The Breitling Watch Source Forums

My dad recently left me a 1959-ish Navitimer 806 with a Venus 178 movement imported by Wakmann (stamped WOG). Serial number is 9108XX and I count 93 rice grains. I wound it a fraction of a turn and it's kept time since with the stopwatch function and the leftmost subdial moving normally. No box, no papers, no lizard strap unfortunately, and it's seen better days as noted in the attached picture, but I'd definitely like to get it cleaned up, lubricated and wearable. I am in the Houston area, but happy to send it off in order that it get the attention it deserves, but I have no clue who would best do this, or whether some of it's blemishes are even correctable. Perhaps it's better to allow it to show it's age? Appreciate all guidance and commentary.

Kosmo42

Hi Kosmo42,

No picture.

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Jim

"You have Control".

Don't see a picture, but member chronodeco (Craig) is universally recommended for servicing - amazing quality, even better value. If the watch is in reasonable cosmetic shape then the advice will be to leave it be, likely a new crystal will make the dial look much better.

Welcome to BreitlingSource.

I should think "widely" better than "universally."

Thank you for the picture. I think this has the makings of a good project. Vexed question on leaving it as it is, or undertaking a refurbishment. The strategy of "As much as necessary, as little as possible" comes to mind.

_________________
Jim

"You have Control".

Difficult to see how much of that is the crystal and how much is the dial, I suspect that it will look considerably better with a new crystal.

When you put a new crystal in it you're really going to want to do something about the dial. I love originality (patina) but only when it doesn't significantly distract from the appearance of the piece. I think I'd be looking for a replacement dial if it was mine.

To patina or not to patina? I was hoping the dial would clean up a little better than this (attached), but it's kind of growing on me. The watch is still vacationing on the banks of the Columbia River, and though I don't have a newer dial in hand, I am curious about folks' opinion of how much of this sort of damage is tolerable and when it "distracts from the appearance of the piece".
BTW, the slide rule is in worse shape than the dial, so it might be more deserving of just a ring job.

I think I would just have Craig service it and install a new crystal. I would leave everything else cosmetically original. Don't do the hands either as they'll distract from the overall aged appearance. You can then wear it and decide whether you want to look for replacement parts or not.

What i would do , and i have a similar watch with craig right now but i have a replacement dial that looks only a little better than the dial shown above :

Get a replacement sliderule ring from SA on ebay
Let craig do the hands , repaint them off white (ford mustang white) and relume with a lightish colour like whats in there now (coffee creamish)
New plexi

And wear it

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