peteG wrote:
So when the dealer states that he believes that the watch is less than one year old or that he has been told that the watch is approx one year old , he could actually confirm it's build date.
Why then , would he not just take off the bracelet , look at the bottom of the case and advise the exact build date?
Probably because many dealers and their staff are unaware of the presence of the "build code" (XXYY wher XX = week and YY=year) engraved into the case between the south interhorn lug and near the end links of the bracelets. Unless the dealer/staff have read (on this and other Breitling fora) or been told about the encoded information by a knowledgable customer or Breitling employee the dealer is more likely to "guess" the age of the piece. Actually, even if the dealer/staff does know the "secret", I suspect the information would not be voluntarily shared with the customer base. Dealers would almost certainly want to move older stock out first as pieces are sold. IMO, the prevailing wisdom would be to ascertain the build date before purchase by asking the seller to confirm the code and then decide if you want to consumate the deal. If the watch is indeed a few years old (a "hangar queen") the age may be a negotiating factor because service will be required earlier than for a later build piece. Just my .02 worth...
Best,
Ron
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