Advice re. Bristling 806
Discussion
Good morning all you horological experts,
As a high end watch numpty I am in need of your advice. I need to value/decide what to do with mine. The dilema stems form this back story:
Ten years ago my step father gave me his Navtimer 806 as a wedding gift. At that time I hadn't even heard of Brietling! I didn't appreciate it's significance until later when chatting to a business partner who collected Omegas. My step father Roy worked for the DeHavilland aircraft co. In the '60's and their test and developement pilots routinely wore them. The design and build engineers naturally wanted to emulate these glamourous daredevils so often bought the same things and Roy blagged a test flight to Jersey (no purchase tax there) and bought the 806. As only its second custodian I have everything it originally came with right down to the till receipt (£29!).
Now, my sone has just passed a very difficult year with great fortitude and I want to mark that. He currently drives an old polo but aspires to buy and modify a mk1 MX5.
My dilemma is:
1. Not knowing his feelings for classic high end watches, should I gift him the watch and set off a family heirloom trail.
2. Selll the watch and buy him an MX5 which could set him off on a brilliant engineering learning curve or end up as an unfinished project on eBay worth less than I paid for it.
Starting point is knowing roughly what the watch is worth. Given that it has almost reached its 50th birthday and has been worn/gained some patina but keeps remarkably accurate time any ideas as to its worth and which way would the consensus lean regarding the above options?
If you got this far, thanks for your thoughts.
As a high end watch numpty I am in need of your advice. I need to value/decide what to do with mine. The dilema stems form this back story:
Ten years ago my step father gave me his Navtimer 806 as a wedding gift. At that time I hadn't even heard of Brietling! I didn't appreciate it's significance until later when chatting to a business partner who collected Omegas. My step father Roy worked for the DeHavilland aircraft co. In the '60's and their test and developement pilots routinely wore them. The design and build engineers naturally wanted to emulate these glamourous daredevils so often bought the same things and Roy blagged a test flight to Jersey (no purchase tax there) and bought the 806. As only its second custodian I have everything it originally came with right down to the till receipt (£29!).
Now, my sone has just passed a very difficult year with great fortitude and I want to mark that. He currently drives an old polo but aspires to buy and modify a mk1 MX5.
My dilemma is:
1. Not knowing his feelings for classic high end watches, should I gift him the watch and set off a family heirloom trail.
2. Selll the watch and buy him an MX5 which could set him off on a brilliant engineering learning curve or end up as an unfinished project on eBay worth less than I paid for it.
Starting point is knowing roughly what the watch is worth. Given that it has almost reached its 50th birthday and has been worn/gained some patina but keeps remarkably accurate time any ideas as to its worth and which way would the consensus lean regarding the above options?
If you got this far, thanks for your thoughts.
I don't know what the Breitling is worth, but I do know it's worth far more than you can buy a MK 1 MX5 for.
My suggestion is keep the watch and buy an MX5 for about a grand. I don't know where you are but there are plenty of Mx5 specialists around - near me is PH Sportscars and I'd be surprised if they didn't have a couple of cars in at about the £1k price point and loads of spares avaialble to help keep it on the road in the future!
My suggestion is keep the watch and buy an MX5 for about a grand. I don't know where you are but there are plenty of Mx5 specialists around - near me is PH Sportscars and I'd be surprised if they didn't have a couple of cars in at about the £1k price point and loads of spares avaialble to help keep it on the road in the future!
This will give you an idea of retail price for 806s.
http://www.chrono24.co.uk/search/index.htm?accesso...
An old MX5 will be fun, but I think long term, your father's 806 will prove a more poignant heirloom. An MX5 also, if we're honest, will just lose money, the Breitling can only get more valuable, if looked after.
If you doubt that, look at the prices of nice 809s (OK, these are dealer prices, but still!) and bear in mind I paid about £2K, freshly serviced for mine in 2012!
For many people a 'full set', with original box and papers will be worth more!
I'd agree with the earlier post - Get an MX5, keep the Breitling and give it to him later (if you want to), when he'll, perhaps, appreciate it more.
M
http://www.chrono24.co.uk/search/index.htm?accesso...
An old MX5 will be fun, but I think long term, your father's 806 will prove a more poignant heirloom. An MX5 also, if we're honest, will just lose money, the Breitling can only get more valuable, if looked after.
If you doubt that, look at the prices of nice 809s (OK, these are dealer prices, but still!) and bear in mind I paid about £2K, freshly serviced for mine in 2012!
For many people a 'full set', with original box and papers will be worth more!
I'd agree with the earlier post - Get an MX5, keep the Breitling and give it to him later (if you want to), when he'll, perhaps, appreciate it more.
M
Edited by marcosgt on Thursday 22 December 08:54
Sorry for the slow reply guys, yes it's a 1967 receipt. From what I have found out it is just about the last year of the manual version of the Navitimer. Not sure if it's normal but the lens is not glass, it appears to be plastic of some sort? When I showed it to a jeweller in 'The Lanes', Brighton a few years ago he thought it had never been back to Breitling for a service as it looked original I.e. it hadn't been polished. Which he said tends to take out some or all of the original finish.
A dealer will probably offer you about £1500, try this guy http://www.chronomaster.co.uk/
For that money I would definitely keep it, I have my Grandfather's Omega also from 1967 with the box and papers, I wouldn't dream of parting with it.
For that money I would definitely keep it, I have my Grandfather's Omega also from 1967 with the box and papers, I wouldn't dream of parting with it.
Mark8303 said:
Sorry for the slow reply guys, yes it's a 1967 receipt. From what I have found out it is just about the last year of the manual version of the Navitimer. Not sure if it's normal but the lens is not glass, it appears to be plastic of some sort? When I showed it to a jeweller in 'The Lanes', Brighton a few years ago he thought it had never been back to Breitling for a service as it looked original I.e. it hadn't been polished. Which he said tends to take out some or all of the original finish.
Yeah, the plexiglass dome crystal is correct for this era of Navitimer (only recent ones have flat sapphire ones).Try this forum - http://breitlingsource.com/ - They know their vintage Breitlings.
It certainly looks like a nice, unmolested example, certainly NEVER send such a watch to Breitling for a service, they will utterly ruin it for an exorbitant fee!
M.
Edited by marcosgt on Thursday 22 December 08:56
marcosgt said:
It certainly looks like a nice, unmolested example, certainly NEVER send such a watch to Breitling for a service, they will utterly ruin it for an exorbitant fee!
M.
See my thread on Breitling servicing here.M.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
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