The Breitling Watch Source Forums

As long as you like it that is all that matters. I don't hate it but don't ever see on on my wrist either. I like the shape, pushers, big date complication and romans...but the center part with the diamond look or whatever it is called just does not do it for me. Good luck with the hunt, but like others have said I think this is one case where gray market makes sense over buying at an AD with a decent discount.

I saw some new flying Bs at Kirk Freeport in Grand Cayman a few months back, I'm guessing they were the same ones I saw there last year when I was there. They're a rather large AD so you could try them, but I wouldn't expect much discount.

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Justin
Please contact me via PM for the contact details for Govberg Jewelers
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Wouldn't the serial number of the watch also "out" the AD?

It would if BUSA decided to delve into it, but since there is no warranty, any any repairs sent it to BUSA would be paid out of pocket so they really wouldnt look into the watch's paper trail.

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-RJ

BUSA also only has access to US distributor records. They won't have records for watches bought elsewhere in the world and while you could argue that the vast majority of grey market watches come fron non US ADs it's also true that the vast majority of non US watches are sold by ADs - if you see what I mean.

I could see a situation where a watch being sold on the grey market may have been manufactured a year ago. Someone buys the watch on the grey market and for whatever reason it needs servicing...

Don't you think Breitling would wonder why this watch - that should be under warranty - isn't?

Obviously if the grey market watch was manufactured 5 years ago this wouldn't be an issue....

So this leads me to a question - are most grey market watches NOS? Or will an AD who sells to the grey market sell newly acquired watches if needed?

New models are regularly available through gray market, so I know they are not all NOS. As for whether other models are, I dont know. I think generally speaking though, youll end up with a relatively current, new watch.

Good question about the service though. I dont know the answer to that. Id imagine that they dont get too many in like that though, since the vast majority of owners will be utilizing the in-house warranty provided by the gray market dealer.

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-RJ

(Sorry, learning all the time - what's 'NOS'?)

New old stock. Basically an older watch that has been sitting around. It is still brand new, just not fresh from the factory. We generally use the term for discontinued models, although I guess you can use it for a watch with an older manufacture date as well. Sometimes a dealer will have an old model like the B-1 in stock, brand new, even though its been discontinued for many years now.

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-RJ

Gotcha - thanks RJ3.