The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Breitling Watch Information Forums, Navitimer, Chronomat
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 2:07 pm

All times are UTC - 8 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2017 12:29 pm 
Offline
Breitling Fanatic
Breitling Fanatic
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:53 pm
Posts: 292
Likes: 3 posts
Liked in: 0 post
SOLD

Image

Image

Up for sale from my personal collection is this uncommon circa 1974 Breitling ref. 7806 Navitimer in stainless steel with beautiful inverse panda “Big Eyes” Twin Jet dial. This rare reference of Breitling’s classic aviator’s computing watch features the equally scarce Valjoux 7740 chronograph movement instead of the usual Venus 178 found in nearly all other earlier Navitimers. The manual wind 7740 is an odd duck in that it is essentially a Chronomatic cal 11/12 but without the autowind mechanism (not sure how these wound up being branded “Valjoux 7740” but I guess that is a story for another day). Also unusual is the placement of the constant seconds sub-register hand at “6” while the hour counter is at “9” and the minute counter at “3,” as well as a small red date placed between “4” and “5,” another first for a Navitimer. With gorgeously patinated Tritium luminous figures, colorful red slide rule accents and an oversized 41mm steel case in Excellent+ condition this is a beautiful vintage watch with great presence and panache, as well as a model you’re not likely to see on someone else’s wrist. To put the cherry on top of the sundae, this great Breitling just had its complex movement fully overhauled and the watch will come with a 6-month movement guarantee for all normal, non-abusive use. When you look at how prices for vintage mechanical chronographs continue to skyrocket, classic Breitlings like this terrific Valjoux-based Navitimer still represent excellent value for money.

This asking price for this fully serviced Vintage Breitling 7806 is now CHOPPED to just $3850 USD OBRO including fully insured FedEx shipping worldwide. Bank Wire preferred on this transaction. Other payment options such as Paypal upon application. Payment must be made in US DOLLARS. Watch will ship upon full clearance of the funds, as well as any necessary bank vetting.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

CASE & BACK: Classic oversized aviator's chronograph measures approximately 41mm wide x 48mm long not including crown. The heavy steel snap back case appears to have been buffed in the past and there is some softening of the original lug chamfers, although all is still quite thick and they are still clearly defined. The brushed finish of the case sides may have also been re-satined. It’s all very clean with only a few light scratches and no harsh nicks or dings — Excellent+ lightly polished vintage condition for an over 40-year-old watch. The outer part of the steel snap-on back has some small scratches and the center section may also have been re-brushed but all original Breitling nomenclature, reference & serial numbers are still crisp and legible — Excellent cosmetic condition. The 1.43 mil serial number dates to circa 1974 according to the best available information. The inner caseback has some corrosion to the lip, as does the inner case ring where the gasket is seated, which is common with these older snap back cases (the gasket was replaced and properly installed post photos at service). Most of the nomenclature is on the outside of the caseback at this juncture of Breitling history, although the factory name is present inside the back, as well as several older service marks.

BEZEL: The heavy steel rotating bezel with big serrations is Near Mint with only light marks and sharp, well-articulated knurling. The slide rule insert is quite bright and crisp with no water damage. The bezel itself rotates in both directions with firm finger pressure and good resistance, as designed.

DIAL & HANDS: Excellent genuine Breitling eggshell finish black Twin Jet logo dial with beautifully articulated mathematical scales, text and “Big Eye” engine turned sub-registers. There are some minor imperfections visible under a loupe, primarily some light marks to the hour counter register at “9” and some slight loss of red paint to two of the small adjacent calculating triangles on the left side of the dial. Obviously this is very hard to see with the naked eye. Tritium luminous "12" and bar hour markers are present and showing a lovely patina and the complex slide rule calibrations that circle the dial are all intact. The white engine-turned inverse panda sub dials have also acquired a warm light ivory tone through the years. Simply put, this is an absolutely gorgeous and complicated vintage dial as only Breitling seemed able to execute. Correct characteristic white luminous-filled sword and dagger hour & minute hands and spear-tipped chrono sweep seconds are likewise Excellent with only minor signs of age and the correct and distinctive non-matching small black counter hands are Near Mint.

CROWN & PUSHERS: The signed Breitling steel crown is very clean and undamaged, Excellent+ original condition. It sits tightly to the case, winds smoothly and pulls out to the time-setting position as it should. Both chrono pushers work as they should, though you have to be firm with the top start-stop pusher because, I believe, the way the movement sits inside the large case requires a relatively long pusher set up. It can be just a little bit less than crisp on stop and restart and always has been so again I’m not sure whether that’s not just a characteristic of this movement type never having owned another watch with a 7740. Everything certainly engages fine and the bottom pusher resets the chrono functions quite crisply with all counter hands snapping back to “zero” as they should.

CRYSTAL: Large medium-dome acrylic crystal is Excellent+ with only some minor scratches and no deep marks.

