Breitling Navitimer AOPA Ref. 806, cronógrafo Venus 178, esfera dorada original, brazalete milanés, 1958, 42 mm

A 1958 Breitling Navitimer ref. 806 bearing the AOPA emblem, from the years when navigation relied on calculation rather than satellites. Its original gilt dial carries honest, naturally earned patina, the Venus 178 column-wheel chronograph still runs with a smooth pusher feel, and a period-correct Milanese bracelet completes a rare mid-century ensemble.

The Piece

Made in 1958 for pilots of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the early-series Navitimer ref. 806 stands at the origin of the modern pilot's chronograph. Its gilt-print dial, crisp AOPA emblem and slide-rule bezel belong to an era of the Jet Age when pilots computed airspeed, climb rates, fuel consumption, distance and navigation corrections by hand, and the Navitimer let them do it on the wrist. Worn by aviators, commercial captains and private aircraft owners, the reference shaped a generation of cockpit instrumentation.

This example carries a well-preserved gilt dial showing honest aging across some 67 years. Numerals, scale markings and the logarithmic slide rule all retain their vintage character, presenting the visual depth that seasoned collectors recognize at once and that modern reissues cannot replicate.

The movement is the Venus 178, a hand-wound column-wheel chronograph valued for its mechanical rhythm and resilience, with 17 jewels, a beat rate of 18,000 vph and approximately 45 hours of power reserve. It remains healthy for its age, with steady amplitude and a smooth pusher feel; these first-series Navitimers were built for real flight operations, and their mechanisms were engineered accordingly.

The watch is worn on a period-correct genuine Milanese bracelet, an accessory rarely paired with early AOPA models. Its deep architectural mesh gives a bold mid-century presence on the wrist and suits the watch's cockpit-instrument origins, so that watch and bracelet together form a historically correct and visually commanding ensemble.

Details

• Maker: Breitling
• Model: Navitimer AOPA, early-series (1st model) configuration
• Reference: 806
• Era: 1958
• Origin: Switzerland
• Material: Stainless steel case; vintage acrylic crystal
• Dial: Original gilt-text dial with AOPA emblem; aged patina; no redial or refinishing
• Bezel: Slide-rule bezel, correct early type
• Measurements: Case diameter 42mm (bezel to bezel, without crown)
• Movement: Venus 178, manual-wind column-wheel chronograph; 17 jewels; 18,000 vph; approx. 45-hour power reserve
• Functions: Chronograph; aviation slide-rule computer
• Bracelet: Genuine period deep-mesh Milanese bracelet
• Included: Protective watch case for shipping

Condition

• Vintage condition with honest aging and period patina on the dial; no redials or refinishing.
• Bezel scale of the correct early type.
• Movement operational at the time of cataloguing, with steady amplitude and smooth pusher feel.
• Bracelet: deep-mesh vintage Milanese, beautifully preserved.

Authenticity & Care

Examined for dial originality, movement, case hallmarks and reference consistency; no aftermarket components were detected, and the watch presents as a period-correct AOPA early-series ref. 806 configuration with original dial and correct Venus 178 movement. Every piece is examined and documented in Japan before dispatch and is offered with the Japonista authenticity guarantee.

Delivery from Japan

Packed by hand in Japan and shipped insured and tracked by EMS or an equivalent express service. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Returns follow our published policy.

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