The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hello all...

Newbie here...I have a wonderful 1955 Breitling 806 with the coveted Valjoux 72 movement that has just finished a restoration with Craig at Chronodeco.

I have a question as there is a bracelet that I may purchase that is not original to this watch, but is an original Breitling from the era. Will it work on my watch? Any comments appreciated.

This is the first time for posting images so I do not know with certainty if I did it right...I could not find faq on this!

Best,
JB

[img][IMG]http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx335/SanDiegoAirstream/FacePostRestoration.jpg[/img][/img]

[img][IMG]http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx335/SanDiegoAirstream/ChainBracelet.jpg[/img][/img]

[img][IMG]http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx335/SanDiegoAirstream/CasebackPostRestoration.jpg[/img][/img]

welcome & a great piece.

let me help u w/ the images, just click on the photobucket IMG link in pic mode (turns yellow) or click/rightclick/copy in directory view.

afraid this bracelet is for the "big case", it will not fit properly (I might be wrong, though )

You can see this Breitling mesh with deployant clasp on some Navi's 806 of the 70's .
Even if historical watches shown by Breitling SA cannot be considered as a reference , you can see a 806 with this mesh on page 6 of Chronolog 03 .
I have fitted my own 1970 806-E with a nos sample of this mesh . The end curve perfectly matches the case, a proof that it was designed for Navis - or maybe AVI's . I had to slightly adjust the end underpieces - touch up with a Dremel - to fit it properly with the springbars .


I have never seen it in any catalog or period factory illustration . My opinion is that it was factory but non standard, only supplied as an accessory . Surprising because other metal straps were available as an optional fit - see on Lester's catalogs .

For your very nice V72-806, it is not purely period correct - 15 years gap - but surely it will fit .

well, I was not brave enough to use a Dremel on my mesh bracelet......
u might not have noticed the price levels these have reached, Phil ?

Great watch, the mesh bracelet should fit the case without dremel touch up but i doubt its period correct, period correct might be leather or lizard

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

A very rare watch with a beautiful dial, but IMO Craig did a big mistake with the hands, I would have left them like they was before, as now there’s no match at all between the beautiful patinated dial & sliderule, and the cleaned steel look, silver plated or whatever it is, definitely not my cup of tea.

The watch was much likely sold on a black Lizard strap, and I wouldn’t even consider buying the mesh, IMO it’s not original Vintage Breitling. The first 6-7 years I collected vintage Navitimers I never saw a single one, and suddenly out of the blue they started to pop up, all of them brand new & unused, but we have been down that road before, so let’s not start again.


/ Kurt B

I agree the mesh were most likely not available on the early all black V72's & 806's , but they were certainly available towards to end of the 60ies in 22mm and they cost 74DM in 1969

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=34352&p=252302&

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

You go by your book, I go by mine. . . . . ! !

/ Kurt B

well.. it seems our 'books' are the same on this ? or am I missing something ?

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

Thank you for all the feedback, gentlemen. So, should my takeaway be that the mesh will likely fit, however, it is not factually correct for the watch and the vintage?

"If the bracelet fits, we must Acquit"

I trust some of you remember the OJ trial.....haha

"A very rare watch with a beautiful dial, but IMO Craig did a big mistake with the hands, I would have left them like they was before, as now there’s no match at all between the beautiful patinated dial & sliderule, and the cleaned steel look, silver plated or whatever it is, definitely not my cup of tea."

The hands were removed as received and reinstalled without any changes including the lume. Craig
Here is a before pic...

_________________
S. Craig Bergsma

Beautiful watch. From what I gather from the posts above, the consensus seems to be not period correct for a V72 Navi though no harm in trying different bracelets. I have tried a few different ones on mine.

Craig is correct...I love the job he did and the hands were not touched. I appreciate all the positive feedback, but Craig did an amazing job on my watchQ

jbsails, that watch is spectacularly beautiful, congrats again !

I do have my doubts that the bracelet will be a perfect fit (mine fits the "big case" perfectly, but does not sit correctly on the 806), please let us know how this turns out, we are here to learn !

The first documented appearance of mesh bracelets on the 806/809 I know about were the 1963 Cosmonaute advertisements - but these had straight lug ends; though Breitling did use "case fit" mesh bracelets in the period the Navitimer was launched (well, it is only the SuperOcean Diver, so it might not be interesting to some Navitimer collectors ), documented in the launch ad from 1957 for the ref. 1004 and 807 SuperOceans, showing that combo; a ref. 807 chronograph with that bracelets sits in my bank safe - so they clearly existed on some models.

My 55 V72 says hello on one of the steel bracelets commonly offered as an option in that era maybe by Breitling dealers, not a Breitling bracelet but appropriate for that V72 era. Can't recall the brand since I now have the watch on leather and the bracelet is lying somewhere. Wondering how close we are in serials, mine is 8449**, yours?