New Plan: A Guide To Breitling Replicas

[By-Tor]

(Crossposted to RWG, TRC and RWI)

Hi guys...when I made the Omega Guide 10 months ago it has been viewed almost 10.000 times in different rep forums... so people have apparently found it useful, which makes me happy. I still constantly update it when needed.

So I have an idea: I'd like to create similar guide about Breitling since we've gotten so many superb Breitling reps lately. Pugwash is doing a IWC guide so I think we definitely need one about Breitling as well.

How would the Breitling experts rate the best ones? I'm just trying to get it started and I just have a "rough plan" in my mind so far... my "best of" is the following:

1. Navitimer (in its different incarnations)

2. Seawolf Titanium

3. Breitling Bentley GT

4. Breitling Bentley Full Size

5. Chrono Avenger (available in both titanium & ss)

6. Super Avenger (the only inaccurate high-end Breitling rep)

Ladies' Wings????

Do you think it's about right? I don't even own a Breitling right now so at least I can't be biased.

If someone wants to become a co-author of the guide and write entire guide-specific descriptions of a particular model... even better! I don't care about who gets credit and all that... I just want this guide out... for the benefit of the community. I can do the "editorial work", i.e link to different reviews and arrange the pics & layout and maintain it (at least in the beginning).

But I really need some help because:

1. Although I know something about the brand I'm not particularly a Breitling "hardcore" expert

2. I don't have much knowledge in some models (like the Seawolf)

3. With my current work schedule it's too big of a task job to do all by myself. Navitimer alone requires a lot of work because there are so many different reps out there.

I would be very appreciated if members would take one model, write a simple review of the watch, point out the flaws and such... you know.... business as usual. Check my Omega Guide and you get the idea. And you'll get full credit of your work of course. Something like this would be a nice group effort and benefit everybody. And besides, it would be lots of fun.

We can use this thread for the reviews, suggestions, pictures and ideas. You could also post links of your Breitling reviews here (and I'll add them to the guide).

Thanks all. I hope I'll get some help... let's do it!

[dadog13]

that is a great idea...i love breitlings...but know nothing about them...rep vs. gen...

this guide would be great!

[Guest chronomat123]

Good idea.

Here's my take on the currently available reps bytor mentioned.

I left out a lot of detail in my opinions/rankings and could add pictures, so if bytor wants to collaborate with me, that'd be cool.

Also, since some of these are pretty much similar in quality, I think it's bets to review them and simply provide pros and cons than to use a quantitative numerical ranking of best to worst.

My ranking, from best to least accurate:

Seawolf titanium. The version with the correct bezel and strong AR (like I just sold on the sales board) is probably one of the best Breitling reps I've seen. After owning the rep Seawolf, I'm having a lot of trouble justifying the $1000 for a used gen Superocean or gen Seawolf. This rep is very close. Wish they made yellow or blue dial reps, as I'd own both. Only flaw I see is the dial quality and hands could be slightly better.

Chrono Avenger Two versions going around. The one WOMart and PT sells, which sucks, as it has a mineral crystal (its possible that it's sapphire, but it sure as hell looks plasticy like mineral) without AR and a silly looking bezel pearl that screams fake. But there's the one Joshua sells, with the correct bezel and good AR coating. Dials look good. Highly recommend it. Short story: Back when I only wore/bought/sold gens, someone sold me a "gen" Avenger and sent me one of the Joshua Avengers on eBay. I noticed the AR wasn't perfect when I first got it, but I thought maybe it was just a factory flaw or perhaps the original owner had the AR polished off. Well I wore it for a few months loving it, thinking it was the real Breitling I had paid for. One day, the clasp breaks, so I drive it down to the Breitling service center to drop it off. They called me and told me that they opened it up to check the movement-- and it was fake! The Breitling service center was SHOCKED by the quality of this rep. A year later, I found RWG.

Bentley GT -- great looking rep, correct subdial configuration, but-- NO AR. Excellent quality case and bracelet. Dial printing looks clean and spot on. NO AR!!!! Shame, because it's a great looking watch. If it had AR, I'd put it above the Avenger. I cannot stress enough that a Breitling rep withiout antireflective coating on the crystal (AR) SCREAMS fake to anyone who's ever owned or handled real Breitlings, because Breitlings seem to have the strongest AR of any manufacturer around. My gen Breitling Headwind's crystal GLOWS with a strong bluish purple tint.

Breitling Navitimer Fighters-- good rep, has nice AR, dial could be better, as could bezel ring and crystal height. "Rehaut" seems a little too deep on the replica Navitimers with the 6-9-12 7750 chrono configuration, but not terribly so. The one Ruby is selling with the 3-6-9- chrono configuration looks great in pictures over the internet, but in person, isn't so great, as it lacks AR (well, i've been told it lacks AR, and it doesn't look like it has it as per the pics. If I'm wrong, please correct me. Then I'll buy one.)

Breitling Bentley fullsize-- excellent rep, of the same high quality of the Bent. GT, but the subdials are configured wrongly. And zero AR. Some of these have the wrong casebacks with the

Super Avenger is a joke. Bezel looks like it's made of brass plated with silver/rhodium. No AR, crystal might no teven be sapphire. Breitling also doesn't make this dial. Terrible rep for the $$$.

The quartz Navitimers that some sellers like TTk and Silix have are best to be avoided. A knowledgable Breitling fan could spot these across the room.

Not bragging (tho it may sound like it) , but I've owned gen Avengers, Superoceans, Emergencies, Colt Chrono Auto & Quartz, B-1, Aerospace, vintage 806 Navitimers, "Old Navitimers," Navitimer Twinsixty, the old 38mm Navitimer Montbrillant, Crosswind, Headwind, Wings Auto, about 20 or more Chronomats (Longitude, GT, several limited editions, even one of the first Frecce Tricolori editions from the 80s) and am currently wearing a genuine Avenger M1. Didn't own 'em all at once :-) But I have owned nearly every popular 90s/'00s Breitling model at some point in time, so I hope I can help here.

I have more to write, but need to go to sleep. As this thread progresses, I'll try to add more.

[leitztozeiss]

Nice post Chronomat123! Very informative.

[By-Tor]

@Chronomat123: Amazing. I will definitely use this info. But you're obviously talking about the older version of "Fighter's" Navitimer (the one I reviewed too).

I've seen pics of the new version with brushed case which has improved subdials and date. Right now I think it's only available with Swiss Valjoux ($888). I'm sure it'll come with the Asian 7750 too.

PS: Takashi posted excellent info about Avenger Ti rep at the RWI... so we have that and Chrono Avenger pretty much covered. Also the Bentley and fullsize partially. Relaxman did excellent Bentley GT review which I will link into it. Is some specific Bentley dial color more/less accurate than some other?

I know the Super Avenger is a bad rep, but could someone quickly point out the flaws.

Thanks, keep 'em coming!

Edited October 2, 2006 by By-Tor

[Chronus]

Ah well, i have the chrono avenger and avenger seawolf.

You can add that the Avenger Seawolf is mostly accurate but the caseback used is the same (I think) as the Chrono Avenger and has 300m instead of the dial's 3000m. I haven't checked the model numbers on the back lately, and can't remember if that was correct too.

[AlexM]

The main flaws for me concerning the Navitimer are :

Gap between dial and date

Wrong date font

But it appears that they are now correct with the eddie lee version (navitimer gold serie special).