I found one that is in line to take 1st place
NOS 1955 Valjoux 72 AOPA Navitimer with box & papers.
It is likely to be the most interesting Navitimer I have ever bought, and it is the only NOS Valjoux 72 example I have ever seen or heard about.
The corrosion on the hour hand as been caused by the Raduim painted in inside.
A little more then 2 month ago I was contacted by the owner who asked me to call him by phone, which I did right away. He lives in Piedmont SD, and he had a lot of questions about originality, value, rarity etc. etc.
The watch was purchased in 1955 as a gift to his grandfather who was a hunting guide in Wyoming, and was then passed on to him when his grandfather died in 1967. It has never been worn.
I obviously showed interest in buying it immediately, but the owner had no hurry in selling it, and wanted to did deeper into it, which I agreed would be the best way to determine the value, all I asked for was to get a shot at it before he sold it to somebody else, which he promised me.
And what is a watch like that worth, well – its worth what somebody is ready to pay and I would never let go of a piece like that.
After 2 month of waiting (and a few phone calls) he just recently got back to me, and I bought it, he was very happy in knowing that it will now become a part of my collection of vintage Navitimers, and we completely agreed that it is the right place for a watch like that, much better then selling it to a broker / dealer that was just in it for the profit.
As you can see the certificate is Breitling (and not Wakmann / AOPA). Until now I have always believed that the first AOPA Navitimers could only be bought by members of AOPA, and only through AOPA.
As you know Wakmann was the sold distributor of Breitling watches in the States back then, and the box is indeed also Wakmann, why the certificate is Breitling is an open question and it is the first Certificate like this I have ever seen, as it is also the first Box of this kind I have ever seen.
As far as the family knows the grandfather was never involved in flying, but it is of course possible that the person who gave it to him in 1955, somehow was.
I bought it 12 days ago and have been waiting for confirmation that it had arrived to where it has been sent before I posted it here, it came 5 minutes ago, and I have also had confirmed that it is NOS, it shows no signs of use / wear whatsoever, it has been sitting in its green box for 57 years, patiently waiting for me.....!!!
/ Kurt B
Ps / Sorry Rene, but winner takes it all, the price you were not ready to pay wasn’t too much IMO, but then again as I wrote above, seller promised me a shot at it before he sold it to anybody else, so if it makes you feel any better you would never have had a chance of getting it anyway.
