The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hello, great site I have been lurking for a while. Leraning what I can. Don't own a Breitling YET! But if all goes well I soon will. For a long time I have loved watches, but never had the $$$ to buy a really nice watch. About 15 years ago I almost pulled the trigger on a nice TAG while on a long weekend in Chicago. I often regret not buying that watch as I rationalize that over the years it would have been pennies per day. Still I am wrestling with a high dollar purchase for something that tells time like my cell phone can do. I know I know it is a lot more than a time peice. The Breitling watches seem to be in a whole different leage than the TAG.

I think I am the right sort of person for a nice watch as I have petty high end taste in audio equipment, bicycles, beer and food. I feel like I have the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other saying. "Really, you are going to spend that on a watch? there is so many more reasonable things you could do with your money" while the other is saying "You can't take it with you, you will have it forever and you have always wanted a nice watch"

So how do you all wrestle with this, or do you at all?

I am about 95% sold on a SuperOcean SteelFish with bue dial and both a steel braclet and pro diver 2 with deployment buckel. Talk about senless spending how about the cost of that DBuckel? Still I want one

After reading and looking a bit I can already see how this could be addictive. Don't have the SteelFish on my wrist yet and already have a saved search on ebay so I can have my 2nd 'Ling'. I just LOVE the SuperOcean with a coral dial. Not a practical daily driver, but I simply must have one.

So any buying advice? I visited my local AD and they are working me up a price. Should I for sure go new on my first one? Is there any up/down side to variations in years if buying used say like the arrow second hand versus the "box" pointer for lack of knowing terms? Are fakes pretty prevelant of if you find a decent seller with good feed back and all boxes/papers can you be pretty sure it is authentic?

Is an genuine Breitling rubber strap and deployment the way to go or are there some decent aftermarket bands/buckels out there?

Sorry for the long first post, but I am pretty fired up about this and just want to be sure I am doing the right thing.

All the best, Rich

Those arent expensive enough to worry about getting one used. a knew one on rubber will be like 2300, whats a used one gonna be? 2k. for small money difference, buy new.

A great choice and a great amount of watch for the price! As for the depoylment for the rubber strap - it is a NECESSITY! Adjustable and comfortable. GET IT!.

I have the blue dial and my 2 wearing choices are the OR(or DPII rubber)/deploy and bracelet. It's hard to do much better than that for bang for your buck, even if it seems like a lot of money. The Steelfish is my "best buy" of the entire Breitling lineup. Not even a close call.

And as FEAR said, the price after a good AD discount makes buying used not so great for this model. Higer end pieces are different. BTW - I happen to know if you PM FEAR you can get hooked up with the enite rig through Provident Jewelers at a really good discount and no sales tax (unless you live in Florida). I have doen this 3 times with ZERO regrets!!
Oh yeah, welcome

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SHARKMAN

You could not make a better choice for your first Breitling than the Steelfish IMO.
I definitely would buy my first from an AD and not used. The Steelfish has one of the best replicas out there and it would be very easy to get burned.

Thanks for the quick replies. I was leaning toward new for my first just because my gut says so. There are only two ADs in my area (Baltimore, MD) stopped by one on a whim so maybe I am shopping at the wrong place. What should I expect to pay? First I was a bit surprised that everying was priced by itself. Since they only had black face we did not talk price but the price on the tag were roughly IIRC this:

Head 2,500
Steel Band 500
D 2 rubber 165
Deployment clasp 600...this simply blew my mind, can it be right?

What could I expect for a discount since they have to order it and know they have a live one on the hook since I am asking them about order time lag and not the least interested in the black face?

BTW, guess I have a lot to learn $2+K seems like a lot for a watch at this point in my new obsession. 2K does not seem like a lot for a turn table (record player) or a bike frame but I got sticker shock looking at the Blackbird. Nice watch BTW.

I am currently looking at a Citizen Eco Drive Skyhawk on my wrist (go easy on my it was a gift). No idea what they sell for new but a few hundred used at best probably much less. So that is my frame of reference other than multiple Timex Ironmans (gasp) and that $1,800 TAG I lusted after back when I had a full head of hair.

Give me a ball park on what I should look for and expect pay for the SO coral faced gem. I can't get it out of my head. I know they don't make them any more. Pretty leary about ebay any good suggestions for used ones online?

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Welcome to BreitlingSource!

My first B was a silver Steelfish, great watch, was a little big and heavy for me so I've since replaced it with a SO (coral) and Colt GMT (blue). I love the blue dial on my GMT - which I think is pretty much the same blue on the SF.

