The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I would too, I bought mine pre-owned with no paperwork... and it's real and not stolen. at least I didn't steal it?!?!

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Colt GMT with Blue dial

Thanks for dragging up that sorry tale again, Roff!

For those unfamiliar with this story, I lost (i.e. I must've accidentally thrown out) all the paperwork for an old Steelfish of mine after taking them out when I went to get the watch regulated at an AD. Long story short, I took all the paperwork along with the watch to an AD, they wouldn't regulate on-site (the UK being what it is), so I took the whole lot back home and must've left the papers on the side where they apparently got thrown out with all the newspapers.

Consequently when I came to sell the watch I had to drop the price considerably.

And the irony was, before I lost those papers I was one of those who were saying (quite loudly in fact) real+no papers= stolen, and "NO-BODY loses watch papers". So while generally I'd still agree that paperless watches are more likely to be dodgy, I'm also a little more circumspect now.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

The watch is real. Looks real that is. What's inside? Who knows.

Your best bet is to call BUSA, tell them straight up about what you are doing, ask them to verify the serial number. If it was purchased in US, they should let you know where and when and blah blah blah. If it wasn't, then they'll just say it wasnt and that's it. However, they might be able to know if its been reported lost/stolen or not.

Trust me.

I once bought a Breitling with no papers. I thought of all the reasons that this could happen, including just plain lost them (like Driver8) or maybe it came from an estate sale and the executor couldn't find (or didn't know to look for) the boxes and papers... or it could have belonged to someone who had no idea that keeping all that crap was worthwhile, or it was all lost in a move, or they bought the watch never intending to ever sell it and tossed the papers once the warranty ran out.

Lots of valid, reasonable, logical explanations. Of course, in my case, the watch was fake. I was able to get my money back, which was good, so for the next used watch I bought I made sure it had the papers and I posted pictures and a link here in the appropriate forum and so I had a pretty good feeling that it was OK. And it is. And I'm wearing it now, actually.

Michael

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Breitling, Omega, Rolex... what can I say, I like Swiss watches.

There could be all the reasons in the world why a seller might not have the paperwork for a watch. But that one reason alone is why I wouldn't buy something that doesn't have paperwork and why wouldn't buy from anyone other than an AD, or someone I completely trust.

Today I'm wearing my yellow dial Seawolf that I got from a reputable guy on TZ. It came with the box and correct manual. No papers. I'm 99% sure it is real. I've closely studied the Seawolf fakes and the experts here have looked at it. It is real. I doubt very much the seller stole it, he's a lawyer at a big NYC firm. I checked.

Why are the papers missing? Who knows. Who cares? I got a slightly better price because they are gone. Of course, I'll get a lower price if I sell it.

Sure, I don't know what is inside, it could be a fake movement or something, but how likely is that really? And how do papers protect me from that?

It is running out of COSC, about -8s/day. Would the COSC cert have prevented that? I doubt it, since one of my brand new AD purchased Breitlings also ran outside of COSC when I got it. My Breitling authorized watchmaker charges $20 to regulate a watch, which the seller even offered to pay.

My point here is that papers are nice, especially for a questionable seller. But really, the old maxim of 'Buy the seller' is what matters.

What does that have to do with anything? Because he's a lawyer he only buys expensive things? The rich are not cheap? Where are you going with that? I don't understand the conclusion you arrived at here. Just because someone has the money to spend on something, it doesn't mean they would.

He might not have stolen it, but don't you think there are CHEAP lawyers out there? For instance, isn't it possible that he bought a really good fake from China? Isn't it possible he bought it from a sketchy person/jewelry shop to save himself thousands? I wouldn't assume people's tendencies and buying habits because of their net worth. Money makes everyone different. My manager who makes more money than me wears a fake Cartier. No one knows it's fake besides for me. I commented on the watch one day and she told me it was fake. She also said she would kill me if I told someone else...yet she makes SUBSTANTIALLY more than me (and I make a good living).

You're missing my point. I know plenty of rich people(I work with lots of millionaires and a couple billionaires). I know plenty of lawyers(my wife is a lawyer). The point is about reputations and the fact that this is not a shady back alley guy or a nameless guy on ebay.

everybody is going to laugh about this but my dog eat a bit of my cosc certificate, glad he didn`t find the warranty and manual interesting, because those where going to be dificult to get my hands on again ,i need a replacement, i already got in touch whit breitling portugal, and just asked me 30€ and the serial number of the watch, for a 2 emission of the paper.

God damn dogs!!!

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Breitling Chrono Avenger Black Dial whit Pro II Ti, Diver Pro I
Breitling BlackBird Big Date brushed whit SS Bracelet, brown croco
Breitling BlackBird Blacksteel 528/2000 Whit Dp2 Deployment
Omega Planet Ocean Chrono 9300 Co-axial Ceramic on SS bracelet