The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hello, I am new here and looking for advice on a new collection I am starting.

I am looking at a Sprint 2016 and worn only a few times (so I am told)

1. I asked to meet at a jeweler to confirm it is authentic. Anyway I can tell on my own?
2. Is 650 dollars a good deal?
3. Could I sell it fairly easy since I like to keep a rotating collection?

Also, not sure what new old stock is.

Here are a few photos of it.





Thanks

Let's start with New Old Stock......

When Breitling went bankrupt in the late 70s there were a lot of watches that were left lying around that never got sold. The vast majority were bought by Old World Jewelers in the US who have been selling them for the last several years as NOS (new old stock) - watches that are 30 years old but have never been sold. Old World has pretty much sold out now, but this looks like one of their pieces.

The piece is real, and the price is reasonable if not amazing, I would want to see a movement shot to be sure, but no reason to doubt it. You need to consider a service if the watch is to be used as the oils will have dried up (unless the person who bought it from Old World had the service done, in which case the price is very good). That will run you $200 or so.

The watch is fairly specialist appeal these days, especially with that colour, and the case is a plastic like resin that can become brittle with age reducing the practicality as a daily wearer - you will always be able to sell the watch on eBay of course but may take a bit of a financial hit on a quick sale.

It wasn't all that long ago when you could buy these for $450 nos and had your choice of colors. Now I think the last of the nos available are around $1200 last I checked. Used ones are usually in the $800-$1100 range. A good rule of thumb is that any brown dial Breitling will eventually bring more than the 'normal' colors. Might have something to do with least popular color during production which translates into 'rare' later on.

Seller states it just went to get checked out and did not need oils or anything. He is willing to meet at a Jeweler.

Not sure I am crazy about the plastic case. I like heavier watches.

Unless it has had a recent service that is absolute rubbish.

The watch has been sitting unused for 30 years - modern watch oils breakdown in 5 - 7 years so that thing will be dry as a bone. I'm also not sure what visual check will determine whether it needs lubricating

The original Breitling firm led by Willy Breitling did not go bankrupt, it just closed in December 1978. It may not have been making many profits at the time, but it was still solvent. The existing inventory was divided between two children and the one half of that inventory was bought by Ron Geweniger around 1998 or so (his Old World Jewelers website has the story linked there). So, there is another half of that inventory still out there, but the last time I talked to Ron, which was several years ago, he was unlikely to acquire it.

That strap on the Sprint you are showing was made up by Ron to put on the watches he acquired, which were just in trays of a dozen each - quite a sight! I recall that when he first put these on the market, all colors were $450 and the orange sold out first. If I can remember correctly, they were around $650 for a while and the last ones have been $1250 for the past few years. They are light and good quality. It's hard to tell that they have a fiberglass case, since you look down at a steel bezel. Like other Sprints, you have to have good eyes to read the minute sub-registers.

Very cool info.
Sounds like these will go up or maintain as time goes on.

Anyone know how many of each that Ron bought? I know people say some of the colors are more rare? I personally love the blues..

Also, to me, I think it is really cool that you can get a new watch made in the 70s is very unique.

If I recall correctly, he only had a few of the orange and I don't think he had any of the green. The orange ones went fast. I agree that the blue ones look the sharpest. I have a feeling that he had more of the blue ones, and I now see that he still has both the blue and brown on sale for $1295. [ewatchshow]

In terms of color changes, the cases that have been out of captivity for a long time take on a greenish hue. The new ones are a putty gray color. I suspect exposure to the sun discolors the original case. Is it really fiberglass?

No, it's not fiberglass, it's 'fiberglass like'. It's actually a resin that was injected into the moulds and hardens to a substance that has that plastic / fiberglass feel.

Sounds like the same crap they used in my Montblanc pen. They had a pretty snazzy word for it that just meant plastic.

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-RJ