Launch date
1968
Historic details
PRODUCTION SPAN: 1968-1977
Big steps for the Navitimer and chronographs in general: Breitling is one of the partners to develop one of the world's first automatic chronograph calibers, the cal. 11. The ref. 1806 Navitimer Chrono-Matic not only holds that technical marvel, but also comes with a new, quite revolutionary case design. Developed together with EPSA Piquerez, the famous casemaker, the "Big Case" introduces a complex bezel mechanism, that allows high waterproof ratings. At a 48mm diameter, it was huge for that period. Most examples are marked with the patent application number "DDE + BR 11525/67" from August 1967, the last production batches carry the patent publication number 486728 from Februrary 1970.
The Navitimer Chrono-Matic 1806 has hour and minute counter chronograph subdials, but no "running seconds." The date window is positioned at 6; red accents feature on both dial and slide rule; logos are "Twin Jet" for Breitling-distributed Navitimer or silverwhite printed AOPA-signed wings; dials are marked CHRONO-MATIC. Due to technical design considerations of the modular calibers 11 & 12, all Chrono-Matics have the setting crown on the left.
Caliber: automatic Cal. 11 for early examples, then Cal. 11i/12
Case: EPSA "Big Case", waterproof, ca. 48mm diameter
Bezel: aluminium rotating bezel
Dial: black with silverwhite "Big Eye" subdials, red accents on dial and slide rule
Hands: wide lumed baton hands, red chrono sweep, "rabbit ears" subdial hands
Discover more Big steps for the Navitimer and chronographs in general: Breitling is one of the partners to develop one of the world's first automatic chronograph calibers, the cal. 11. The ref. 1806 Navitimer Chrono-Matic not only holds that technical marvel, but also comes with a new, quite revolutionary case design. Developed together with EPSA Piquerez, the famous casemaker, the "Big Case" introduces a complex bezel mechanism, that allows high waterproof ratings. At a 48mm diameter, it was huge for that period. Most examples are marked with the patent application number "DDE + BR 11525/67" from August 1967, the last production batches carry the patent publication number 486728 from Februrary 1970.
The Navitimer Chrono-Matic 1806 has hour and minute counter chronograph subdials, but no "running seconds." The date window is positioned at 6; red accents feature on both dial and slide rule; logos are "Twin Jet" for Breitling-distributed Navitimer or silverwhite printed AOPA-signed wings; dials are marked CHRONO-MATIC. Due to technical design considerations of the modular calibers 11 & 12, all Chrono-Matics have the setting crown on the left.
Caliber: automatic Cal. 11 for early examples, then Cal. 11i/12
Case: EPSA "Big Case", waterproof, ca. 48mm diameter
Bezel: aluminium rotating bezel
Dial: black with silverwhite "Big Eye" subdials, red accents on dial and slide rule
Hands: wide lumed baton hands, red chrono sweep, "rabbit ears" subdial hands
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