The Breitling Navitimer is a watch synonymous with aviation history. Its slide-rule bezel, a crucial tool for pilots performing complex calculations mid-flight, cemented its place as an iconic timepiece. But within the Navitimer family lies a particularly intriguing and historically significant model: the reference 806, often referred to as the "pre-Cosmonaute" or even the "Holy Grail" by collectors. Understanding its history requires delving into the fascinating intersection of horology and space exploration.
While not officially designated as the "Navitimer 806" by Breitling in its original marketing materials, this designation has solidified amongst collectors and enthusiasts to refer to a specific variant of the Navitimer produced in the early 1960s. These watches, characterized by their distinctive all-black dials and 24-hour functionality, represent a crucial step in the evolution of the Navitimer and its connection to the burgeoning space race.
The story begins not with Breitling, but with a visionary pilot: Major Scott Carpenter. A member of the Mercury Seven, the pioneering group of astronauts selected for NASA's Project Mercury, Carpenter recognized a crucial limitation in the existing pilot's watches. While the Navitimer's slide rule was invaluable for in-flight calculations, it lacked a crucial feature for space travel: the ability to clearly distinguish between day and night in the absence of readily visible celestial cues. The standard 12-hour dial proved inadequate for the complexities of orbital missions.
Carpenter approached Breitling about creating a Navitimer with a 24-hour dial, a feature that would allow for unambiguous timekeeping regardless of the Earth's rotation. This seemingly simple modification represented a significant leap forward in the functionality of a pilot's watch, transforming it into a tool perfectly suited for the challenges of space travel. Breitling, always eager to push the boundaries of horological innovation and its longstanding relationship with aviation, readily accepted the challenge.
In 1962, Breitling delivered the result of this collaboration: the Cosmonaute. However, the Cosmonaute wasn't a complete departure from the existing Navitimer designs. Instead, it built upon the existing platform, incorporating the crucial 24-hour dial requested by Carpenter. But the path to the Cosmonaute led through the creation of the watches we now recognize as the Navitimer 806. These transitional pieces, produced before the official launch of the Cosmonaute, shared many features with the later model, most notably the all-black dial and the 24-hour display. This is what fuels the intense interest and high value associated with the Navitimer 806.
The all-black dial, a departure from the more common silver or panda dial variations of the Navitimer, was likely chosen for its enhanced readability in low-light conditions, a crucial consideration for both pilots and astronauts. The stark contrast of the luminous hands and markers against the black background ensured optimal visibility, even in the dimly lit cockpits of aircraft or the confines of a spacecraft.
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