The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hi guys, my first subject on this forum
I bought a cosmonaute 1809 a while ago and when looking on the backcase it stands 1806 instead of 1809.
Do you Breitling guys have any knowledge regarding this issue?
What I heard is that Breitling had a hard time to support with proper spare parts, is this true? could they have sent a back case which has the mark 1806 instead of 1809? when the watchmaker required a new one...
I'm confused for the moment cause I hear different stories about this.
I have sold the watch to a customer and he wants to know if this is correct or not. Otherwise he would like me to make a buyback..
And finally! Will this have any impact on the price at all, cause the watch is in very good condition. Normally it's very hard to read anything at all on the backcase. The watch even has the original box and certificate
I would be very happy if anyone could help me out, cause it's important that my customers feel that they can have confidence in me.
//Thomas
www.timeframe.se

_________________
Timeframe

_________________

It's not possible to post any picture cause the customer has the watch
The only difference is that it's marked with 1806 instead of 1809.
Regards
//Thomas

_________________
Timeframe

Looking at the picture it looks like a period correct 1809, although I can't coment on the movement with just the one picture to go by.

I think the caseback is a problem. The caseback is the carrier for not just the model number, but also the serial number, and I am assuming that is how you dated the watch to 1972. Breitling often used later / replacement parts when servicing due to shortage of original parts, but not with a caseback to my knowledge, and even if they did I would expect them to provide a blank or engrave the correct details.

There are original Cosmonautes that carried 806 references before the 809 reference was used, but I don't know of any Cosmonaute Chronomatics that carried 1806 instead of 1809.

One thing confuses me though - you say that the watch has the original paperwork - does the serial number on the paperwork match up to the serial number on the caseback, and does the serial number carrying paperwork identify it as a 1809 / Cosmonaute Chronomatic?

Ok! Thanx for your prompt reply
I don't have the certificate here, but what I remember this is how I dated the watch. But I think we can state that the no. on the case is not the same as stated on the back case. as it's stand 1806 on it.
Regarding the original box it had a small sticker with 1809 printed on it.
Shouldn't the serialno. be the same on the movement or is it only engraved on the back case?
Is it possible to get a hold on a blank case to this watch, I mean this would solve the issue, wouldn't it? or not...
I looked on the other navitimer 1806 I've got. On this back case it's not possible to read any ref. no at all, but I can see that it has been something there.
Regards
//Thomas

_________________
Timeframe

Several questions there, let me try and answer them all.

If you used the certificate to date the watch then I'm assuming that you are using a dealer stamp / writing / similar. I appreciate that the certificate is not to hand but if it is a 1972 as you state then the serial number should be between 1382204 and 1406566.

The serial number on the caseback is the only place that you'll find it - there won't be a Breitling serial number on the movement. It's entirely possible that the serial number on your 1806 has worn off, it's not that uncommon to see them worn, although often they are just about readable.

I think we can categorically say that the caseback is wrong, and yes it's possible to source a blank caseback that will fit, but it probably won't be a Breitling one - you can't buy genuine blank casebacks from Breitling.

Would a blank caseback "solve the problem" - well, I'm not your buyer, but if I were you wouldn't make me happy by substituting one wrong caseback with another wrong caseback - if the watch is wrong, then it's wrong.

More importantly, if the caseback is wrong then I will have a lot of other questions - not least, why? Is this a genuine watch that lost it's caseback, or is this a true frankenwatch - case, dial, movement and caseback from a variety of different sources.

I'm sorry, but this watch doesn't sound right to me - if you get the watch back then we can look at some other photos and better determine whether the movement, all the dial and case details, etc are correct, but it isn't going to be a completely 'right' watch.

Thanx again... very kind of you!
The proper way to solve/ investigate this further, would be to take the watch to the authorized watchmaker where I live.
If the watch isn't a frankenwatch and it's only the back case that's wrong.
What do we got then?
A Cosmonaute 1809 with original box (with papers) with a misplaced back case.
Still the watch is in a very good condition (I assume that it's now impossible to connect the cert with the watch, cause the serialno.on the watch isn't there.) But in my opinion the certificate belong to the box.
There is a lot of questions that is raised, just because the back case has been switched out...for any reason. We can only guess why!
But still, the only thing that's difference on the back case from 1806 to 1809 would be the engraving, or...

//Thomas

_________________
Timeframe

The only difference between a valid 1806 caseback and a valid 1809 caseback (of the same period) will be the model and serial numbers, but that's not really the point.

The difference between a visually correct 1806 / 1809 with matching papers and serials and what we have here is more than an engraved number - you sell them so you know that.

I don't want to own a watch that I know is wrong, even if it is only the caseback - there are way too many questions about what else might be wrong, and you can't necessarily tell that from looking - it's the same logic that says you don't buy a South American sourced vintage Breitling because even if it looks right it probably isn't.

I realise that you have financial exposure here - a lost sale, and potentially you bought a watch that wasn't what you thought it was and therefore paid too much, but even if the only problem is a few engraved numbers on the caseback - the impact is at least several hundred dollars, potentially more.

Your absolutely right that I paid to much from the beginning just because it had what I thought the correct paper etc.,
The best way to handle this is to make a buyback. It's very important that my customer as you so right pointed out feel that the timepiece they bought is absolutely correct.
The positive thing in this matter is that I had a pretty good lesson in the problems when not having the right back case
However talked to my supplier about the issue and he will take the watch back, so hopefully the watch will back all the way to the guy who switched the back case
Anyway, once again thanks very much for your knowledge regarding this topic

Regards //Thomas

_________________
Timeframe