The Breitling Watch Source Forums

WatchFred- that is an amazing watch. Do you buy older models and have maintenance performed on them? Is it a lot more expensive for older models? Sorry, for the novice questions.

Sharkman... if you don't mind me asking, how do you darken your strap?

It requires the best extra virgin olive oil avialable, Q-tips, cotton balls, patience and a very hot hair blower to seal of sorts. I was taught this by another member here. The current Brietling brown for croco is too light for my taste. (pun intended)

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SHARKMAN

GMTIIc

Now THAT doesn't look like a mini-microwave. Nice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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SHARKMAN

not a "novice" question at all, that "servicing of vintage watches" actually is something even veteran WIS often are unsure about - and it seems to keep them away from "risking" to own a vintage watch.

The only prerequisite is finding a competent watchmaker who likes to work with vintage watches; we are lucky enough to have those among our members here.

Servicing costs for vintage Breitlings (and other watches, of course) are well below what you would expect to pay to service one of the current watches, will not quote numbers here, as watchmakers prefer to deal and quote directly, but you should be more than pleasantly surprised.

Movement parts for the "iconic" Breitlings based on the Venus 175/178/188 or later Valjoux 7xxx are readily available and quite cheap (well, there are exceptions, but a "creative mind" will solve those problems, see here: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=39156) , Cal. 11/12/14/15 for the Chrono-Matics or V7740 are a bit more of a problem sometimes, but a good watchmaker will find the sources; pushers or crowns are similar (though GP pushers/crowns are quite scarce and more expensive); parts for the very rare watches like the bezels or hands for Unitimes or vintage SuperOceans are almost impossible to find.

Now to the more complicated things: dials are very rarely as well preserved as the ref. 808 I posted today, but very often in decent shape, just look for watches and dials you like; some people accept refinished dials, collectors typically dislike them, to put it mildly.

To quote myself from another post or pm, some of the replacement parts for vintage pieces are quite surprisingly cheap, a replacement crystal for a Navitimer 806 will cost you about what you would spend for a BigMac, Coke and fries (in the US, not in Switzerland, David).

If you are truly interested in vintage watches - find the ones you like, post them in the vintage section for verification - and, after a checkup/service they will typically function flawlessly for decades to come (as long as you do not shower or swim with them, please, no matter how many ATM they theoretically withstand), several of my watches that are 50 years or older run well inside COSC specs and are a pleasure to wear.

Roff/Driver8 and all others, forgive me for going a bit off topic at length in the WWAYWT thread, but I keep answering similar questions quite often by pm, so decided to post this answer here ?

Edit to go back on topic: on my wrist today, a GP Chronograph from the early 1950s (Excelsior Park 40, one of the most beautiful movements), dial shows some patina, but quite nice.

Emergency on new shark skin shoes.

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Avenger M1
Airwolf
Omega Planet Ocean 9300
Omega Dark SoTM
B50 Night Mission
Chronoliner
Chronomat 47mm GMT Ltd Ed
Bentley Supersports
SuperOcean OuterKnown
Chronomat 44 (Yellow Ltd Ed)

Forgot to upload this one yesterday! Any GO here?

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Breitling Chronomat 41 BEB
Breitling Navitimer Olympus silver dial
Glashütte Original Senator Chronometer Rose Gold
Grand Seiko SBGR061
Zenith El Primero HW 420
Chronoswiss Regulateur 24 Limited

Awesome

There are a few around here, they just don't pop up often. Montexn has at least one, beautiful Senator Chrono XL. If I wasn't so tied to wearing a bracelet, I'd probably own one.

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Scott

AP Royal Oak 15400, silver
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Classic Cars
Vintage gold Corum
Rolex DJ 36 TT, oyster dial, oyster/smooth
Baume & Mercier Riviera 200m, silver dial/aquamarine bezel
Breitling Superocean 57, rose/stainless

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TREVOR

Love the combination. Is that an original breitling shark skin strap or is it a aftermarket one. I've always wanted a genuine breitling one.

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CURRENT

Rolex Explorer ii

PREVIOUS

Breitling Aerospace Repetition Minutes Two Tone Titanium & Gold

Breitling Chrono Colt Quartz Stainless Steel

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SHARKMAN

Another pic of my first. Only two weeks old and I had to try the gold croc instead of black. I love it more everyday!

BEAUTIFUL WATCH!!!