Personally I prefer the full set…

… with original (and correct) box and papers. The watch itself should be first priority, though.

When it comes to an early 3800 it is vital that all parts are fitting and haven’t been changed over time. There are specimen with new hands or later bezels. Make sure the deployant is the correct one for the serial number. I would also prefer a piece with the Tritium triangle of the bezel being intact.

One word of caution: whenever you send a Tritium 3800 to Breguet for service, they cannot guarantee that hands or dial will not have to be changed. If the Tritium is too brittle and disintegrates, a swap is unavoidable.

Same goes for the gold capped crown. Once the thread is damaged, it will have to be changed against a regular one.

Hope these thoughts help.

Henrik

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Breguet 3800 question.

By: drricook : June 12th, 2022-10:19

Dear connoisseurs-I am looking to add an early 3800 Aeronovale to my small collection. My question to collectors is given these date from around 1996/7, how much importance do you attach to the box/papers and original accessories? Or, put another way, if ...

I would not pay too much attention to the full set IF the watch you are considering comes in superb shape with a sublime dial.

By: amanico : June 12th, 2022-10:28

The thought of finding the perfect dial, hands and crown only for them to be replaced at service fills me with horror!

Your answer is why I love this community Henrik. Deep knowledge, shared information and personal experince to pass on to others. Great! Enjoy! Lars

By: LarsG : June 12th, 2022-11:03

Richard, if I were you, I'd look for a better example than the "Random photo" you've posted: more balanced indices & hands colour and less polished bezel. I like to see 'T-SWISS-T', too. Good luck with your search!

By: kjkt3 : June 12th, 2022-12:35

T Swiss T would be a later version with crossed t in the signature.

By: shortys home : June 12th, 2022-12:50

Yes, you're right. The gold crown cap in Richard's photo indicates it's earlier, of course. That said, if he wants a consistent "sublime" dial, later may well be the way to go with fewer risks of service hands.

By: kjkt3 : June 12th, 2022-13:56

Thank you for your input.

By: drricook : June 12th, 2022-15:36

Much food for thought 🙂

HI Richard, A superb watch which is greatly undervalued (IMO). My thoughts, its hard not to have service hands on the earlier models, but it is an indication thats its been serviced (probably by Breguet).

By: templetowers : June 12th, 2022-17:11

I don't think it detracts from the over all looks of the watch as the beautiful patina on the earlier tritium dials is the main outstanding feature. All wondeful but the earlier the better IMO - The bezels will be a little thinner with thinner writing, th...

Thank you

By: drricook : June 12th, 2022-17:30

Yours looks very crisp! I have found the DonIndiano link previously and it is fantastic. I think the search will inevitably involve some compromises, and hopefully some travel to find the right example. The UK may not have what I'm looking for but I will ...

Good luck in your search ! From my view boxes and papers wouldn't be a deal breaker for this model - Period boxes are coming up on sites all the time so thats always an option.

By: templetowers : June 12th, 2022-19:19

A real beauty, this one.

By: amanico : June 12th, 2022-20:48

Thank you my Friend :)

By: templetowers : June 13th, 2022-09:32

Yours looks great, probably one of the first batch?

By: Geo : June 13th, 2022-06:35

I remember seeing them in Geneva for the first time around 1996. GEO

You are correct GEO - One of the first :) Best Will

By: templetowers : June 13th, 2022-09:32

Perhaps because of the high hand-stack, service hands seem to look even more different from the original numerals & indices than they are. It would be very good to see a whole matching set. (Hint, hint.)

By: kjkt3 : June 12th, 2022-19:57

Form over function

By: MilDiver : June 13th, 2022-04:26

Or in other words, always get the best condition you can find and not the “set” but in lesser con condition. As much as it’s nice for a collector to get a set, they are over rated mainly in recent years with many chiming into the hobby and looking for it ...

Thank you.

By: drricook : June 13th, 2022-07:08

I once had a trip to Paris over a Panerai that didn't work out. Nice lunch though.

I did

By: blau : June 13th, 2022-11:22

That is, I, exactly as you wonder, found one that was just how I wanted (with lovely yellowing dial, uncrossed 't', gold-capped crown, 200m water resistance), but without box or papers. The price was VERY right, so I jumped on it and have not looked back!...

Lovely.

By: drricook : June 13th, 2022-11:54

If you do waver....

Breguet