Breitling Navitimer

How many watches can you spot from a mile away? 

How many watches have come to define their genre? Not too many. Not too many at all. 

Before the early 1950s, the concept of a civilian tool watch was a novel idea. Watch companies produced a few purpose-designed pieces for military use in the early 20th century, but most watches that were sold at retailers were designed with purely fashion in mind. In the 1950s and 1960s, the tool watch market exploded, fueled by the popularity of SCUBA diving and the growing interest in aviation.  Breitling was one of the earliest manufactures to respond to the trend when they released the Navitimer in 1954.

We’ve been referring to the Navitimer as a watch, but that’s not quite right — it’s really a wrist-worn navigation computer. The Navitimer’s most distinctive feature, the slide rule bezel, was used by pilots to calculate airspeed, ascent and descent rates, flight time, distance traveled, fuel consumption and even imperial to metric unit conversions. The Navitimer truly is a mechanical computer, and also happens to be one of the best damn looking watches out there. How cool is that?

This particular Navitimer dates to circa 1973 and features 40mm stainless steel case with a domed acrylic crystal, a signed crown, a bidirectional rotating internal telemetry and slide rule bezel, a glossy black Tritium dial with silvered sub registers and matching handset, and the venerable Valjoux Cal. 7740 hand-cranking chronograph movement with date within.

This is a tremendous opportunity to own a proper  vintage iteration of one of the most famous chronographs out there.

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.