The Breitling Watch Source Forums

HI everyone, I am a new member of the forum

I'd like to know some news about my Navitimer ref 1806 Cal. 11, which has the original dial, bezel, case, back and crown, but shows the anomalies that I have never found on the web, the only watch similar like this one is the Pre-series version of "68" .
First, the clock has a very low serial number: 1254xxx, which should already be thinking about an earlier version of the pre-series (more than 1255xxx), the bezel is totally black, black is the color of the date, has the hands of the typical pre-series "open window" white / black, but two things are not normal:
1) the written "CHRONOMATIC" in Navitimer model (not CHRONO-MATIC) . I have seen a identic in co-pilot Pre serie 1968 (left on photo).
2) the date of the window frame that is thin chrome (like Navitimer prototip or another watch like "Heuer" Monaco 1133" or Autavia Viceroy 1163 )
I would like to know if you know of news about this model .
Thanks

In the office so don't have any references to hand, but it looks to me like a pre-serie piece. There were some inconsistencies between those pieces, and as you note this has an early serial number so may show some preliminary design cues.

thanks
I also think it's a pre production model shortly before the pre-series.
For example, as can be seen that the date window is mounted is too bulky and covers the line indices of the seconds (for very bulky andcomplicated dial), probably first to produce the pre-series for Breitling Navitimer was changed in the smaller (in the models "Heuer" did not give this problem, the small dial did not givr problems, I think.)
Heuer produced normally this window , and also appeared the written "CHRONOMATIC" I first production of 1133 Monaco models

This is an answer from director of Israelian Breitling Museum :

"Its is pre series of the chronomatic
From 1968
The serial number point 1968
The word should be chrono-matic and not chronomatic you notice that!!
the color of the date is correct black
Its not a fake – more like an improve or dial fix ,or mistake (mistake were made in some dials models)
I Don’t have more info !!
Regards "

Chrono-matic in the description. Chronomatic on the dial. From the 1969 catalogue.

Thank you very much "Yaffle"
The script can be then "Chronomatic" , ok, even though the rarity that is not seen in other Navitimer 1806 and the "time window" chrome frame border.
About this, have you ever seen, apart from the prototypes, Breitling models with Caliber 11 with this type of window data ?

I had not noticed that difference in the date window overlapping the innermost chapter.

I'm holding 1251995 and it matches your watch (well, except someone has slathered the minute and hour hands with green luminous paint). It's also interesting to note that the only difference I can spot with the 1969 catalog image is that we have a red minute totalizer hand instead of two black small hands in the catalog image. I see all the other large-format chronographs seem to have the two colors, too.

I also think that both of our watches are from 1969, the first year of production for caliber 11. I don't believe in a "pre-series." I think the the cases were prepared in advance of the movement being ready, which wasn't until 1969. Gosh. When has a production schedule ever been delayed?

Hi Bill
I do not agree, I do not think that there are no pre-series models.
The evidence is clear from numerous forums and the opinion of many experts that there are prototypes and pre-series, in fact there is a table breitling official serial numbers and date of production.
You can see the table on "navitimer.net" (my watch have n serie 1254xxx) and an article about pre-serie.
year 1968 serial n from 1204582 to 1262904
year 1969 serial n from 1262905 to 1337825

Regards

While it appears there were a small handful of prototypes, I'm afraid I think it will be impossible to ascertain that yours is from that batch.
Over the years I have seen a lot of NOS cases for the chronomatics offered for sale, many with early serial numbers.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BREITLING-CHRONO- ... 19c06a76a6

132xxx makes this 1969

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Breitling-Chronom ... 3359b4aa08

130xxx also 1969

for some reason there seems to be a lot of NOS cases with these early serial numbers around. The same with NOS dials for many of the different chronomatic styles.

I am not for a minute saying that there is anything wrong with your watch, please don't take it the wrong way. All I am saying is that there have been too many examples of early numbered chrono-matics to be able to assume that they are pre-release versions IMHO.

Also the Chronosport catalogue - which I have - which is actually dated to 1972, shows a picture of a a one word badged chronomatic. This picture is different to the 1969 catalogue and to my eye looks like it was taken from an actual model by the distributor for this brochure. So we can assume that these early models were still being sold as late as then.
http://www.onthedash.com/Guide/_Catalog ... ow=P26.jpg

Thanks Bill you're a great observer!
I posted this request for more information on work already undertaken in the web so I would be stupid if I offended!
I think after the various documents can assert that there are prototypes and also the pre-series, I can not tell if my watch is one of these, however that the 1968 course, it made on 1968 is a certainty.

all serial numbers that you mark
(http://cgi. ebay.co.uk/BREITLING-CHRONO- 19c06a76a6 ...

Makes this 132xxx 1969

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Breitling-Chronom ... 3359b4aa08

Also 130xxx 1969)

all are dated to the end of 1969, the numbers below 1262904 was made on 1968 "Breitling documentation".
Likely that mine is not pre-prototype but probably Pre-serie.
The watch in the 1969 catalog reassures us of the production after 69 but not earlier, this is probably the fault, the pre-production dated 1968, this is a prototype not a the PRE-SERIE !
Thanks anyway for your answer carefully and very interesting.

Just resurrecting this old chestnut......

1251601 is currently on eBay with lots of the details discussed in this thread for a pre-series - http://www.ebay.ca/itm/VINTAGE-1967-BRE ... 336a605dea

Obviously 1968 serial rather than the 1967 that the seller claims, but just another data point for the discussion.

Having had a few months to think about serials and observe, I'm more than ever convinced that all serial numbers on Breitling cases refer to the year that the cases were ordered from the case supplier, and not when a watch was finished and sent out for retail. The watches were issued in serial and it is easy to account for changes in hands, dials, bezels, etc. over time, but not all dated to the year the case was manufactured. I think this holds for all serials since 1944.

I think it is very wrong to refer to the table of yearly serial numbers we use as "official" or from the original Breitling company. It may be from original company documentation, but I don't know the source and particularly whether it a compilation of when cases were ordered or watches delivered. Do we know where it comes from?

I agree Bill... the same thing applies to Rolex... many lists out there for production serial numbers but it's not "official"... just a gauge compiled by collectors over the years... of course approximate, but never for sure...

_________________
"I don't got the bright watch I got the right watch" -Jay Z