The Breitling Watch Source Forums

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BREITLING-NAVIT ... 19d6dd3818



interesting "bead of rice" bezel, nice dial though - relume ?

Doesn't look like a relume to me. The last one I saw on eBay that was relumed by Mark had a white lume that one could clearly tell was a relume and was advertised as such. But I do know watchmakers can now use a vintage look lume too.

I don't think that lume is original, dial's very nice though.

dial is very nice, but I also doubt the lume is original, maybe Kurt will chime in.

hard to believe Mark Heist would produce such a hermaphrodite, bezel seems fabbed ?

Looking at it now thru" my desktop rather than the iphone it def looks way different and more like a relume though I must say is very nicely done. The fat bezel insert too is wrong for that dial I guess. Looks like the dial is an early AOPA with the shrugged wing tips?

The ad has been revised to say "Note bezel was custom milled by Mark Heist." That would explain the strange look but not why he would do that. Imo the cost, time, and energy of fabricating the bezel wasn't really worth it and will probably deter anyone from buying it unless they have a correct spare on hand. Would love to see the receipt for the work done as I bet it was pretty high.

well, it is not the first example of Heist work that seems a bit hmmmm......
am sure it cost a fortune - the lume job though is outstanding !

And, of course, the watch is compromised.

If Mark was sent a watch without a bezel, he would list as an option the adaptation of a substitute for the original. It's up to the owner to decide whether that is a reasonable solution for the restoration. I think we all agree that finding a replacement circa 1960 bezel would be borderline futile.

Horological Services guarantees the work and I find their charges to be very reasonable, especially for the high quality standard of their work.

Have no personal experience w/ Mark Heist, so I should take back what I said - pricing info I have is all hearsay -
and I never saw the before/after of a Heist restauration to say anything relevant whether it was expensive or reasonable.

better now ?

Better, but still relumed dial, wrong subdail hands & sliderule.

/ Kurt B

I know that, Kurt

It now is an example of an "as new" restauration, not a "collector's item";
quite similar to what Breitling Switzerland themselves are doing with
such pieces (well, better actually, Heist's case refinishing is
really impressive, as is the dial work).

Not more, not less.

I could live with that.

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