1960’s Breitling Co-Pilot Ref. 7660 Walt-Grace-Vintage

Breitling has always hung its hat on its chronograph offerings and each generation of those iconic watches has proudly placed the brand’s incredibly distinct visual identity on full display. Simply put, nothing else in the watch world looks quite like a Breitling chrono! Regardless of which era of the brand’s watches sparks your fancy – and they all have their charms – the watches produced in the ‘60s are considered by many to represent the golden era of Breitling.

Breitling’s 1960s offerings were always purpose-oriented and typically intended for use by aviators, had delightfully busy dials, and used bold colors and contrasting  finishing techniques. However, not all Breitling chronos were designed with the needs of pilots in-mind. Pieces like this tremendously rare 1960s Co-Pilot ref. 7660 were made to time yachting regattas! For those that love the Breitling chrono aesthetic, but have a penchant for the obscure or simply prefer yachting-focused tool watches to those made for pilots and divers, these handsome chronos are an incredibly collectible find. Boasting a distinctly colorful bezel design, clearly legible and bright sub-dials, and a steel case with gorgeous details like subtly sculpted lugs and what many collectors consider perfect proportions, it’s a watch with tons of classic Breitling style, but with its own unique personality.

These watches were made to be used, but this example remains in very nice vintage condition. This watch’s dial is absolutely flawless, with vibrant colors and no issues to note or mention. While its case does show signs of having been polished lightly at some point, its sculpted lugs still show their original beveled edges beautifully. The original tritium lume remains on both the watch’s dial and handset and has aged to a lovely shade of green, which is the norm for this reference and standard for the lume Breitling’s of this period used. Unfortunately the captain’s hat is not included, but highly recommended!