Reply With QuoteVery nice too
I've been looking for a circa 1968 Breitling navitimer for a while and a decent looking 806 appeared on eBay the other week and I contacted the seller. It turns out it was his late fathers watch and he wanted to make sure it found a good home and we exchanged phone numbers and got chatting.
He said he had looked after the watch over the years his father had passed away and it had hardly been worn as he didn't like the size and he wanted something smaller.
I had a good feeling about the seller and he told me he sometimes had a stall at spiral fields market so yesterday I got up early and made the journey from Nottingham to London I did at times think if I don't like this watch its £60 down the drain or maybe a couple of thousand saved?
To cut a long story short I met him and we had a good chat and eventually he said do you want to see the watch, well I couldn't believe my eyes it still had the Breitling service sticker on the glass and the watch was in amazing quality.
I asked him about the service and he brought out a wallet of its complete service history from when he had taken ownership of the watch! It's been to Breitling 4 times in 12 years! He said he only ever wore the watch about 2-3 times a year!
He has every receipt and its original manual plus a replacement from Breitling over 20 years ago, every part that has been replaced is there! I couldn't believe it.
His father had purchased it around 1967 and it's been in the family since, I feel so proud he chose me to buy the watch and now being a typical TZ flipper I have to try my very hardest for it not to become a sc queen! Saying that I have managed to keep my 5513 for over 2 years :-)
Here are a few pictures.
It's service history.
Very nice too
Wow nice!!!!!!!!!!! Its so great when people take care of their watches properly and everything is recorded and kept. It just makes that bit much more special. Really great catch, such an iconic design, congrats!!!
How big is the watch btw?
Wow what a great story! Very nice watch in amazing condition. Well worth the risk! Good work.
Lovely watch, that's a hell of a find. And heartening to hear that you brought the seller, but I'll refrain from asking where you ended up bringing him to :)
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
Wow, that is really great. You are very lucky to get that watch.
A lovely watch and a great find.
Totally agree with the previous comments - I've sold a few high value items over the years on eBay and Gumtree and I look after my stuff scrupulously so it's always a great experience to meet and deal with a kindred spirit.
SGR
It just goes to show for all those that knock ebay that you can still find good bargins and honest people.
Enjoy your watch
Great watch,congrats!
It's always nice to see nice vintage watch that was owned by one person...and all paperwork is an extra bonus,isn't it?
That looks fantastic! What a great find and an iconic watch, one of my favourites!
Ian
Thanks for the comments I was balled over when he got the wallet of receipts out, I wish it had the original papers though :-(
The manuals are a bonus too one is the original and one was given to the previous owner by Breitling it comes with a letter stating that this is one of the last navitimer/cosmonaute manuals made and was given as the original was lost. When the previous owner got the paperwork together he found the original in between to letters so he did have it :-)
I will have to post pictures of the manuals up one day if any one needs to see them they are useful to use the slide rule.
The previous owner thought the watch was purchased in 1967-68 and in one letter Breitling state the watch movement was produced in 1966 so that comes in good as my birth year is 1968.
I'm not usually a Breitling fan but I have always loved the old navitimers especially after seeing one on Thunderball, I'm loving the twin jets logo too.
Is there any more 806 owners on here?
My Dad has an original 806, bought in 68/69 as he was taking his PPL. It's still running strong today, some 45 years later, having never been serviced!
Where did you brung the seller to, BTW ;)
I always liked the 806 on Thunderball as well :)Originally Posted by Baden H
I am another owner- mine is also from 1968, but is the 806-36 model with a valjoux 7736 movement. Note the slightly larger subdials:
Phwoar :)
when its been to BUK so often its a bit of a shame the chsp got rid really. Oh well, needs must.
Wow. What a find. Enjoy :-)
Very good buy, and like others state it's so special when all documentation is present.
Congrats and enjoy
Not many watches for me match up or better a vintage Speedy, but these do. I'm on my 4th now and a Cosmonaute is on the radar. A real tool and very easy to wear as they are pretty light for a big wrist presence watch.
The larger subdial variant has the edge IMHO, they come up nice & white, the smaller sub dials can appear silvered which is not for me. This is a 1970, I recently had the hands redone 'vintage' to match the batons.....
Also have these two, a small sub dial '66 and a large subdial '67....
Yours is a peach, any clue as to what it set you back?
I'd never be without one.
Fantastic, you lucky beggar!
"I looked with pity not untinged with scorn upon these trivial-minded passers-by"
So did the dial change in 1967 from small dials to large ones or did the two models run side by side?Not many watches for me match up or better a vintage Speedy, but these do. I'm on my 4th now and a Cosmonaute is on the radar. A real tool and very easy to wear as they are pretty light for a big wrist presence watch.
The larger subdial variant has the edge IMHO, they come up nice & white, the smaller sub dials can appear silvered which is not for me. This is a 1970, I recently had the hands redone 'vintage' to match the batons.....
Also have these two, a small sub dial '66 and a large subdial '67....
Yours is a peach, any clue as to what it set you back?
I'd never be without one.
Posting Permissions
