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Breitling vintage Navitimers collectors thread

Travelller
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Travelller Travelller
~~~ SIDEBAR ~~~

Since I took receipt of my TJ, I've been trying to "chart" the timeline to a finer detail than is available on Kurt's website or even the excellent new WatchBooksOnly's "Navitimer Story" . Among other discoveries is the fact that there are at least THREE versions of the standard (monochromatic) Navitimer TwinJet dial, all three (now) appearing in this thread 😎

The first version, AKA "Miles Davis", can be found on @321Only 's wrist:
52142744292_a35db0ced7_o.jpg
It's characterized by the first set of fonts, which include a classic "G" in BREITLING as well as classic "V" in both GENEVE / NAVITMER (the bottom of the V is wide).

The second version can be found on the OP's ( @chronoboy64 ) wrist
52144248530_b06a3da018_o.jpg
and uses the next gen of fonts (flatter "G" in BREITLING as well as thinner "Vs" in GENEVE & NAVITMER.

The third version can be found on my wrist and uses essentially the same fonts found on the next-gen "Box 10" Navitimers, characterized by a raised "T" in NAVITMER and a gap in the "SWIS S" (of Swiss Made)
52087749906_8434cca09c_c.jpg

I was hoping the case number (10665nn - Feb. 1966) and user guide (for the 806, 1968 816 & 1969 1806) might give additional hints to dating my TJ but as it turns out, the cases were produced in large batches and there was no "FIFO" in place. Worse, the paperwork was added to the watch (&box) after the sale by the dealer, so... "anything goes" 😗

All I can say for sure is that it wasn't a 1964~65 and it came out before the 1967 Box-10, Fred's own being a wonderful example:
52139721559_a973ab7f3e_c.jpg

So my "clear-cut" theory has already been debunked as I just came across Kurt B's own 1967 Box 10 - sporting what I was calling 1st-gen fonts:
52146368107_0b0a98b072_c.jpg

So now I'm at a loss as to why there are so many different fonts in use during roughly the same 1964~1967 period... 😵‍💫
I'd also like to think we can rule out "service dials" so early on...
Edited:
 
ezinternet
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My 806-36 serial 10917xx

I can hear this thing ticking like an old pocket watch with my hands on the keyboard.
Anyone else hear that from theirs
(or is that between me and my watchmaker)?

tempImagez3kzcc.png
 
Travelller
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ezinternet ezinternet
My 806-36 serial 10917xx

I can hear this thing ticking like an old pocket watch with my hands on the keyboard.
Anyone else hear that from theirs...
A very nice TJ, sir! Your Mk 8 "Big Eyes" is the very last version of the 806 coming after the box 10 & "red" versions 👍

Oh yeah, mine has also a loud heartbeat.. I absolutely love it 🥰 - it's as oldskool as it gets ::psy::
 
Travelller
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#FliegerFriday x #FridayNightLumeBattle
(...it's an IG thing... 😜)

52154314161_a0b0effcd8_c.jpg

Not too shaby for a 55yr-old 806 😁

While it looks like it's "working" fine, it only manages it for a minute or so, not nearly enough to be of any practical use.

As all of you posting in this thread know, Tritium lume is a radioluminescent* compound and although the Zinc-Sulfide phosphoric component survived in this awesome piece, the Tritium component with a half-life of ~12 years is long since depleted.
Therefore there’s nothing left to “excite” the Zinc-Sulfide which, unlike strontium-aluminate*, cannot retain a long-term “charge”.

*Whereas SuperLumiNova, Lumibrite, Chromalight, etc. are phosphorescent pigments that are based on the "quick-charge / slow-release" strontium-aluminate compound.
 
hansaboy
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Hi there, first post here!

Its a Navitimer 1806, and I think it from 1968 based on on-line search etc.
I have ordered an extract from Breitling, so we will see?
It needs a service and a cleanup and also a new crystal since this one has a crack.
Any body knows were to find this??

I have also questions regarding if the lume is a relume, but once my watchmaker gets the watch, we will check it up..

I got it on an auction that i stumbled on...

upload_2022-9-2_11-39-39.gif


And it is huge...

