The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hi,

I am in the unenviable position of helping liquidate the estate of mutual friend after his untimely death.

An item neither of knows anything about, (and I haven't been very successful learning much about), is a Breitling Navitimer 1461 Limited Edition 921/1000, #A38022. It has a SS bracelet band and black dial face. It is the version with 4 white 'sundials' on the face. I was able to find a recently sold version and one currently for sale on eBay, but that has led to more questions than answers. Here's what I've determined I need to learn about the watch before I try to sell it:

1. Definition of what features distinguish different 'Limited Editions'. The recently sold 1461 included a picture of a black inner box with Breitling in silver script.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BREITLING-Navitimer-1461-Highly-Complicated-PERPETUAL-Calendar-Limited-of-1000pc-/281201865647?hash=item4178eff3af

The 1461 on sale has photos of a yellow inner and yellow outer box with Breitling in square black print with the winged logo above and 1884 below.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RaRe-Breitling-Navitimer-1461-SS-chrono-watch-limited-edition-1000pcs-in-box-/161152974198?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item2585773d76

I'm confused as to how #572 of a 'Limited Edition' of 1000 can have different packaging from #883. Is there something I'm missing here about the features, etc? Is the #A38022 the defining ID of a particular Limited Edition series ie: Is there variation in a Limited Edition of 1000? Would the identical watch with a blue face also have the 38022, or would the number be different?

2. We have not found the box for our friend's Breitling. There is a Breitling dealer here in Portland and they told us today it would be near impossible to sell the watch without the box and the price would be 30-50% less without the box. WHAT?!

3. What was included with the 1461 when it was new? I read somewhere on the Internet several days ago, (I haven't been able to find it again), a reference to a slide rule that came with the watch, but haven't seen anything similar anywhere else. Was the something included or was it a poorly written reference to the 'slide rule' capabilities of the watch?

4. I'm assuming, from what I've been able to find about the 1461, that when new the leather band was standard and the SS bracelet band was an 'add-on'. Is that accurate?

5. Is there anything else I need to know about the watch I haven't mentioned?

6. Are there any other places online, other than eBay, to sell the Breitling?

I need to be able to value the watch, since the dealer was not in tune with the reality of eBay sales and didn't help, at all, as well as be knowledgeable enough to deal with buyers and not be taken advantage of. I also need to know how hard to try to find the box, if it is that crucial or the certificate, or records of a recent servicing, (3-4 months ago).

Any help, advice, references to info are appreciated.

Thanks, in advance.

Regards,

GeoD

Sorry to hear about your friend.

The watch is this one - http://www.breitlingsource.com/watch_de ... d_140.html and a limited edition simply means that 1,000 were produced in total - all dial colours combined. I wouldn't be too concerned about types of boxes, often boxes get lost (as you have found out) and people try to 'rebuild' collections with boxes on eBay. I suspect that the yellow box was the original, but others are more familiar with boxes than I am. The box will impact value slightly, but very marginal - especially with a watch like this where there aren't a lot of examples available at any one time. The watch would have originally have come with an instruction manual, a warranty card and a paper sliderule, but again the absence of them won't have a huge impact on value. Virtually all Breitlings are available with strap or bracelet so buyer would have chosen the strap.

Advice on pricing is to check eBay or Chrono24 and you have already done that with eBay, and those will be the biggest market for selling. You are also welcome to sell it here in our sales section or on the other watch forums - WatchUSeek and TimeZone are the biggest. Each of the forums has slightly different rules for sales but they are set out in the relevant section.

Welcome to BreitlingSource.

just a small addition; manuals, the carton sliderule and the watch-specific COSC-certificate can be ordered from Breitling, (at marginal costs) but you have to go through an AD.

the only irreplacable document is the warranty manual; you mention "records of a recent servicing, (3-4 months ago)" - these would be quite valuable for any future owner, as servicing costs for the 1461s are quite high, it would be great if you could find these !

box sets can be found on ebay for approximately $100 - the easiest to replace, of course they do not "reduce the price by 30-50%".

Here's a visual of what a complete pack looks like , at least I believe its complete

No COSC for this one as the A38022 was not yet COSC certified and as the OP has the same ref I highly doubt the watch would have had a COSC doc anyway ?

_________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Breitling and Boats. The rest I wasted" - mostly Elmore Leonard

Nice Rene, and correct that there is no COSC.

sorry for the COSC confusion, clearly pre-COSC, so nothing for Breitling to replace

Don't let it happen again young man

Thanks to all for the great info. It will help tremendously.

GeoD