The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hello everyone!

I have been looking for the right Breitling for some time now. I have finally narrowed down the one that I want, but I have a question. The Blackbird is my absolute favorite, mainly becasue of the braclet. I do not want to spend quite that much, so I decided on a used Headwind Chromometre Automatic A45355 pictured below. My problem, or question is I want this watch, but the band doesnt look the same as the watch in the 2nd picture below. How do I find the watch in the second picture? Does anyone know the item #? Any help would be appreciated and if anyone has one for sale, please let me know!

This is the band I do not want.



This one below is the finish and braclet that I really want. The band just looks different. I realize its brushed and not polished, but it still just looks different other than the finish.

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Breitling Blackbird BEB
Breitling Headwind
Rolex Platinum Yachtmaster M Serial

It seems like the bracelet should be brushed so the auction might be an exception with someone having polished it.... which means any you find for sale with the bracelet should be what you want.

Whether that's right or wrong, you're definitely making the right choice going brushed. If you could stretch the budget to get the BB it would be well worth it as it's exactly what I did. I've since changed to go bigger, but that watch is great... but the Headwind is no slouch either!


Looking at the pics again it really does look like the entire watch has been polished.

I was under the impression that the polished version was standard. Look at this video by B-Source's Admin. Every version of the watch I have seen in pictures looks like this. (I've never seen one in person, unfortunately.) The pictures above are the only ones I've seen showing a brushed finish with faceted links. I don't know how common that is, but I suspect not very; I'm guessing it's either a special edition or a custom job. If it's custom, that means someone repurposed the bracelet, perhaps from a Crosswind Special. Someone who knows the production details can probably provide better information, but I imagine finding a brushed/faceted version is going to require persistence and luck, or a bit of mixing and matching.

hmmm... he got the pics from here.

http://www.breitlingsource.com/watch_de ... er_49.html

I don't doubt you're right, I was just going by the link.

I know that, but who knows where B-Source got those pics. Unfortunately, the model pages here often do not distinguish between various editions of a given model, frequently combining them in a single model entry. I wouldn't take the presence of the pictures on the Headwind page to be an authoritative statement that such a version was a standard issue.

Edit - never mind. Next time I will enlarge the pic before I post.

The only one on bracelet I have seen in person is a solid gold one at my AD currently. It has the faceted bracelet. I don't know of a definitive answer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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SHARKMAN

Most likely my error, I take Breitling Source to be the word of God.

What was it a picture of?

I have looked over the top picture a couple of times, and I actually do think it is the same faceted bracelet. My black Headwind came with an aftermarket faceted polished bracelet, and the facets give it quite a different look. I seem to recall seeing brushed case and bracelet versions. Looking at my copy of the 2003 catalog, it looks like 1 of the models may have been brushed, but the picture quality is not great. I agree with jackson, though. Most of the ones I have seen, including mine, are polished with a br ush/polished bezel. it may take some time and diligence to find 1, but you won't regret it.

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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

Looks to me like reflections, not facets, but I guess that's a judgment call. Regardless, I think the takeaway from all of this is that, in order to save some money, the OP is taking on a significantly greater challenge in terms of finding the exact watch he wants. Not that the rewards wouldn't be great: the Headwind is awesome, and a brushed Headwind on a faceted Pilot would make it that much more awesomer. Then again, the BB is kick-ass, too - as long as we're not talking about that damn "Chronomat Blackbird" LE.

wow, thanks for all of the replys to far

excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is faceted?

here are some more pics if that helps.

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Breitling Blackbird BEB
Breitling Headwind
Rolex Platinum Yachtmaster M Serial

Faceted describes the bracelet that you want. It means that there are extra angle cuts/facets on the end of each bracelet link, instead of the rounded edges. That bracelet is harder to find.

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18k Rolex Datejust / Breitling Crosswind Special / Patek SS Nautilus / Bvlgari Diagono Chrono / Bvlgari Scuba / Omega Speedmaster Professional / 60s Omega Constellation

Boy, it is hard to tell if that has facets (angles at the end of each link rather than rounded), but I have a Pilot bracelet on now and doing my best to replicate the last image, I'd call the pictured one polished/faceted.

Here is polished/regular (not faceted) pilot bracelet -




EDIT - ooopps - missed the side view pics - absolutely a faceted pilot bracelet!

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SHARKMAN

Headwind was offered in both polished and brushed versions. I'm sure it's the same bracelet on both, just with different finishes. The BreitlingSource photo of the brushed version appears to be heavily retouched which may account for the different look. Not quite sure if that addresses your question.

Yep, I stand corrected. But...did the Headwind come standard on a faceted Pilot, or are those aftermarket additions? Evidently it came standard with both brushed and polished finishes, although if the ones I've seen for sale are any indication, the brushed ones are rarer.