MOVEMENT: Uncommon Valjoux caliber 7740 manual wind chronograph movement with 17 jewels, shock protection and all correct Breitling nomenclature of the era on the bridges and beneath the balance. Essentially a non-automatic version of the revolutionary Chronomatic caliber 11/12, Breitling’s collaboration with Heuer et al, it seems to me as though the 7740 was tapped to be one of the replacements for the venerable Venus 178 in Breitling’s manual 3-register chronographs, along with the non-date Valjoux 7736, as you see these start to appear along with revised model references in the early 70s. As stated above, this complex movement has just been fully overhauled by my watchmaker for years more of faithful service. Therefore it is running strong, keeping great time with correct semi-quickset date change (by moving the hands back and forth between around 9pm and midnight) and all chrono functions are working properly and returning to zero. Power reserve is strong but of course, as with most manual watches, it's good to fully wind it once a day. This high grade chrono movement is guaranteed against any problems for 6-months of normal, non-abusive use.

STRAP: This cool Navitimer comes on a pilot-style black buffalo grain leather strap with white stitching and generic brushed steel buckle. It has barely been worn and is easily in Excellent+ to Near Mint condition. This big watch takes 22mm straps.

As a matter of policy, I make NO guarantees for the water resistance of this watch in any way, shape or form due to its age and the dodgy water resistance of most vintage chronos in general.

This great Vintage Breitling Navitimer is offered with a 3-day inspection period from the date of receipt and may be returned for a full refund less any shipping costs incurred by the buyer. This refund is unconditional and once I get the watch back in exactly the same condition as it was sent to you, your money will be refunded. Of course, once the 3 days are over the sale will be considered FINAL.

Thanks for looking,
T.
tomvox1@hotmail.com


Last edited by tomvox1 on Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:42 am, edited 10 times in total.

Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed May 10, 2017 4:37 am 
Offline
Breitling Fanatic
Breitling Fanatic
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:53 pm
Posts: 292
Likes: 3 posts
Liked in: 0 post
Asking price now REDUCED!
Best,
T.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed May 10, 2017 8:47 am 
Offline
Breitling Maniac
Breitling Maniac

Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 1:06 pm
Posts: 1380
Likes: 238 posts
Liked in: 364 posts
Location: England
Just FYI I don't think you're right so say the tritium is original. The dial is probably an 80s replacement and the very distinct tone and condition of the dial vs the hands suggests they didn't begin life together.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed May 10, 2017 9:18 am 
Offline
Breitling Fanatic
Breitling Fanatic
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:53 pm
Posts: 292
Likes: 3 posts
Liked in: 0 post
buddman wrote:
Just FYI I don't think you're right so say the tritium is original. The dial is probably an 80s replacement and the very distinct tone and condition of the dial vs the hands suggests they didn't begin life together.


Hands and dials of vintage watches often don't match and/or age differently, as they are not lumed at the same time or by the same manufacturers. Breitling is no exception and simple Google search for "Breitling 7806" will show you that there is a myriad of hands-dial lume combos.
I know you vintage Breitling guys tend to be a bit paranoid but please offer some actual evidence rather than semi-informed conjecture when commenting.
Thanks,
T.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed May 10, 2017 11:14 am 
Offline
Breitling Maniac
Breitling Maniac

Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 1:06 pm
Posts: 1380
Likes: 238 posts
Liked in: 364 posts
Location: England
Don't think it's about "evidence" - it's about experience. For example, you've used your experience to say that the tritium is "original", but you don't really know that unless you purchased it yourself from the retailer.

My experience tells me the patination of your hands is very different from the rest of the watch - lume is different and paint on the hands is off colour and greenish, when the dial and sliderule are impeccable. Why would that happen? We all know that Navitimer are highly succeptible to moisture degredation, and while you can find near perfect examples, your spidey-senses should tingle at the site of a white sliderule or perfect lume and cause you to look a bit critically. I have a few service dials from the early 80s, and I think that's what's in your watch. Here's what they look like:

Image

Quite like this article from a few years ago - on Rolex admittedly - but I thing good advice on patination

http://rolexpassionreport.com/14962/do- ... ers-guide/

In any case, all I said was that I didn't think calling the tritium original was accurate. Just my opinion. You still have a lovely watch and I'm sure it will find a happy owner.

Good luckwith your sale.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed May 10, 2017 12:28 pm 
Offline
Breitling Fanatic
Breitling Fanatic
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:53 pm
Posts: 292
Likes: 3 posts
Liked in: 0 post
buddman wrote:
Don't think it's about "evidence" - it's about experience. For example, you've used your experience to say that the tritium is "original", but you don't really know that unless you purchased it yourself from the retailer.

