Breitling Navitimer 806 (late 60's) Service - Yorkshire

[stub101]

I recently acquired a Breitling Navitimer 806 (late 1960's) and I would like to find someone who can do a full service and glass polish/replacement for me. The watch is fully functioning with the chronos sitting at 12, and it doesnt appear to be losing any time, but I understand from the previous owner that it hasnt been serviced for over 5 years.

I am based in Leeds and know there are a number of watchmakers in Harrogate, but I'd prefer to go to someone that is recommended and a known quantity. I am also open to sending the watch to a specialist if required.

I'd be very grateful of any recommendations of good watchmakers in Yorkshire. I heard there was a very good guy in Tadcaster(???) who regularly attends the big Wetherby racecourse antiques fair, but these dont start for another few weeks yet.

Thanks in advance for any help.

• I am also on the lookout for my next acquisition; a Heuer Montreal (white face) or Heuer Temporada (silver/blue) if anyone has access to any of these.

[GCH]

Craig aka Chronodeco is the best, but is based in the US - http://www.chronodeco.com/

I can recommend a couple of UK people if you want to PM me. None local to you though.

The crystal - unless they are really deep scratches - should polish out with a tube of polywatch. Pennies to replace if not.


Don't even think of sending it to Breitling- even for their assessment. I cannot emphasise this enough!

[Lostprophet]

Whats wrong with going to Breitling directly?

[Dermot O'Logical]

Lostprophet said:

Whats wrong with going to Breitling directly?

For an 806? They won't touch it, thankfully. If they did, they would replace the dial and hands and polish the case "like new", thereby destroying all of the value.

Send it to Duncan Potter at Genesis or Rocco Manfredi at Watchworks. Don't get hung up on finding a watchmaker within walking distance of your front door. Something like an 806 deserves the sympathetic expertise of somebody who really knows what they are doing.

[GC8]

Lostprophet said:

Whats wrong with going to Breitling directly?

Well, beyond whats written above, Breitling folded in the 1970s and rights to the name were bought by Sicura. Willy Breitling sold his inventory to O&Ws with little more than an envelope going to the new 'owner'.

Whilst Sicura-Breitling have a far better claim to a history than the likes of Panerai, they are definitely a different company.

[stub101]

Unfortunately Genesis cant service Breitling so i'm hoping Rocco from Watchworks will be able to help.

It really is shocking that Breitling are limiting the supply of parts which is stopping the independents from servicing the vintage watches.

I did try speaking to Breitling (Switzerland) but they said their turnaround on estimates for vintage servicing is 3-6 months. I'd rather wear my own watch thanks Breitling...

[GC8]

Theyre all at it. After Rolex it was inevitable.

[stub101]

And no joy from Watchworks either :-(

[Variomatic]

Parts restrictions are coming in from most of the big Swiss names - all of Swatch Group (so Omega, Longines, Rado, Hamilton, Tissot etc) will be in the same situation from the end of this year. It's anti-competitive, bad for the customer and bad for the industry but they'll make a quick initial profit out of it and that seems to be all they're interested in.

As for yours, there's very little reason to think that a fully working Navitimer will need parts during service and, even if it does, the movement is by Valjoux and still has reasonable parts availability through normal suppliers. Some parts are obsolete but they'd tend to show up by the watch misbehaving if there was an issue with any of them.