/Hansaboy


upload_2022-9-2_11-39-39.gif upload_2022-9-2_11-39-39.gif img_5195-jpg.16866454.jpg
 
davy26
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Having my 816 serviced by WatchGuy. Pic below of reassembled movement. Looking good I think.
~09-22MovementReassembled.jpg
 
hansaboy
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hansaboy hansaboy
Hi there, first post here!

Its a Navitimer 1806, and I think it from 1968 based on on-line search etc.
I have ordered an extract from Breitling, so we will see?
It needs a service and a cleanup and also a new crystal since this one has a crack.
Any body knows were to find this??

I have also questions regarding if the lume is a relume, but once my watchmaker gets the watch, we will check it up..

I got it on an auction that i stumbled on...

upload_2022-9-2_11-39-39.gif


And it is huge...

/Hansaboy


upload_2022-9-2_11-39-39.gif upload_2022-9-2_11-39-39.gif img_5195-jpg.16866454.jpg


Got the extract from Breitling!

Skärmavbild 2022-09-27 kl. 19.35.45.png
 
hansaboy
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hansaboy hansaboy
Got the extract from Breitling!

Skärmavbild 2022-09-27 kl. 19.35.45.png
Cheers Guys!

Watchmaker finally opened up the watch, its was almost "glued" together...🤔
So now its time for a service....

tempImagepTWwZw.png tempImageRIVN3a.png
 
C
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hansaboy hansaboy
Cheers Guys!

Watchmaker finally opened up the watch, its was almost "glued" together...🤔
So now its time for a service....

tempImagepTWwZw.png tempImageRIVN3a.png
 
C
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Here my 54-55 AOPA with the valjous72 movement. I know I know the lume is wrong. The watch was serviced via a PA based provided when the previous owner had it. They relumed the hands and numbers with superluminous. she’s headed for a relume all said once I get my speedmaster projected straighten out
 
44FC6E1A-1416-4288-A9E7-4E1B48F60FC2.jpeg 12CD2193-2CC7-4404-8807-356F3A2B9830.jpeg
T
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Appreciate all of these examples! Lots of beautiful watches on this thread. As I am a first time Breitling buyer, does anyone have any guidance on current market price for a late 50s 806? It has a steel case, all black dial, aopa logo only (I believe it’s from ‘58)?

I haven’t seen the watch in person yet, but I want to be prepared to pull the trigger when I go meet the seller. I did not notice any signs of water damage from the photo. The white portion of the dial looks clean and without signs of fading. It looks like the lume is intact/original in the hands and on numbers. The aopa logo looks a little darker brown than other versions I’ve seen on this thread, but that may just be from the lighting in the photo. Case looks pretty good, but there is a sizable scratch across the case back.

Outside of the movement, are there any other areas of concern I should be focused on? I really appreciate any guidance you can give!! Not only would this be my first breitling, but also my first vintage purchase
 
hansaboy
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T TigerKing
Appreciate all of these examples! Lots of beautiful watches on this thread. As I am a first time Breitling buyer, does anyone have any guidance on current market price for a late 50s 806? It has a steel case, all black dial, aopa logo only (I believe it’s from ‘58)?

I haven’t seen the watch in person yet, but I want to be prepared to pull the trigger when I go meet the seller. I did not notice any signs of water damage from the photo. The white portion of the dial looks clean and without signs of fading. It looks like the lume is intact/original in the hands and on numbers. The aopa logo looks a little darker brown than other versions I’ve seen on this thread, but that may just be from the lighting in the photo. Case looks pretty good, but there is a sizable scratch across the case back.

Outside of the movement, are there any other areas of concern I should be focused on? I really appreciate any guidance you can give!! Not only would this be my first breitling, but also my first vintage purchase
@TigerKing: please do share some pictures? Its always better to show them, to get replys....😉
 
T
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hansaboy hansaboy
And can you get some pics on the movement, and maybe the serial nr??
Appreciate you sharing that link. He didn’t send any pictures of movement or serial number. I’ll certainly have someone review the movement, but seller said it’s Venus 178.

Assuming the serial number ties
Our with a 1958 model, any views on fair value?

below is one more picture he sent.
upload_2023-1-8_7-56-15.png
 
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