The Breitling Watch Source Forums

There are a few Navitimers up for sale in an upcoming auction and I am interested in two of the 806's. Just thought I would run them by the experts to see if anything looked amiss (unfortunately the second has only one useful picture). Also if you had preference, which would you choose? The estimated prices are very similar, but I will likely only bid for one.

Number 1:






Number 2:



Number 1 has more pictures so it seems like the sensible choice, but I do find the large subdials attractive. Thanks for your expertise as always!

From what I can see in the photos, both look fine. Can't comment on the crown on either and I'm not really a movement guy, but the dials, slide rule and hands are nice, lume OK and the lugs look sharp. The first is from 1968 and the second a big-eye from some years later. The crystal might be wrong in the first, but that is an easy fix.

If it was me, I would go for the first as the lume is slightly nicer.

Agree number 1 looks better. Number 2 may have had the sliderule replaced, and the lume is less that ideal. I like the smaller subdials personally on 1 anyway. Note no import code on the balance bridge in number 1 but that is OK for '68 i think.

import code would be wrong for 1968, end 1967. agree re 1 being the better among two good examples.

Thanks very much for your input again, yes I think the nicer lume is moving me towards #1, lets see how it goes with the bidding!

Any luck?

Yes I got it! I may have been the only bidder as it went at the lowest end of the estimate (I couldn't watch live since I'm 8 time zones away). The other 806 passed and so did quite a few other nice Breitlings including a very nice 808 and a Thunderball Top Time. The only lots that were going above their minimums were some of the Rolexes, so maybe its not a popular auction (it was Watches of Knightsbridge).

One piece that didn't sell but caught my interest was this 7806 which they claim to be from a rare batch of factory black coated Navitimers, however it was priced at quite a premium so I didn't bid(5000GBP lowest estimate). For my education is anyone familiar with this variation and is it that valuable?

Well done, congrats! It’s a really nice one too.

I’m personally not familiar with that story of black coated Navis.

Well thanks for everyone on the forum who has given advice, not just on this post but all my previous ones, its definitely helped me avoid a few lemons along the way.

Interesting auction. It was on in the background, I was surprised at the number of passed lots, over 30% and often only a few pounds under the estimates. Is the market slipping or are WoK being a bit bullish?

I can only speak for the few that I was interested in, but the Navitimers (apart from the black one) and the 808 were at the low end of what I'm seeing on ebay/chrono24 at the moment for good condition pieces, so maybe the market has topped out.