My experience tells me the patination of your hands is very different from the rest of the watch - lume is different and paint on the hands is off colour and greenish, when the dial and sliderule are impeccable. Why would that happen? We all know that Navitimer are highly succeptible to moisture degredation, and while you can find near perfect examples, your spidey-senses should tingle at the site of a white sliderule or perfect lume and cause you to look a bit critically. I have a few service dials from the early 80s, and I think that's what's in your watch. Here's what they look like:

Image

Quite like this article from a few years ago - on Rolex admittedly - but I thing good advice on patination

http://rolexpassionreport.com/14962/do- ... ers-guide/

In any case, all I said was that I didn't think calling the tritium original was accurate. Just my opinion. You still have a lovely watch and I'm sure it will find a happy owner.

Good luckwith your sale.


Again this is all still conjecture. You have no way of knowing when this dial was manufactured and because it is clean you say it must be from the 80s. Then you show an 806 dial and not a 7806, which was only produced for a few years in the 70s. Then you say my dial is too perfect and the slide rule is too perfect when there is clearly aging evident in the photos (look at the angle shot in the sun and you can see some typical slide rule moisture incursion along the edges). Remarkably there are some really nice examples still left out there despite the subpar water resistance of the snap back Navis so maybe you are looking in the wrong places. Please also note that I describe the dial as in Excellent condition -- if it were all that you say it is I would call it Near Mint or Mint.

And even if it were from the 80s how does that make the Tritium luminous "not original" to the dial?? It's not a relume (I've louped it you haven't) so even if it were a service dial it would still be original lume to that dial, no? How do you know when the watch was actually sold rather than manufactured? Might have sat in a dealer's safe for several years for all we know. (For that matter how do you know the precise date of manufacture of the 806 dial you show? Just because it was purchased in the 80s -- or you believe it to be -- does not necessarily mean it was manufactured at that time.) Maybe the hands being pulled on and off at multiple services subsequently, as per the inner caseback markings, have contributed to their more rapid deterioration? I would also point to the fact the hands lume is often greenish during this era of production circa 1970s, which is actually a pretty basic observation for a guy who likes vintage Breitlings. Don't ask me why they just are. Again comes down to different suppliers for dials and hands and different lume compounds.

Lastly I would put my experience and reputation in the vintage watch world up against yours or anyone else's any day of the week. I would never try to mislead by omission in my ads or any of my sales posts or try to play it cute by leaving something out. If you don't like the aesthetics of the dial hands combo on this watch that is your prerogative but you are making logical leaps here that are unfounded and unverifiable
Anyway here are some more 7806 dials with lots of variation in terms of condition and patina -- and more via Google Images if you just do the most rudimentary research. Imagine that -- watches being treated and worn differently through the decades and not all aging uniformly!

http://www.chrono24.com/breitling/ref-7806.htm

http://www.breitlingsource.com/phpBB2/v ... 11&t=14055

In future, please refrain from hijacking my sales posts when you are talking out of your hat.
T.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed May 10, 2017 12:45 pm 
Offline
Breitling Maniac
Breitling Maniac

Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 1:06 pm
Posts: 1380
Likes: 238 posts
Liked in: 364 posts
Location: England
You're right - I should have said I didn't think the dial was original to the watch.

Again, good luck with your sale.



vintage likes this post.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed May 10, 2017 1:26 pm 
Offline
Breitling Fanatic
Breitling Fanatic
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:53 pm
Posts: 292
Likes: 3 posts
Liked in: 0 post
buddman wrote:
You're right - I should have said I didn't think the dial was original to the watch.

Again, good luck with your sale.


Think what you want but unless you can prove it maybe keep it to yourself.
T.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue May 16, 2017 5:46 am 
Offline
Breitling Fanatic
Breitling Fanatic
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:53 pm
Posts: 292
Likes: 3 posts
Liked in: 0 post
This beautiful fully serviced vintage Breitling chrono is now further REDUCED!
Best,
T.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2017 6:29 am 
Offline
Breitling Fanatic
Breitling Fanatic
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:53 pm
Posts: 292
Likes: 3 posts
Liked in: 0 post
Now further ON SALE!
Best,
T.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 11:37 am 
Offline
Breitling Fanatic
Breitling Fanatic
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:53 pm
Posts: 292
Likes: 3 posts
Liked in: 0 post
PRICE DROP!
Best,
T.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 7:21 am 
Offline
Breitling Fanatic
Breitling Fanatic
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:53 pm
Posts: 292
Likes: 3 posts
Liked in: 0 post
Alright let's put this beautiful vintage Breitling Navitimer on some lucky new owner's wrist -- price now BLOWN OUT to just $3950 OBRO!
Best,
T.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 4:50 am 
Offline
Breitling Fanatic
Breitling Fanatic
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:53 pm
Posts: 292
Likes: 3 posts
Liked in: 0 post
Price now CHOPPED to just $3850 USD OBRO!
Best,
T.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: OHPF. Best, T. nt
PostPosted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 10:10 am 
Offline
Breitling Fanatic
Breitling Fanatic
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:53 pm
Posts: 292
Likes: 3 posts
Liked in: 0 post
nt


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  

Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 22 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
 




Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group