There is perhaps no more versatile complication than the chronograph. 

From race cars to rocket ships, boats to battlefields, you are likely to find a chronograph being employed to measure a plethora of tasks and times. From the Greek khrónos (“time) and gráphō (“to write”), a chronograph is a watch that has the ability to record time, generally via the addition of small sub-counters that register minutes and hours. 

Perhaps one of the quirkiest types of chronographs ever developed is the “bullhead,” a style in which the pushers are moved to the top of an oblong case such that it resembles, well, a bull’s head. Breitling was an early adopter of this configuration in an automatic chronograph, though Seiko and Omega are also known for their versions. Breitling’s Reference 2117 was referred to by the brand in French as a “Pupitre,” or “desk,” as its case actually slopes gently downward from 12 o’clock similarly to a school desk whose top opens. Powered by the automatic Breitling Chronomatic Caliber 12 movement, this was a watch that was truly ahead of the curve — though sales were admittedly poor, and it was discontinued in the 1970s.

This particular 2117 features a 42mm stainless steel case, an acrylic crystal, a signed crown, a bi-directional rotating 12hr & timing bezel, and a multi-tone Tritium dial with pulsation scale and matching white and orange handset. It comes paired to a brown leather rally strap with a steel pin buckle, and it happens to be in outstanding overall condition. Really, could you imagine a groovier watch?

We didn’t think so.