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PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 11:54 pm 
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Too bad About this experience Stonearni. Thanks for taking the time to share. Post some pics...

Back to the thread topic..
After reviewing the Dragon's Magic Spreadsheet (which is awesome, thank you for this René!!), it appears as though my curiosities are confirmed in that the Bridge markings in the original post (two lines straight across bridge) are normally only found in twin jet Navitimers 1965 and later. The vast majority of earlier Venus 178 806s has "Seventeen Jewels" on the bridge itself.

So the question that remains, is how does one apply this information? In the spreadsheet there is one outlier, a 62 or 63 Navitimer (can't read spreadsheet on my phone so not sure which year) that has the "two line straight" bridge. The link did not work so was not able to judge reliability of this piece. In my original post is also this later bridge in an 806 which serial dates it to early 63. A quick online search yielded the below piece from the infamous ebay seller, showing this later bridge on an earlier all-black breitling signed dial from '62.

If I were to spot this bridge on a Navitimer from 1959, say, I would jump to the conclusion that the bridge is not original to the watch or worse, a later movement was dropped in the older case. I am no watchmaker but I don't see why a bridge would be replaced regularly in service... (Is this incorrect?) Perhaps I am just paranoid (well... I know I'm paranoid).

If we see this bridge on a 63 Navitimer, I'm not quick to jump to the same conclusion, but what is the possible explanation? Why would a newer bridge find its way into an older watch 2 years before it became common? Were they replaced by Breitling during a service in the late 60s? Would any of you more discerning collectors care about this detail?

Thoughts?

Cheers for reading my latest novel

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PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 12:35 am 
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most if not all of the watches of that "infamous ebay (non-)seller" are frankenized "put together" pieces, called in German "Basteluhren" or DIY-watches, don't even look at them as a reference source.

The B collector's market is just slowly starting to notice these fine details, thanks to people like Kurt Broendum and René the Dragon, maybe in some years we will be as paranoid as the Speedy or Rolex collectors are and quintuple the price of a Paul Newman because it shows 'Rolex Cosmograph Oyster' instead of 'Rolex Oyster Cosmograph' on dial like most others (to a cool $750k or more).

I'll go through my data next week and add some more examples, do we want to restrict this to 178s used in Navitimers or overall ?


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 1:18 am 
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[quote="Eric_navi"] I am no watchmaker but I don't see why a bridge would be replaced regularly in service... (Is this incorrect?) Perhaps I am just paranoid (well... I know I'm paranoid).

Why would a newer bridge find its way into an older watch 2 years before it became common?

I'm a hobbyist "watchmaker" myself. Sometimes the jewels on a bridge have so much wear or damage that they need to be replaced. Often in a vintage movement the jewels might be fine but the vertical margin is such that the wheels begin to "wobble". The movement loses lots of amplitude and can even stop sometimes.
If you don't have the expertise or equipment to fix this or you simply don't want to, it's easier to just replace the whole bridge. I've done it myself although on less expensive movements that are not timeperiod sensitive and are perfectly similar.
For someone who just wants his watch to run great this would be an acceptable sacrifice. For collectors who want everything to be 100% original, it's a nightmare :)

Melvin


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 1:35 am 
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Here's one of mine , very early 64
I have no reason to doubt this piece or its markings

This one is not on the list as i didnt update it since 2012

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PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 8:13 am 
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Vintage1982 wrote:
I'm a hobbyist "watchmaker" myself. Sometimes the jewels on a bridge have so much wear or damage that they need to be replaced. Often in a vintage movement the jewels might be fine but the vertical margin is such that the wheels begin to "wobble". The movement loses lots of amplitude and can even stop sometimes.
If you don't have the expertise or equipment to fix this or you simply don't want to, it's easier to just replace the whole bridge. I've done it myself although on less expensive movements that are not timeperiod sensitive and are perfectly similar.
Melvin


thanks Melvin, much appreciated. This makes sense to me... you know the next time I need a bridge replaced I will be sure to use one I know to be 100% period correct :)

WatchFred wrote:
most if not all of the watches of that "infamous ebay (non-)seller" are frankenized "put together" pieces, called in German "Basteluhren" or DIY-watches, don't even look at them as a reference source.

The B collector's market is just slowly starting to notice these fine details, thanks to people like Kurt Broendum and René the Dragon, maybe in some years we will be as paranoid as the Speedy or Rolex collectors are and quintuple the price of a Paul Newman because it shows 'Rolex Cosmograph Oyster' instead of 'Rolex Oyster Cosmograph' on dial like most others (to a cool $750k or more).

I'll go through my data next week and add some more examples, do we want to restrict this to 178s used in Navitimers or overall ?


very true words Fred! Thanks for the input. As for the data compilation, I don't know what else could be included.... we all already have very detailed information regarding dials, hands, bezel, serials, BOW/WOG from different years, thanks to you and those you mentioned. The specific movement markings seems to be one piece that is missing. Including it for different watches where the 178 was used would probably give some interesting perspective on which parts Breitling had laying around and when...

Dracha wrote:
Here's one of mine , very early 64
I have no reason to doubt this piece or its markings

This one is not on the list as i didnt update it since 2012


Dracha, thanks for sharing this piece... now I don't have to go find a different bridge for the piece i just bought :-O


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 10:56 pm 
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Old discussion but for further information...another mid 1964 806 with only 'Breitling Watch Co' on the bridge....

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Will


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 3:03 am 
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Limited, Co. would be wrong for the period.


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 4:09 am 
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WatchFred wrote:
Limited, Co. would be wrong for the period.


Quite correct, Fred.
Trouble reading this morning!!


Will


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:29 pm 
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Thanks for sharing will. Can never have enough info about these beauties


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