In near-constant production since its debut in 1952, the Cheap Replica Watch, affectionately known as the ‘Navi’, takes all the features of a standard pilot’s timepiece—large size, bold and legible styling, enhanced resistance to temperature and pressure changes—and ramps up its abilities with its quintessential rotating slide rule bezel.
Their ‘Instruments for Professionals’ collection features the natural successors to the Navitimer; highly evolved digital/analog flight tools for the modern aeronaut. But as far as classically vintage mechanical icons go, the Navi is the beginning, middle and end.
The Navitimer Arrives
A turnable slide rule with a logarithmic scale is great for performing quick sums, and from there, turning it into an invaluable tool for pilots is a relatively minor undertaking.
Working in conjunction with the Replica watches online chronograph, the newly named aviation timepiece and its “loop navigation computer” can be used to calculate basic information such as airspeed, flight time, fuel consumption, climb and descent rates.
This version will run concurrently with the first for several years, powered by the legendary Valjoux 72, considered possibly the best chronograph of its time, and will soon make its way into the original Rolex Daytona model.
All Cheap Breitling Navitimer Replica editions at this time included AOPA’s winged logo, but the organization did not adopt the watch as its official timepiece until 1959. However, it has become very popular among pilots, professionals and amateurs.
The Navitimer Through the Ages
In the ensuing decade, some fine-tuning was made. The Breitling Replica Watches sub-dial was changed to white to create a higher-contrast panda dial arrangement; the AOPA badge was replaced with the famous “Twin-Jet” design; and the bezel was moved to a jagged edge instead of the original beaded surround.
Same as those, ref. The 8806 differs from the regular hand-wound model on which it is based in several ways. First, the crown is now on the left. It was a conscious decision by the group to be used as a tacit consent that it would not require daily winding of the watch. In addition, the dial has changed from a standard tri-compax layout to a bi-compax layout and now has a date function at 6 o’clock.
Later that same year, the somewhat late waterproof Navitimer appeared, with a massive 48mm reference.
These days, the Navitimer quality replica watch consists of more than 40 models, ranging in size from 35mm unisex pieces up to 46mm examples. Additionally, along with stainless steel, gold and even platinum models are available.
There’s no doubt that the Luxury Breitling Navitimer Replica represents the apex of mechanical pilot’s watch heritage. For nearly 70-years it has set the standard for the genre as a whole, with its innovative, evocative design and genuinely useful complications. As popular now as it has ever been, it is the perfect time to add one to the collection.
