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 Post subject: 1968 Navitimer 1806
PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 2:53 am 
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Hi I have an 1806 Navitimer that seems to have a 1968 serial number 1255XXX with black bezel, black date and black and white hands. I know this has been discussed before but just wondering what the current thinking is. Are these just early design cues that were changed as the model was further developed or what some people call "pre-serie"?

Thanks.

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 Post subject: Re: 1968 Navitimer 1806
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 6:27 am 
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Hi

Yes. The design of hands and bezel developed over time.
Hands became ‘closed ends’ probably to provide a more robust housing for the lume. They went from black and white with open ends late 60’s, to all white with open ends for a year or so, then white with closed ends and then some later with white and orange with closed ends. You do see orange and white with open ends on some early Chronomatic but not 1806 as far as I know.

Bezels developed to have silver edging, again probably because the edges of all black ones tended to wear and rub through to bare metal turning silver in any case!

Some of the very early dials even had chronomatic without the hyphen. You also see this on early catalogues, advertising and even in the imagery on Chronomatic watch boxes. I’ve heard this changed to hyphenated ‘chrono-matic’ following agreement with Heuer about the branding but not sure about that. Perhaps others with more knowledge would know if that’s fact or fiction!

The dates tended to be black for cal 11 and red for cal 12. I don’t think this is strictly adhered to as you do see a transition to reds.

These changes are not limited to 1806. Happened across other chrono-matic models.

All of the above is from my personal observations and research so open to debate and further discussion!


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 Post subject: Re: 1968 Navitimer 1806
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 6:59 am 
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Nice watch btw, with early case, hands and bezel.

My 1806s with ‘open’ white hands from 1970 and ‘closed’ white hands from mid 70’s. Both with red dates.

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 Post subject: Re: 1968 Navitimer 1806
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 8:50 am 
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wills0_9 wrote:
Nice watch btw, with early case, hands and bezel.

My 1806s with ‘open’ white hands from 1970 and ‘closed’ white hands from mid 70’s. Both with red dates.

Image

Image


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Love these big case Breitling. Yours look great!


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 Post subject: Re: 1968 Navitimer 1806
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 8:53 am 
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wills0_9 wrote:
Hi

Yes. The design of hands and bezel developed over time.
Hands became ‘closed ends’ probably to provide a more robust housing for the lume. They went from black and white with open ends late 60’s, to all white with open ends for a year or so, then white with closed ends and then some later with white and orange with closed ends. You do see orange and white with open ends on some early Chronomatic but not 1806 as far as I know.

Bezels developed to have silver edging, again probably because the edges of all black ones tended to wear and rub through to bare metal turning silver in any case!

Some of the very early dials even had chronomatic without the hyphen. You also see this on early catalogues, advertising and even in the imagery on Chronomatic watch boxes. I’ve heard this changed to hyphenated ‘chrono-matic’ following agreement with Heuer about the branding but not sure about that. Perhaps others with more knowledge would know if that’s fact or fiction!

The dates tended to be black for cal 11 and red for cal 12. I don’t think this is strictly adhered to as you do see a transition to reds.

These changes are not limited to 1806. Happened across other chrono-matic models.

All of the above is from my personal observations and research so open to debate and further discussion!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Great thanks for the intersting info.


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