There are plenty of watches out in the wild that boast of being purpose built tools destined for the wrists of intrepid individuals. These days, such narratives are largely concocted in conference rooms — the efforts of desperate marketers attempting to connect a brand's modern products to the spirit of expedition and adventures of yesteryear. In the instance of this particular timepiece, no such marketing is needed. This watch is the real deal. With its rich black dial and gorgeous gilt printing, this Reference 806 Navitimer dates to circa 1958-1959 and features a 40mm stainless steel case with an acrylic crystal, a signed crown, the famous bi-directional rotating slide rule bezel, and a glossy black dial with printed text, a matching ‘pencil’ handset, and the highly desirable 'AOPA' emblem in gilt foil - signifying that it was sold through the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association. Powered by a hand-cranking Venus movement, it comes fitted to one of our brown Analog:Shift leather straps with a steel pin buckle. Through its long and storied lifetime, the Navitimer Reference 806 has created a legacy that remains at the core of the Breitling brand to this day. Though new iterations are built every day, finding the real thing — especially one that has not been overly damaged, or worse, poorly restored — is harder than ever. Having spent the last 60+ years navigating to parts unknown, this incredible timepiece is ready for many more journeys, the perfect companion to accompany the adventurous into the wild blue yonder for another 60+ years to come.
