As always, Roff sums things up quite well.
One of the neat things about Breitling is that unlike almost any other watch manufacturer you get to purchase the watch and the bracelet/strap separately. This way, you can customize at the time of purchase, assuming you buy from an AD.
Having said that, I own 5 high-end watches now, and my wife owns 3, and none of them were purchased new. Buying used has allowed us to save substantial sums of money. A typical pre-owned Breitling in excellent condition goes for about 50% of list price, although this does vary for certain models in high demand. For example, you can get some very nice pre-owned chronograph models, like the Chronomat (auto), Skyland (auto), and Seawolf Chrono (superquartz) for under $2500. You could get a Chrono Colt for $1500 or less.
So if you are on a tight budget, this might be something you want to consider. However, be aware that you do need to take some time and educate yourself some more about the fakes that are out there, and impose some self-discipline on who you will buy from. There are a number of incredibly knowledgeable and helpful experts on this board who will help you authenticate any Breitling in the "Replica Breilting Identification" Forum. I could not (or would not) have purchased the Breitlings I did without their help. You also need to be patient and wait for the watch you are lusting after to come up for sale. Plus there is a awkwardness in making trips to your local AD and not buying anything.
There is certainly nothing wrong from buying from an AD, either. The advantage there, of course, is that you never have to worry about a fake, you get the 2-year Breitling warranty (which many ADs will add an extra year to), and you know that you are the only person to have owned the watch.
///M
I would certainly recommend taking a little time to educate yourself before making the plunge. A lot of the fun is in the selection itself and an AD will generally be more than happy to show you what's in stock the first time you express interest/visit the store. For the sort of money you're spending I would personally buy mechanical over quartz. Yes you sacrifice accuracy but mechanical watches are wonderful creations of craftsmanship and engineering. That is only my opinion however. 
