The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hands have been replaced a while ago that's correct but I would assume that this and dail replacement would NOT class this watch as a Frankenwatch I hope ASSUMING ALL ELSE IS CORRECT I hope

EDITED- WORD NOT ASSUMING ETC ADDED

I don't think that anyone can say that when we have only seen the dial.

strange thread; you "hope it would make it a Frankenwatch" ????
exchanging hands and dial with authentic spares during a service does NOT classify a watch as Franken.

Thats funny I see now I meant NOT a Frankenwatch! I am typing at work with Mobile and got to type fast...maybe not a good idea. ..

Beat me to it. There is damage on the dial, or what appears to be so, from the snap provided. Could have needed some refurbishment work was carried out due to that, which may have necessitated the replacement of the hands.

_________________
Jim

"You have Control".

To the question of Franken or not, collectors who want everything period correct on a vintage watch might consider the watch as franken. Though to be fair, having incorrect/service hands is not as serious as a having a redone/service dial. But that sure impacts collectability. For example having wrong or later service hands on a 1st gen V72 806 Navitimer would be a huge problem since they are just not available in the secondary market, which would impact collectability hugely. Offcourse if period correct hands are easily available, then it's not that serious an issue to a collector.

we are not talking about collector preferences, San, but the definition of a Franken watch.

these are the correct hands for this model, the dial seems to be an original service dial - yes, it might reduce it's collectibility, but in no way makes it a Franken.

many current Breitlings have their hands and dials replaced during service by Breitling service centers - so by your definition the world is now full of FrankenBreitlings ?

It seems to be normal, that if a replacement dial is used, all hands were also replaced during the service. The lume on the replacement dial is yellow/light brown, the lume of hour and minute-hands is light green and still looks like new after years. Maybe the colors were not so different directly after the service.

The problem of having matching lume aspect is that lume is very sensible to ageing . The radium lume forbidden in the 60's was not stable in time , it gives a particular aspect to numbers on original Navi dials .
With the post radium luminova pastes , it is difficult to have matching colors btw dial and hands ? Some lume are turning yellow - light Brown and others are staying green .

Thank you all for your useful comments!

I have been collecting watches for many years but never had a Breitling, hence my questions..

I went for this one as I really like the way the lume has aged; it's clearly is old lume that has coloured nicely, hands and dail must have been replaced at some stage as otherwise I assume the lume would have been deteriorated over time and hands would have discolored/ lume would have gone just like on old Speedmasters..

Earlier I made a typo and meant to say NOT a Franken watch which made this post a bit weird ... , I was at work on Heathrow using my phone, and had to be on the ball with H & S regulations

IMO a Frankenwatch has parts from all sorts of different watches/ models/ years all put together;
This one was serviced back in the day, so dial and hands are not original, yet IMO it does not make it a Frankenwatch but yes, it does affect the value I would say as its not 100% original, not that it matters; I am not planning to sell it, it's a keeper for the moment..

Will post some more pics later, has the original strap and buckle etc...take care

Absolutely correct. I am not prepared to say whether this piece is franken or not because we have seen nothing but the dial, but to suggest that factory replacement parts make a watch franken is ludicrous. If that were true then every single modern Breitling would become a frankenwatch after its first service because the hands are replaced.

Hi Fred, Roff, I think the question to be asked is whether the watch hands are infact original to the watch and in the same style. If the service replacements are exactly similar to the original, I wouldn't consider them as franken. If however, they were not true to the originality of the watch I would consider them franken to the watch, even if they were put there by the modern Breitling, who we know doesn't know much about thier vintage heritage anyways to know whats original and not. Having said that I have seen that franken term used very loosely or very strictly by different collectors so is something I wouldn't sweat over. The thing I would sweat over is if the parts on a watch were period correct or not and how easy they were to source if they were not period correct making the watch either valuable or of lesser value to me.

clearly answered in my post above, San.

I have not commented on anything besides these "Franken" claims and disclaims, as we have not seen anything but dial and hands - no case, pushers, crown, caseback or movement, so I am not prepared to comment on the watch, but the combination of this dial and hands is correct and replacing these would not in any way make it a Frankenwatch.

I don't think anybody really said it was a Frankenwatch based on current/ dail/ and hands pic,,,it was just me initially making a typo, so all good! Only time will tell once I will post more pics incl movement etc,

So; I suggest for the time being we cannot asses if it is a Frankenwatch based on dail and hands , equally we have established that a dial and hands replacement doesn't necessarily classes a watch as a Frankenwatch Wish I never mentioned that word in my second post haha take care and again thanks for all your expert opinions, more pics next week!!
Cheers!

Yup, I feel your pain on the observation. Don't worry about it, we are all friendly here. I think you have sumed it up though. Replacement of hands does not mean its a Franken watch. It just means they have been replaced, no more, no less. As to period authenticity, one can only imagine what year the hands were made in, and to that, would it make any real difference anyway!

Bit like my Great Grandfather's authentic 1870s shovel. Its only had 9 new handles and 5 new blades in its time, other that that, its all original and authentic.

_________________
Jim

"You have Control".