The name Navitimer comes from the words Navigation & Timer, thanks to the fact that the watch was at first developed as a navigation aid for pilots.

The Breitling Navitimer was introduced in 1952 and offered pilots a very inventive timepiece featuring a revolving dial that could be utilized for every navigational calculation a flight plan requires.

The earliest Breitling Navtimer watches did not have reference numbers recorded on them, it wasn’t till 1955 the watch was recognizable as the Breitling Navtimer 806.

The movement they used in 1954, and the first half of 1955, was the famous Valjoux 72.

By 1960 the Breitling Navitimer had changed significantly with remodelled hands, subdials being changed from black to white and the Breitling name being embossed on the dial.

Afterwards the sliderulebezel ( slide rule used for flight calculations ) was remodelled twice.

Collectors of these watches have a tendency to view the Vintage Breitling Navtimer 806 reference as being the true Navtimer watch, and successive models are not held in such high regard.