The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hi,

I got my watch back today. 32 years in a draw and missed being thrown away by seconds.

https://1drv.ms/i/s!As8hVNZJ6yorjBn3ZXgk-qqMfT02

Wow! Congratulations.

Beautiful piece!

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great piece ! congratulations ! a Mk1.3, cases were manufactured in 1953, but hands indicate mid/later 1950s assembly - assume movement will already be marked WOG ?

more pics, please !

Hi....Dad got it in Tokyo Dec 1953 on his way back from Korea. It appears on his personal effects list in Feb 1954. I will post more images on Thursday. Not sure about the markings, but will look Thursday as well.

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would love to see some movement shots ! wonderful family heirloom !

Rene, as you'll probably read this - wider lume syringe hands on a documented 1953 purchase, very interesting !

I promised Rene I would take it to him next time I am in Europe. I didn't get inside images when it was serviced. But will do next time. Dad died 32 years ago and this sat in a drawer since then. It very nearly got binned...


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Beautiful piece.

service ?

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

Hi,

Yes, on inspection all it required was a service, apart from bezel screws having to be drilled out as they were solid.

It amazing really, the only thing that saved it from the dustbin was that my Son wound it and it ticked. We thought it was broken as the date never went over 15! It was a late evening email to Rene that saved its life.

Mother said that sometime mid-1960's the strap broke and Dad left it on a shelf where it sat until he died. She then placed in one of his drawers and the rest you know. He had lots of watches, he worked in construction so they had a hard life.

The work was done by one of London's top restoration companies.

I read the rumours about Italian AirForce and there may be some credence in that. Dad was a forward air controller (Royal Artillery) and there are some notes about working with the Italians in his records; he was certainly in Tokyo with Italians at the time. They ran the RZ in Tokyo (Recovery Hospital). I cannot say more, I just do not know. I continue to trace his travels.

great info - we haven't found any credible evidence for an airforce use, the only verified "issue" was to Air France pilots.
are there any numbers stamped on the caseback other than the "765" ?

Rene's "service" was in reply to my note regarding the wider syringe hands we see on your watch, something we would expect for later assemblies, as the early hands on Mk1.1 & Mk1.2 were slimmer lume syringe - so hands replacement during service work in the late 1950s or 1960s may be an explanation, otherwise we'd have to assume the hands were used concurrently, which would be quite atypical.

to illustrate this, here are the known executions:

Mk1.1 "pre-Geneve" dial, lume sword sweep hand, slim lume baton hands; very early 1953, un-marked or BOW-marked balance cock:


Mk1.2 "Geneve" dial, lume tip sweep hand, slim lume baton hands; 1953 to 1956, un-marked or BOW-marked balance cock:


Mk1.3 "Geneve" dial, lume tip sweep hand, wide lume baton hands; 1956 to earliest 1960s, un-marked or WOG-marked balance cock:

Hi,

Love the pictures. Is it OK to polish the watch? The restorer said no, so it was just cleaned.

I am not a watch expert but willing to let an acknowledged expert look at it. I would not know a balance cock from an unbalanced cock!

It's doubtful that dad would have had it serviced. It would not have been the norm for a working class guy in the 1950's or 60's. Mum said he bought the watch with his bounty from two tours of duty in Korea where he won a medal or two.

I would say it is all academic I just promised Rene that I would post a picture when it was restored (apart from the polish question which has been bugging me). This watch is staying with us.

When he died he left me £75.... and now this. I have something of value that is from a time before when I was even a glint in his eye. I miss him every day even though it was so long ago. He was just 53...

please don't polish the watch ! , every micron of material (and original polish/brushing) that is taken off and away can never be replaced
and with every micron of original material that disappears , so does the value disappear

it may not be (as) appealing to you , or as nice as it was when it was new, but the only way to retain value is to leave the case 'as is'
once polished it can never be 'original' again

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

understand that well, still "talking" to my father every day, although he has passed away 26 years ago.

he has left you with the beautiful heirloom if you still miss him every day - but this watch isn't too shabby either

it is among the most valuable Breitlings today and has doubled or tripled in value during the last 5 years - and should be a very sound investment for the future, should you ever decide to part with it, but I doubt that, reading your lines.

a picture of the movement and caseback would be great to have for us, as we are trying to understand & document these rare beasts as well as possible,

Another question I am afraid. I am trying to insure the watch. But insurance companies are declining? Our normal home insurer will not cover a rare item, and I have tried several others now.

Is there a specialist insurance company that collectors use? Or do you just keep trying?

The restoration company can give no estimate of value as there is no real history of how much it would cost to replace. I was told €20,000 is that realistic in today's market.