Navitimer and Cosmonaute, Superocean Heritage, Chronomat B01, Avenger, Colt, vintage pre-quartz references — and the full range of modern Breitling production. Every watch assessed individually for reference, calibre, condition, and provenance.
Most buyers treat Breitling as a commodity. We treat each reference as what it is: a specialist piece with a documented hierarchy of calibres, dial variants, and collector premiums. Free insured postage. Written valuation. Paid in 72 hours.
Breitling's range spans aviation chronographs, dive watches, military tool watches, and dress pieces across seven decades of production. We consider every category — assessed individually for reference, calibre, condition, and collector demand.
Launched 1952, the slide-rule bezel pilot's chronograph. Vintage references (806, 809, 816, 819) particularly collected. The Cosmonaute (24-hour dial) is extremely rare. COSC-certified calibres. Dial condition and slide-rule bezel condition assessed.
The Superocean Heritage in 42mm and 46mm is Breitling's most actively traded secondary market reference. Blue and green dials with mesh bracelets popular. Original Superocean (1957) references are collector pieces.
Breitling's flagship sports watch. The original 1984 Chronomat with its distinctive riders tab bezel is collected. Modern Chronomat B01 with in-house movement commands premiums. B13 and B13048 references assessed individually.
Purpose-built tool watches with robust movements. The Colt Ocean is a popular secondary market piece. Military-issued Breitling watches (particularly those with broad arrow) attract specialist premiums.
Duograph, Venus-movement chronographs, early Navitimer — a specialist collecting category. Valjoux and Venus movements documented. Bezel inserts, crown styles, and caseback markings all assessed.
The revived Premier range and modern Navitimer 1 cater to buyers seeking vintage aesthetics with modern reliability. B01 in-house movement versions command premiums over ETA-based equivalents.
Several factors separate a Breitling that sells quickly at a strong price from one that underwhelms on the secondary market. Understanding these allows us to make a fair and well-reasoned offer — and to explain it clearly.
COSC certification is a baseline expectation across the Breitling range. Buyers assume chronometer-grade timekeeping; it does not add a premium on its own. What does add a measurable premium is the movement underneath. Breitling's in-house B01 calibre — manufactured entirely by Breitling at their La Chaux-de-Fonds facility — commands a consistent premium over watches fitted with third-party ETA or Valjoux movements. The B01 appears in the Navitimer 1 B01, Chronomat B01, Premier B01, and others. We confirm the exact calibre fitted and note this explicitly in every written valuation.
Vintage aviation heritage is Breitling's strongest collector category. The Cosmonaute (ref. 809) — developed with Scott Carpenter for the Mercury-Aurora 7 mission in 1962 and fitted with a 24-hour dial to distinguish AM from PM in orbit — is among the rarest and most historically significant pilot's watches produced by any manufacturer. Early Navitimer references (ref. 806 with the Venus 178 calibre, ref. 809) with correct dials, original bezel inserts, and matching casebacks attract serious collector interest and prices that reflect it.
Bezel insert condition on Navitimer is critical. The slide-rule bezel insert — the circular computing ring that gives the Navitimer its identity — is fragile, difficult to replace authentically, and enormously important to collectors. An original insert in good condition is expected on any vintage Navitimer worth buying. A worn, faded, or replaced insert reduces value significantly, and we will always explain how bezel condition affects our figure.
Pre-quartz Breitling are serious collector pieces, not simply old watches. The movements fitted to Breitling chronographs of the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s are well-documented and specialist-assessed: Venus 178 and Venus 175 calibres in early Navitimer references; Valjoux 72 and Valjoux 7740 variants in later models; the bi-directional Duograph with its split-seconds complication.
Dial variants matter enormously. Two-register versus three-register layouts, step-dial configurations, long versus short indices, gilt versus white printing — each combination corresponds to a documented production period and affects collector desirability. Casebacks with matching reference engravings, original signed crowns, and correct pushers are all noted during assessment.
Military-issued Breitling watches attract a separate and significant collector premium. UK Ministry of Defence pieces bearing the broad arrow (crow's foot) military acceptance mark, and US Air Force-issued Navitimer and Cosmonaute examples with USAF or contract engravings, are collected internationally by specialist buyers. These pieces consistently command premiums over equivalent civilian examples at auction. We assess military markings carefully and accurately, and that assessment is reflected in what we offer.
Clear shots of the dial, caseback, bezel insert, bracelet, and any markings or engravings. Natural light on a neutral surface is ideal. Email photographs before sending anything — we will advise on reference and condition in advance.
We send a free prepaid, tracked and insured shipping label. Your watch is insured to £5,000 from the moment the courier scans it — no additional cost.
Your parcel is opened publicly on YouTube before any specialist touches it. Every watch is recorded in the condition received — dial, bezel, bracelet, caseback, and any paperwork.
Calibre confirmed, bezel insert assessed, military markings noted. Written offer per piece. Accept what you want to sell; we return the rest free of charge. Payment in 72 hours or +3%.
Call us on 01234 815116 or email support@fairvintage.co.uk. We respond within one working day.
Get your free pack →Vintage Navitimer references with a correct, intact bezel insert consistently perform strongly — particularly the ref. 806 and the exceptionally rare Cosmonaute (ref. 809) with its 24-hour dial. Among modern pieces, the Chronomat B01 and Navitimer 1 B01 — fitted with Breitling's in-house calibre — command meaningful premiums over ETA-movement equivalents. Superocean Heritage in popular colourways (blue and green dials on mesh bracelets) trades actively and retains value well.
COSC chronometer certification is a baseline expectation across the Breitling range — buyers assume it and it doesn't command a standalone premium on its own. What actually drives resale value is the movement underneath. Breitling's in-house B01 calibre commands a real and measurable premium over third-party ETA or Valjoux movements. We confirm the exact calibre fitted and note the B01 premium explicitly in our written valuation.
Yes, significantly. The slide-rule bezel insert is critical to the Navitimer's collectibility. On vintage references, an original insert with clear, legible markings and minimal wear is a key value driver. A faded, chipped, or replaced insert reduces value noticeably. Replacement inserts — even correct-pattern examples — reduce value compared to a well-preserved original. We assess bezel insert condition carefully and explain its impact on our written offer.
A full set — original box, chronometer certificate, service booklet, and hang tags — does add value, and for high-value modern references the premium can be meaningful. That said, we buy Breitling watches without box and papers every day. Tell us what you have and we will give you a clear breakdown of what the full set adds versus the watch alone.
Often, yes. Pre-quartz Breitling — Navitimer references with Venus or Valjoux movements, Duograph pieces, and military-issued examples — are a serious specialist collecting category that generalist buyers and high-street jewellers regularly undervalue. Military-issued Breitling with MOD broad arrow or USAF markings attract international collector premiums. We assess all vintage Breitling properly — not as commodity pre-owned watches.
Within 72 hours of your parcel going live on YouTube — guaranteed. If we miss that window, we add 3% to your total, written into the agreement before you send anything.
Request your free pack today. Every reference assessed individually — calibre confirmed, bezel insert examined, military markings noted. Opened live on YouTube. Paid within 72 hours.