The Breitling Watch Source Forums

This month I'm taking a slight different tack. There are some things in life, maybe a job or some other opportunity, maybe a girl in the past (or a guy, I'm just playing the percentages here) that you didn't get. Maybe it was indecision, timing, luck or something else, but that thing just seemed to "get away". I think its human nature to wonder about if the lost opportunity would have been taken. Also, given the chance again, with the benefit of hindsight, would you do anything differently?

I suspect many of us have seen a certain watch come available which you really wanted and either decided not to buy it, or just missed out on it as somebody else bought it or you couldn't quite get the price you were willing to pay. Again, something prevented you, and that watch got away. What was the watch and, more importantly for this exercise, would you buy it now if given the opportunity? Tastes change, after all, a new target watch may be out there or maybe buying then would mean you would not have purchased another watch you like even more. if you have limits to your collection you might have to sell something you have now to make room for the one that got away. Would you do that now?

I'll expand it just a little in case my assumption above turns out to be just me being my watch-compulsive self. Let's also add a watch you sold for some reason as the one that "got away". Would you buy it back now, do you wish you sold a different one?

I'll start this one with my own example. I wanted to have a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms on my 50th birthday, which has sadly passed. About a year before, a nice pre-owned example came up at a great price from a good seller. I, as quickly but as carefully as I could, considered the cost and determined what I'd need to sell to offset the expense, and how much more I could justify kicking in. This process started a couple of hours into the listing and an hour later I had myself mentally ready to go forward. I contacted the seller. I missed it by half an hour. I was truly disappointed, yet if I had bought that watch I would not have been able to buy my old AP 15202 which came available shortly thereafter. Also, while I still love the FF, I would not sell the pieces I would need to sell now if the deal came up again. It got away, but I can't say I regret it and wouldn't change a thing.


Do you have one or more that got away?

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Scott

AP Royal Oak 15400, silver
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Classic Cars
Vintage gold Corum
Rolex DJ 36 TT, oyster dial, oyster/smooth
Baume & Mercier Riviera 200m, silver dial/aquamarine bezel
Breitling Superocean 57, rose/stainless

Two for me, one that I actually bought. I picked up a Martin Braun Astraios EOS sunrise / sunset a few years back but the seller discovered that although it was new it was broken and circumstances didn't allow for warranty repair and still getting it to me.

The second was a watch that I had in my hands from my favourite independent and walked away from because of price - something that I'm still not sure if I did the right thing. That was an Antoine Preziuso 'Black for Black' limited edition of 8 pieces produced for Louis Black in Toronto.

Two for me too and not surprisingly both were Breitlings.
First up was this Crosswind, two tone case and bracelet that I saw in a small used watches shop in Taipei about 3 years ago. This picture is of the actual watch taken from the shop's web site.



At just over $2K with all papers and box I thought it was not a bad deal even if I factored another $500 or so for a full overhaul. Took me about two months to decide that I should pull the trigger however by that time it was gone.
Second up was the Cosmonaute Lemania Display Back Serie Speciale A12023 on Navitimer Bracelet that I spotted in the window of one of the small used watches shops in Hong Kong.
Don't have a picture handy but most should know the one I'm talking about.
At $4,200 it was a fairly reasonable deal. Finally decided two weeks later to get it but unfortunately it too was gone.
As much as I'm kicking myself for missing out on both deals, I can't say that I'm actively looking for either. I will most likely pull the trigger if similar opportunities knock on my doors.

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"It is just a matter of time!"

There's a couple for me too.

Bizarrely, the first is the exact same Crosswind that Wessa has posted up above! The exact same two-tone case and bracelet, same blue dial. That watch was the one that I drooled over for months in the Chronolog, but at the time I could never afford it. Then Breitling discontinued it so it went on the back burner for some time. A while after that, one came up for sale in mint condition with all the boxes and papers with a very reasonable BIN on eBay, and I "um'd and ah'd" over it for days as I'd recently picked up another couple of watches and my "watch fund" was a seriously depleted. Finally I made a decision to buy it and to hell with the money......, only to find that it had been sold to someone else. To this day I've still never owned that watch, and I probably never will.

The second was a Panerai 270. A few years ago I really wanted either a 270 or an IWC Big Pilot. I found both for sale for comparable money, and (at the time) I really couldn't decide between them, so I kind of let fate decide. I said to myself that whichever one sold first was obviously not meant to be, and that I'd buy the other. As it turned out, the 270 sold very quickly (looking back I guess it was a VERY good price!), so I picked up the BP instead......... which actually turned out to be the worst watch purchase I've ever made to date. If I'd picked up the 270 I'm pretty sure I'd still have it as it's still an option "on my list" to this very day.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Mine is a vintage Breitling Superocean probably 7-8 yrs ago now. I remember it going on eBay for under 2K. Sigh.

I still wish I had picked up a new black dial Steelfish back in 2009 when I had the chance. Instead I bought a Chronomat Evolution only to sell it after 2 months since I just didn't bond with it. Every time a Steelfish comes up lately, the watch fund is empty.

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Justin
Please contact me via PM for the contact details for Govberg Jewelers
Govberg is an AD for over 50 fine Swiss and German watch brands.
Visit them on the web at http://www.govbergwatches.com or call 800-528-8463

Chrono Avenger with the UTC on a pro 1 bracelet. Solid badass titanium tool watch. The UTC really added to the functionality. Ended up trading it to fund another piece. I wish I never sold it because it's impossible to find one with a UTC nowadays. I didn't know then how lucky I was to have it until it was gone! Luckily I have a new Chrono Avenger on the way but no UTC!

There aren't many watches out there that I really wanted and didn't end up buying (and subsequently selling) lol. So I can't think of any that 'got away' but I do very much regret selling my JLC Navy Seals Incursion #19 of 19. I've tried repeatedly to buy it back but the buyer ignores my repeated requests, so to answer your question YES I would buy it back in a heartbeat.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"