The Breitling Watch Source Forums

As I was reflecting here a couple weeks ago on an eventful year watch nuttiness, I took a quick and blurry photo of what I had right then, and I wasn't satisfied:





Not the complete collection, as the Headwind was in for service but still, I thought I was missing something. After about a week of thinking about it, I decided I wasn't bonding with the Sinn, was going to sell it, and didn't know what I wanted to replace it. I stopped by the local AD and there sat a really sharp Transocean Chrono LE, pre-owned, at a really good price. Different look from what I had. My salesperson was out, so I called a couple days later, and said I'd try to find a moment to come by and have a look at it. I found a free moment and decided to go, but then thought also about my long-time independent watch guy. He'd taken in some interesting pieces lately, including the Navi Fighters I now own. Before I got serious about the Transocean, I decided to stop by first.

We've known each other a long time, so we talked a little while about what I thought was missing in my collection. He is primarily a Rolex guy but gets in a lot of different brands and models. In fact, he got the Fighters on the day I went to him to get the bracelet sized on the Sinn. For some reason I was back to make sure lightning wouldn't strike twice. Anything I needed to see before I went to look at the Transocean?

Nothing specific, he said, but if I wanted to go a little nuts he had just taken in two APs. I tried one on a couple years ago, didn't do anything for me but maybe that had to do with the price tag. So, he pulled them out. First one, he told me a little small for me, little older, smaller model at 36 mm but it did have power reserve and an inner dial GMT:



(He still has this one. If anybody is interested I can give you contact info.)


Nice, but probably too small for my 7 3/4 inch wrist. Then he pulled out the one he said might interest me:



He was right. I Took this photo to compare because if I was interested, the extra coin would require selling both the Sinn and My Rolex Yachtmaster, the one I just bought from him three months before and was still enjoying to the fullest.

I stopped searching then to think about things. The AP I had tried on didn't look or feel like this. Because that one didn't interest me I lost interest in the brand, and frankly, the price was high to begin with. Then I started studying and figured out I tried a different model, the 15300, with a thicker case, bezel and overall different proportion. This one, while just a few years old, is the original Royal Oak Jumbo, model 15202, put together just as God and Gerald Genta had envisioned. It seemed like a completely different watch. The exhibition back and gorgeous movement didn't hurt:




Then I noticed the logo-shaped folding clasp mechanism:





Uh oh....
So I went back in wearing the Yacht. Doug, my dealer, has a love for all watches but he is clearly attached to Rolex above the others. He swears by their durability. He and I looked at both of the pieces, looked at each other, and we both shook our heads--there was no comparison. That AP was a stunner.

Okay, so now I'd have to sell both the Sinn and the AP, and sales tax at this price was steep. At that point, Doug offered that he thought he could find a home for the Yacht pretty quickly, and offered to take it back in trade, at about what I paid for it, to save sales tax. At that point, only one to sell. That pretty much did it.

So, I sold the Sinn, finished the trade today, and now the collection looks like this:









I would have loved to have had that TO, but this to me is a bit more special.

I'll still need a blue watch of some sort again, but I'm as happy with my collection now as I have been at any time, and my watch fund is blown to smithereens. The Breguet I had I described as a supermodel of sorts, but like one wrong tuck, it had a problem--the brownish dial color, which is why nobody here has one now, so far as I know. I can't honestly say I like that many other APs, but this one, its super-thin JLC-sourced movement beautifully decorated, with gorgeous dial and hand-brushed surfaces blends simplicity and elegance together for me in a color that goes with anything. I am officially tired of calling something a keeper and then selling or trading it, but maybe, just maybe this is one. At the very least, it's the most elegant piece of metal I have ever strapped on my wrist.

And so, my four-watch winder has room. I'll put in my vintage Accutron maybe and watch it spin, just for laughs.

The adventure continues....

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Scott

AP Royal Oak 15400, silver
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Classic Cars
Vintage gold Corum
Rolex DJ 36 TT, oyster dial, oyster/smooth
Baume & Mercier Riviera 200m, silver dial/aquamarine bezel
Breitling Superocean 57, rose/stainless

Grats on the pickup, wear it in good health!

Congrats Scott. I officially hate you now.


And you are so right about the Breguet - if the dial had been truly charcoal, I would have been completely happy with that one as a one watch collection.

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SHARKMAN

very nice Scott! love your stories BTW... shows how much passion you have for this crazy hobby... as for the watch... that clasp is a very nice detail... just saw it the first time today... didn't know AP had such creativity. and that movement is a stunner... love the skeletonized rotor. Hope you enjoy this one for awhile!

As for a blue dial watch, I'm sort of at the crossroads myself with that one... I have one currently but I'm contemplating whether I should do an upgrade. a blue dial is a must for any collection IMHO.

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

Wow, that is a beautiful movement. Congratulations on the find. Now that you own one from the big three, what's next: Patek or VC?

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David
Je suis désole pour mon mauvais français.

Zenith Pilot Big Date; IWC Vintage Collection Aquatimer; IWC Portuguese 7-day

Congratulations!

Mr. Genta's designs have seen a bit of an uptick on here this week

When the next shake-up happens, I call dibs on the Headwind.

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SHARKMAN

Is there such a thing as "sloppy seconds" here? But congrats Scott and wear it in good health.

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An ever changing collection.....

I love that clasp. There's something really cool about a detail that will really only ever be seen by the owner. Kind of a private thing.

All The RO bracelets are that way, including the leather deploys.

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SHARKMAN

Very nice addition that rounds out a stellar collection. I am officially jealous

That Sinn was a nice watch. Not certain why I didn't connect completely with it. Maybe i needed contrasting subdials. After reading Carl Hauss' piece here on the Speedmaster I searched a little and discovered the Speedmaster Gemini 4 LE, blue with white subdials. I'd like to see one of those in the metal.



I can barely afford one of the big three. No idea where I go next, or when, since I need to back off of big purchases for a while. There's a blue dial out there somewhere, might go cheaper on that one. I'd still like to get a Reverso someday, and since I got on this crazy train, I have never been without a Rolex for long. Now it's time (he repeats to himself) to enjoy the collection, enjoy the collection...



I initially missed it, I was so mesmerized by looking at the movement that I didn't notice though I noted to myself 'that's an unusual clasp design.' After I left the shop and seached pictures and realized what the clasp was, I was incredibly jazzed, to the point I took a special trip make sure. I read that all the newer models have it but older ones did not, how much older I don't know. The older AP he has does not have the clasp.

Details like that just put me over the edge. Maybe it goes back to the fact that you buy these only in relatively small part because they happen to keep time--we all know how accurate quartzes are. It's the design, the detail, the care and craftsmanship. It's a wonderful thing when the simple act of putting the watch on your wrist is special.

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Scott

AP Royal Oak 15400, silver
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Classic Cars
Vintage gold Corum
Rolex DJ 36 TT, oyster dial, oyster/smooth
Baume & Mercier Riviera 200m, silver dial/aquamarine bezel
Breitling Superocean 57, rose/stainless

My new favourite clasp. I didn't actually know i had a favourite clasp, but i do now!

wow congrats scott. love that AP!