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Question About Rare Vintage Navitimer On Ebay
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Author:  Vintbreit [ Wed Jun 19, 2019 6:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Question About Rare Vintage Navitimer On Ebay

You folks now have me thinking more about Breitlings than ever before and I’m trying to learn here. I noticed ebay item 202705582155 is listed as a rare model Navitimer and is over $10K. Could someone date this watch? It looks like the earliest model to me but the dial and hands don't look quite right to me.

Author:  buddman [ Wed Jun 19, 2019 10:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question About Rare Vintage Navitimer On Ebay

It’s got a 1953 serial number, and indeed is a very early one, without the ref 806 stamp on the back. Generally accepted that the watch was introduced in 1954. Cracking looking watch. Hands indeed are “wrong” - they should be silvered like your pre-806 has, not white. Dial looks ok though. What about the dial caught your attention?

Author:  arcadelt [ Thu Jun 20, 2019 12:38 am ]
Post subject:  Question About Rare Vintage Navitimer On Ebay

Bezel is wrong for a 1953 serial number because it has 93 beads. Also, some of the lug bevels are not razor sharp like I have seen on some, which is either due to natural wear or some polishing.

Author:  WatchFred [ Thu Jun 20, 2019 1:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question About Rare Vintage Navitimer On Ebay

serial 839210 is correct for the first (documented) production batch in July 1954.

bezel is clearly wrong, as are the painted hands; dial logo also from a 1955 batch, but could be a later assembly (still noteworthy).

Author:  buddman [ Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question About Rare Vintage Navitimer On Ebay

arcadelt wrote:
Bezel is wrong for a 1953 serial number because it has 93 beads. Also, some of the lug bevels are not razor sharp like I have seen on some, which is either due to natural wear or some polishing.


Good bead spotting. :D

Author:  Vintbreit [ Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question About Rare Vintage Navitimer On Ebay

The dial looked correct but lacked the patina or warmth of mine and Kurt’s Navitimer. It looks like the ebay Nav dial has possibly been polished or cleaned to remove the patina. Just like taking the patina off an old piece of silver. And unless the watch was sealed from the atmosphere or stored in an oxygen depleted area, I would think a patina would be present.

And thanks for pointing out the wrong bezel. Something was bothering me about the bezel but I couldn’t place it. The beading did not look "crisp".

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