Also recommend going new at an AD if you can, nothing like a brand new, clean piece for your first Breitling

Good Luck!

(ps - picked this one up NOS last fall, may be hard to find NOS but used ones do come up now and then)




Original retail was slightly less than the SF I believe.

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Chrono Jetstream
Montbrilliant 1903
Aerospace E79362

Contact one of the forum sponsor ADs and you should be able to get 25% discount - jnelson3097 can hook you up with George at Govbergs and FEAR can hook you up with Provident.

You can safely buy on eBay, just check the auction with us in the replica section first and you won't go wrong. Also look at the sales sections of the watch sites - here obviously plus TimeZone and WatchUSeek. Also look at Chrono24, most are European but there are a lot of US pieces there as well.

By all accounts the deployant clasp is a thing of beauty and really a must have if you go with a rubber strap.

Don't be ashamed of your watches! We all have to start somewhere.

As for the money, the only person who can tell you how to spend your money is you! You just need to be comfortable with your purchase and the Steelfish is a helluva a watch. You won't be getting a clunker if you decide to go with it. As the others have said, for your first watch it might be best to go with an AD just for peace of mind.

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“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.” - Albert Einstein

Check your PM's.

Got a few PMs and you guys are really helping out a lot. I was excited before....but now I think it is only a matter of when not if. And it sounds like pirces might be going up. I would just like to clear up a few things on the clasp. Please bare with me. I for sure know what a tang buckle is so that is out.

1) The clasp on the steel braclet is NOT the deployment clasp, right?
2) AD is referring to the rubber strap with FOLDING clasp and retail price is $410. I don't recall talk or reading of a folding clasp on a rubber strap. Do you think at that price and combination it is in fact the deployment clasp and AD just misspoke?
3) Would a leather strap with folding clasp be the same as what is found on the steel braclet?

I think the confusion lies in what is a folding clasp (steel braclet and leather I think???) and deployment buckel and the initial conversation I had with the sales person on the deployment clasp alone being ~$600...pretty sure that was totally wrong.

If it is possible to get the rubber strap in either folding or deplyment the deployment is well worth the extra $$$, right?

1) Bracelet clasp is deployant style, but not the same as on the rubber, which in turn is different from the leather.

2) Deployant / deployment / folding clasp is the same thing

3) See 1


I don't recall what the price is for the rubber deployant, but someone will know.

I'll give this a try, someone else can correct if I'm missing something.

1) right, steel bracelet has it's own 'folding clasp' , you have no choice (total $500 for SF bracelet).
2)retail of $410 is for rubber strap with deployant clasp (comes on ocean racer rubber or diver pro II rubber); other choice is diver pro II with tang buckle ($110)
3)No, leather strap with deployant (or folding clasp) is another clasp design unique to leather strap

To reiterate your last statement - rubber strap comes in deployant (which is a folding clasp) or tang buckle (diver pro II only).

I don't have pictures, this would help clear things up. Maybe someone can provide pics to help explain.

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Chrono Jetstream
Montbrilliant 1903
Aerospace E79362

Getting much closer

I found these, good way to clear up deployment/deployant vs folding






And since we cleaed up that there is only one on the steel and it is different....but I know what/how they look function.

Thanks so much to all. Guessing within the next few times I type I will have a new watch. Fingers crossed and a big smile on my end.

ahhhh, to be the new guy in the luxury watch owning community..... I remember those days. You wont be able to wipe that stupid smile off your face or stop staring at your watch. Soon you will give in to the urge and be thinking about that second watch and then the third and so on and so on.... It becomes rediculous at times. My web browsing seems to dedicate at lease 30-40% geared towards watches. Welcome to the madness!

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Breitling Steelfish(black)
Breitling Steelfish(silver)
Panerai PAM 312
Bell & Ross BR03-92 Phantom
Steinhart BreitlingSource LE #5/15

Welcome to the forum! As already mentioned, you can't go wrong with a Steelfish. A black-dialed Steelfish on Ocean Racer is my go-to watch and still my favorite combination. Your AD is quoting you list price - as mentioned above, contact jnelson, he will help you get a better deal.

Good luck with the purchase, enjoy your new obsession!

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NRA Life Member
NJKCA Honorary Member
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Chrono Avenger, Grey Dial, Pro II
Steelfish, Black Dial, Ocean Racer
Super Avenger, White Dial, Pro II
Casio GWG-1000-1A3 Mudmaster
Sinn UX