The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hello. I noticed a thread here entitled "1947 Breitling Datora 785 18K Gold" featuring a watch that looks very similar to mine and wanted to ask if that is exactly what I have here.

It was purchased brand new, in the original box, by the original owner in a NYC jewelry store in 1948 and the band was upgraded at the time of its purchase to the pink gold one it still sports today (same color gold as the watch). Everything is in excellent working condition.

Any additional information on it and as to its estimated value would be greatly appreciated.

we will need better pics, dial pics look good from afar, do post all box and papers pics too. The caseback needs to have a reference and serial number, is there a sticker on the case back?Also a closeup picture of the movement and movement inscriptions required.

I suspect that the sticker would have worn off after 63 years San! Nothing concerning, and great provenance, but better pictures will definitely help, along with the inside of the caseback. That bracelet is gorgeous!

..Roff, meant to ask if there is a fresh sticker on the caseback there since the caseback doesn't show the serial and reference number. Love that bracelet too, the only danger though is it might cause damage to the 18k lugs.

I never saw a sticker on the back, and the watch has been in my family since 1948, when it was bought in NYC as a gift. For the most part, it was kept in a drawer, not worn much, and not at all in the past 50 years or so.

The back was engraved and that inscription buffed out at some point, it was going to be re-gifted, but wasn't, so if there was a serial number on the outside of the back, it's gone with the inscription that was buffed out.

The gold band was bought and installed at the time of purchase (1948). I'm unsure as to the manufacturer of the band, I always assumed it was a Breitling product available as an option, probably because its color identically matches the watch as well as the fit, but I'm unable to find that same band anywhere online and I've searched quite extensively.

I'll post more pics of it as soon as possible.

interesting

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18kt-Rose-Gol ... 2586e647b4

IMO value would be approx half of the current asking price (maximum) if it was in pristine and untouched condition
with the caseback turned , removing the ref and serial number , probably half again (so $3500-$4500) , anything beyond 4.5K would really really really surprise me

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"I spent most of my money on Booze, Breitling and Boats. The rest I wasted" - mostly Elmore Leonard

+1 re valuation; beautiful piece, though - and you can always try ....

Well I guess it only takes one, but price is beyond optimistic, and if I wanted to buy a gold bracelet I could get one for a lot less than that. Despite the provenance the watch has lost a lot of its collector appeal because of the caseback as noted, have to conclude that the seller / OP is in no hurry because at that price it may be in his family for another 60 odd years.

It won't.

It's gold, and so is the bracelet. It'll be scrapped. It's only a Breitling, not a Rolex.

The bracelet will most likely be scrapped , the watch head without bracelet might bring more than scrap gold price, specially at current gold price

I still believe 3.5K is a very accurate estimate for the watch head , without bracelet, knowing and seeing how the back has been turned

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"I spent most of my money on Booze, Breitling and Boats. The rest I wasted" - mostly Elmore Leonard

Rene you are too kind. You should have seen what he (who is the OP and seller incidentally) posted before editing it......

I'm done with this poster, suggest that others follow the lead.

saw it Roff , something about how his watch is infinitely better than the 785 he linked to , but that doesnt take away from my festive spirit , my forgiving nature and the fact that , even though butchered , his is still a Datora with a certain amount of value

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"I spent most of my money on Booze, Breitling and Boats. The rest I wasted" - mostly Elmore Leonard

That's a lie, Festive spirits be damned.

I didn't state that my watch was infinitely better.

Moderator, please post my edited post for proof of this.

My post contained a link to a similar watch on this forum with an ostrich band. This watch appears on a separate internet page with an asking price of $18,000. In fact, it was the model for my listing, teaching me which points were important to mention in a listing.

I asked why I can expect no more than a fraction of the asking price of that $18,000 similar watch, for mine, when mine is not only similar in condition but has a gold band to boot.

Does this sound vaguely familiar?

I asked why that watch is worth $18,000, and mine is almost worthless by comparison, though now I realize that the back having been buffed devalued the watch to approx. scrap gold value.

I wrote nothing about my piece being worth more or being better in any way than his and for anyone to intimate that is what I stated is a blatant lie.

The moderator has the proof. Let him post it, unless he's reluctant to bolster the truth.

I will admit that i thought you were talking about the watch , not the bracelet, so my appologies

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Just curious as to the rationale behind this Datora's online asking price of $18,000.00, which I thought at first was a joke:

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=39023

One in similar condition, with a vintage gold band vastly superior in value to the band on it is supposedly worth a small fraction of that one?
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For a collector like myself the bracelet, if not original, has absolutely no added the value
The value lies in the originality of the watch , which, as explained above, has been destroyed by turning down the back. Leaving that with the inscription would have been not as bad as removing the refernce number and the serial number

As stated , i believe your watch is worth more than scrap gold value , but not worth as much as a piece that has an intact caseback,

And please remember that asking prices are that, asking prices. Further geographic location comes into play as well. 1 dollar may seem like 0.6x euro but when all is said and done (gst, vat, import amd shipping) its closer to 1.1 euro

So in my experience you cannot just convert either way EU vs. USD , so an asking price of 10K euro is not 14K usd , its largely 1 to 1 if you are sitting on this end of the pond ( hope i make sense here ?)

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"I spent most of my money on Booze, Breitling and Boats. The rest I wasted" - mostly Elmore Leonard

I can't, you deleted it.



No, I don't have it - again, you deleted it.

If you choose to interpret that as being 'reluctant to bolster the truth' then you don't know me very well.