The Breitling Watch Source Forums

If you're going to spend $2K, I'd check with ADs first to see what you can get new. You won't get a Chrono Superocean, but I guess it all depends on your preference with used or new.

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Justin
Please contact me via PM for the contact details for Govberg Jewelers
Govberg is an AD for over 50 fine Swiss and German watch brands.
Visit them on the web at http://www.govbergwatches.com or call 800-528-8463

Roff hit the nail on the head, Oris ovver the most bang for your buck out of any Swiss manufacturer I know of. Just make sure you absolutely like the watch and intend to keep it, as they are near imposible to sell second hand.

I would recomend getting a Seiko Diver for around 200USD, the nicer ones, for now and saving up the cash to get something really nice. Like a Breitling Chronomat in a year or two. That would be a watch you could live with for 20 years easy.

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Certified watch nut.

Great idea, thanks.

By the way, official Breitling website says that 99% watch that are sold over the net are fake. Is that over-hyped just to make people buy from dealers only? What do you think? Can something in mechanics be changed even if watch come with papers and matching serial on watch body?

That statement that 99% are fakes is indeed hugely over-hyped (although they do also say "or may be of dubious origin" which in their eyes means anything not sold to a customer from an AD). The fact is that a lot of well respected on-line dealers buy from the same people who supply AD's or in some cases from AD's themselves at knock-down trade rates. Obviously Breitling would like to scare people into buying from their AD network, and to be fair to them, buying from an AD is the only way to be 100% sure of a watches provenance.

However, as long as you do your research and are careful (i.e. you don't buy a watch with no pictures from a zero rated ebayer!) you can find plenty of genuine watches outside of the dealer network. That said, I'd always advise a newcomer to the brand to ALWAYS buy from an AD.

And either way the key is still to DO YOUR RESEARCH before you part with any cash! Learn about the fakes out there and what to look out for. Use forums like this to have prospective purchases checked by the fake experts. Ask questions both here and of sellers, ask for more pictures, etc. Any information is good information, as after all, no-one ever makes a mistake by having too much information.

On your last point - yes technically speaking a genuine watch could have something mechanically changed inside, but I think it'd be unlikely as you'd have to question what would be in it for the faker? Most people who buy fakes are only interested in the LOOK of a watch : basically fake buyers tend to be those of low self-esteem who are trying to buy an IMAGE without paying for it. Frankly most fake-buyer wouldn't care if their fake SA was powered by a mouse in a wheel as long as it LOOKED genuine on the outside. Therefore, that's what fake-makers make - watches that look real(ish) on the outside. I can't think of any particular reason why anyone would, for example, take a real watch and put a fake movement in it. Of course they may make a complete FAKE copy and give it a unique serial number (or a number that matches a set of genuine papers they may have), but that's not what you asked.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Thank you for being daft

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If you are absolutely set on spending $1100, Oris is indeed a good choice, but I think that Stowa Prodiver (used) or Seatime is one of the nicest quality watches for that money, and they hold their value nicely if you need to roll it over.

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