Why This Watch Matters The silvered dial of this Chronomat underlines how revolutionary this watch was at its launch in the early 1940s. Even if the slide rule proves less crucial in modern times, this chronograph remains visually remarkable and highly wearable. The Full Story The dial of the Chronomat tells a lot about its brilliant history. The integrated sliding rule you see here was patented (patent no. 217012, as seen on the dial) in 1942. This innovation not only performed as a tachometer and pulsometer, but also allowed the wearer to compute elementary operations such as multiplication and division. The Chronomat was obviously a very meaningful watch for Breitling, but its historical significance extends far beyond the context of the brand; it can be considered the smartwatch of its time. This example features a beautiful two-tone dial and is in remarkably nice condition with an unpolished case. A touch of red adds a nice accent to the dial. This watch is also an ancestor of the Navitimer, which would extend the same design principles to the world of aviation a decade later. The Fine Print Maker: BreitlingModel: ChronomatReference: 769Year: Circa 1940sCase No: 683865Movement No: N/AMaterial: Stainless steelDimensions: 36mm diameter; 12mm thicknessCrystal: Plexiglass, presumably originalLume: RadiumCaliber: Manual-wound chronograph caliber Venus 175Bracelet/Strap: HODINKEE Aged Grey Leather StrapLug Width: 18mmBox/Papers: No What we Love and What You Should Know This Chronomat is extremely legible, and highly useful if you know how to operate a slide rule. Its condition is spectacular for a 70-year-old watch, but it has a few minor age marks on the dial. The steel case is well preserved with very few scratches and appears to be unpolished. This is a remarkable find given its age and how these were typically worn heavily by their owners.
