Old and water damaged breitling
Hello, I found an old breitling. I am wondering if this is a genuine piece as I can't find any similar watches anywhere. I think that this watch was underwater for multiple months, maybe even years because the lume is kinda always slightly green and the watch is very rusted. Surprisingly it still works, but the crown and chronograph buttons aren't there😅. Any professionals to help?
14 comments
Sort by
Luka
Starter watch collector, I have Omegas, Casios, a Breitling, and some random watches.
Croatia
Member since
Last active: 8 months ago
16.76 cm
Looks like a cheap brass copy too me 😉
Looks like a cheap brass copy too me 😉
Yeah, but breitlings are made of 316L stainless-steel, which can still rust after multiple months in salt water
This ain’t made o 316l it’s brass plated….,….
Don’t think Breitling made a design like this either…..
This ain’t made o 316l it’s brass plated….,….
Don’t think Breitling made a design like this either…..
How do you know it's brass plated?
I’m not a professional but almost any extent of damage can be repaire. I would get it verified to be a genuine BL the find a good watchmaker to repair OR reach out to @wristwatch_Revival and see if he will take this on for a video for a repair.
I think it is a made up Breitling, everything just seems wrong. A friend agreed to take care of a pile of watches that the widow of a man he knew well found in his things. Of course the guy figures that I would be happy to pay real dollars for fake watches to help his friend. This watch recalls those nasty knock offs.
How do you know it's brass plated?
The section I have circled in the photo ( light coloured area around the pusher hole) looks like brass to me. Also the watch just screams fake to me, like @Mr.Santana said get it verified by a Breitling AD perhaps, Breitling are one of my brands and I cannot say I’ve ever seen a model similar to this but hey, I could be completely wrong good luck with it 👍🏻
I agree with @Bayl61. Plated brass, probably Miyota movement inside, and a completely "new" model that nobody saw before. If it walks like a duck, sounds like a duck and quacks like a duck... It might be a duck.
Not a Breitling specialist, but
1) I think hands are susceptible to rust, too. On pic - only dial is “rusted” while hands are perfect condition? Doesn’t make sense to me - rather rust effect is added on purpose to some elements only. Not sure Breitling ever did this
2) If watch spent a lot of time underwater without pushers and crown (even with them) I would be very suprised it still runs…
But again - maybe Breitling was making some models with this design, so it was not exposed to water at all. Hopefully Breitling fans can help 🙏
Not a Breitling specialist, but
1) I think hands are susceptible to rust, too. On pic - only dial is “rusted” while hands are perfect condition? Doesn’t make sense to me - rather rust effect is added on purpose to some elements only. Not sure Breitling ever did this
2) If watch spent a lot of time underwater without pushers and crown (even with them) I would be very suprised it still runs…
But again - maybe Breitling was making some models with this design, so it was not exposed to water at all. Hopefully Breitling fans can help 🙏
It still works, I think it's automatic so when I spin it around it starts working again.
The folded clasp is a dead give away, unless it was an aftermarket replacement, and the subdials and other parts like bezel dont look right as well. Seems like an old cheap chinese copy which werent waterproof then.. and no way any genuine breitling or replica movement can survive a few months continuous exposure to water and still work..
The folded clasp is a dead give away, unless it was an aftermarket replacement, and the subdials and other parts like bezel dont look right as well. Seems like an old cheap chinese copy which werent waterproof then.. and no way any genuine breitling or replica movement can survive a few months continuous exposure to water and still work..
The watch surely wouldn't look like that if it wasn't in water for some time, but it still works
If that's a Breitling I will eat it.