Movado Datron 'Blue Panda' El Primero Chronograph

There is perhaps no more versatile complication than the chronograph. 

From race cars to rocket ships, boats to battlefields, you are likely to find a chronograph being employed to measure a plethora of tasks and times. From the Greek khrónos (“time) and gráphō (“to write”), a chronograph is a watch that has the ability to record time, generally via the addition of small sub-counters that register minutes and hours. 

No single company is more associated with classic midcentury chronographs than Breitling, inventor of the dual-button chronograph in 1933. Following on the heels of the developments in automatic chronographs in the late 1960s, it released the Chrono-Matic Reference 1806, powered by its Calibre 12 movement. Because this caliber was based upon the Buren 1282 micro-rotor movement and was not designed as an integrated chronograph mechanism, the crown needed to be placed at 9:00. This design proved expensive, and did not survive the Quartz Crisis.

This particular Navitimer, a Reference 1806, is housed in a whopping 47mm stainless steel case with a rotating slide rule navigational bezel with fluorescent markings, barrel pushers, a signed crown, and crisp visible caseback engravings. It features a matte black dial with multiple timing scales, a dual-register chronograph display, a date window at 6:00, Tritium indices, and a matching handset. Powered by the Calibre 12 movement, it comes fitted to a period-correct black Tropic® rubber strap with a steel pin buckle.

Looking closer, you'll notice a set of wings on the dial that do not belong to Breitling. Bentley then - you must be thinking. Wrong again! In fact, the logo belongs to Morgan - the small English car manufacturer - known for their commitment to vintage design language and 3-wheeled cars. Breitling produced a small number of these pieces exclusively for the Morgan Drivers Club in Europe. This outstanding time-capsule example is one of them.

Whether you’re navigating your Cessna, you simply want an extremely cool vintage watch to wear around town, or are desperate for a timepiece to accompany you in your Morgan, this Navitimer Chronomatic from the era of early automatic chronographs is a strong choice!

While Movado is now best known as a producer of fashion watches like the Museum Watch, Movado's roots go much deeper than that. The company’s history reaches all the way back to 1881, when watchmaker Achilles Ditesheim opened a workshop in La Chaux-de-Fonds. His brothers Léopold and Isidore joined him in 1886.

Production from that point on proved how true the name brand was—it means "always in motion" in Esperanto. Throughout the 20th century Movado produced incredible mechanical timepieces. They gained notoriety for the sophistication of the equipment and technology they employed, including electric tools.

Unlike many of their counterparts, Movado's movements were designed and manufactured in-house.

In the late 1960s, they were acquired by Zenith, and enjoyed perhaps their greatest period of success as the subsidiary of that brand. Their chronographs (which used the famous Zenith El Primero movement), particularly, were successful sellers. But the extent of their offerings didn’t end there. They also made killer dress watches like the one we have here.

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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.