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ISO a Breitling Navitimer (806) Expert!
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arcadelt
·Everything I’ve read stated they sold the rights to the watch, all parts and tooling. Then attempted to sue for the rights back and lost, just having rights to the name.
Most people outside new owners on Brietling forums tend to agree the chronotime and Sinn pieces are the heir to the 806. The currently Brietling does not own the rights, nor is related to the pre 1978 company in anyway other then a continuation of the name when Schneider purchased the name in1979.
So the question is do they deserve the Navitimer name? No, are they copies? No. Is the current non slide rule non chrono Navitimer a Navitimer? Is the 01? In name yes at least the 01, is the 01 a direct descendant to the 806? Not in my opinion.
A few simple trademark searches will show Breitling owns the rights to the word Navitimer - well, at least in two important jurisdictions.
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buddman
·Agreed. The comment not understood is that Breitling didn't have the "right to the design" and had to sue Sinn. I'm not aware of this being true, despite its mention online.
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Foo2rama
··Nowhere near as grumpy as he used to be...There is no question that Brietling owns the name.
Second why then do the modern Brietlings look nothing like the 806? If Sinn did not buy the design then what did he buy in 1978 as parts and tooling went to O&W.
Either way the the chronotime and 903 are not copies but part of an unbroken line to the 806. The Navitimer 01 cannot claim that.
Second why then do the modern Brietlings look nothing like the 806? If Sinn did not buy the design then what did he buy in 1978 as parts and tooling went to O&W.
Either way the the chronotime and 903 are not copies but part of an unbroken line to the 806. The Navitimer 01 cannot claim that.
Edited:
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Foo2rama
··Nowhere near as grumpy as he used to be...Not sure how you can say that - where exactly is the break in the Breitling Navitimer lineage and why did it occur?
In 78 they sold the design and tools to O&W and Sinn.
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arcadelt
·Brietling closed doors in 1978 and did not reopen for 7 years? Then another 3 for a total of 10’years before they had a watch that looked like or was named Navitimer.
In 78 they sold the design and tools to O&W and Sinn.
My understanding is that the company was sold in 1979, but we won’t quibble about one year. However, the company did not close for seven years as there are catalogues from 1980, 1983 and 1985 available. Admittedly, the entire industry was in a quartz crisis, and as a "new" company, the catalogues from 1980 and 1983 are entirely quartz, but include quartz Navitimers. However, in 1985 Breitling introduced the mechanical Old Navitimer, Reference 81600, which looks more like the mid-1960s to mid-1970s reverse panda 806 than any Navitimer since. So there really hasn’t ever been the absence of a Breitling watch named "Navitimer"; but yes, a mechanical one was missing for about six years...but again, quartz crisis period!
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Foo2rama
··Nowhere near as grumpy as he used to be...My understanding is that the company was sold in 1979, but we won’t quibble about one year. However, the company did not close for seven years as there are catalogues from 1980, 1983 and 1985 available. Admittedly, the entire industry was in a quartz crisis, and as a "new" company, the catalogues from 1980 and 1983 are entirely quartz, but include quartz Navitimers. However, in 1985 Breitling introduced the mechanical Old Navitimer, Reference 81600, which looks more like the mid-1960s to mid-1970s reverse panda 806 than any Navitimer since. So there really hasn’t ever been the absence of a Breitling watch named "Navitimer"; but yes, a mechanical one was missing for about six years...but again, quartz crisis period!
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arcadelt
·Notice that model lasted 2 years then they redesigned the lugs and dial for its replacement after the discussion and or lawsuit...
I believe they redesigned the case because it needed to be different to house the Valjoux 7750 movement for the introduction of the Old Navitimer II, and they went with the 7750 because it was cheaper than the Lemania 1873 - similar reason Omega switched the Speedmaster Professional from the 321 to the 861. Interestingly, the use of the 7750 was being thought about by Breitling watchmakers around its demise in the late-1970s, although only ever produced as a rogue project.
Case bands of (top to bottom) 806, 81600 and A13330 (based on the 81610). They're really not that different.
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