) (Reference #'s E65062, F65062, K65062, E65362, F65362, K65362) | Aerospace Avantage (22mm) (Reference #'s E79362, F79362, K79362) | Aerospace Evo (22mm) (Reference # E79363) | Airwolf (22mm) (Reference # A78363) | Airwolf Raven (22mm) (Reference # A78364) | B-1 (22mm) (Reference #'s A68062, A68362) | B-1 SuperQuartz (22mm) (Reference # A78362) | B-2 (22mm) (Reference #'s A42362, A42062) | Chronospace (24mm) (Reference # A78365) | Chronospace (pre 1998) (20mm) (Reference # A56012) | Chronospace Automatic (24mm) (Reference # A23360) | Chronospace EVO B60 (22mm) (Reference # EB6010) | Chronospace EVO Night Mission (22mm) (Reference # V73330) | Chronospace Military (24mm) (Reference # M78366) | Cockpit B50 (24mm) (Reference # EB5010) | Emergency (22mm) (Reference # E56321, J56321, E56021, E56121.1) | Emergency II (24mm) (Reference # E76325) | Emergency Mission (22mm) (Reference # A73321) | Emergency Night Mission (24mm) (Reference # V76325) | Emergency Superquartz (22mm) (Reference #'s E76321, J76321, E76021) | Exospace B55 (24mm) (Reference # VB5510) | Skyracer (22mm) (Reference #'s A27362, A27363, A27364) | Skyracer Raven (22mm) (Reference # A27364) |
SUPEROCEAN SERIES
Chrono SuperOcean (20mm) (Reference # A13340) | SuperOcean (2003) (20mm) (Reference # A17360) | SuperOcean (1995-2002) (20mm) (Reference #'s A17040, A17340, K10040, J10040, J10340, K10340) | SuperOcean 42 (20mm) (Reference # A17364) | SuperOcean 44 (22mm) (Reference # A17391) | SuperOcean 44 Special (22mm) (Reference #'s M17393, Y17393) | SuperOcean Chronograph (22mm) (Reference # A13341) | SuperOcean Chronograph M2000 (22mm) (Reference # A73310) | SuperOcean Chronograph Steelfish (22mm) (Reference # A13341) | SuperOcean II 42 (20mm) (Reference # A17365) | SuperOcean II 44 (22mm) (Reference # A17392) | SuperOcean Professional (20mm) (Reference #'s A17045, A17345) | SuperOcean Steelfish (2007) (22mm) (Reference # A17390) | SuperOcean Steelfish (42mm) (20mm) (Reference # A17360) | SuperOcean Steelfish X-Plus (22mm) (Reference # A17390) |
SUPEROCEAN HERITAGE SERIES
SuperOcean Heritage 38 (20mm) (Reference # A37320) | SuperOcean Heritage 42 (22mm) (Reference # A17321) | SuperOcean Heritage 46 (24mm) (Reference # A17320) | SuperOcean Heritage Chrono 46 (24mm) (Reference # A13320) | SuperOcean Heritage Chronograph 44 (22mm) (Reference # A23370) | SuperOcean Heritage II 42 (22mm) (Reference # AB2010) | SuperOcean Heritage II 46 (24mm) (Reference # AB2020) | SuperOcean Heritage II Chronographe (24mm) (Reference # A13312) |
TRANSOCEAN SERIES
Transocean (22mm) (Reference #'s A10360, R10360) | Transocean 38 (20mm) (Reference # A16310) | Transocean Chronograph (22mm) (Reference #'s AB0152, RB0152) | Transocean Chronograph 1461 (22mm) (Reference # A19310) | Transocean Chronograph 38 (20mm) (Reference # A41310) | Transocean Chronograph Unitime (24mm) (Reference # AB0510) | Transocean Day & Date (22mm) (Reference # A45310) |
WINDRIDER SERIES
Antares (20mm) (Reference #'s 81970, A10048, B10048) | Antares World (20mm) (Reference #'s A32047, B32047) | Astromat (20mm) (Reference #'s A13405, D13405) | Astromat 1461 (20mm) (Reference #'s A19405, B19405) | Astromat Longitude (20mm) (Reference #'s A20405, B20405) | Chrono Cockpit (20mm) (Reference #'s A13357, D13357, K13357) | Chrono Sirius (20mm) (Reference #'s A53011, B53011) | Chronoracer Rattrapante (20mm) (Reference #'s A69048, A69348, B69048, B69348) | Cockpit (20mm) (Reference #'s A49350, B49350, K49350, C49350) | Crosswind (22mm) (Reference #'s A13355, B13355, J13355, K13355, A13055, B13055, J13055, K13055) | Crosswind Racing (22mm) (Reference #'s A13355, B13355, J13355, K13355) | Crosswind Special (22mm) (Reference #'s A44355, K44355, D44355) | Duograph (20mm) (Reference #'s B15047, A15047) | Headwind (22mm) (Reference #'s A45355, B45355, K45355) | Reserve de Marche (20mm) (Reference #'s A14047, B14047, 81980) |
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