A new watch

I’ve had a (circa 1970) Breitling Navitimer 806 (s/n 1352977) for over 30 years after my uncle gave me one that needed some slight ‘maintenance’ – it was missing the strap; the glass was badly scratched; all the phosphor had fallen out of the main hands and the minor hands had also fallen out.

I’d always thought it was from 1965, but checking the serial number (1352977) here suggests that it was made in 1970.

However, it was still far and away the very best watch I’d ever owned. I was even more open-eyed once I’d been to the local dealer and found out how much it was worth… Once I’d saved up enough money – about 10 years later, I brought it back up to a good condition and very proudly wore it on special occasions.

Mind you, it is a bit like Trigger’s broom and has had the  glass and strap replaced a number of times. I guess watches are a bit like a Porsche’s paintwork;

Paintwork. How many times have I had some fool walk into the yard and ask me if the unblemished paintwork on a 20 year old motor car is original. Of course it bloody well isn’t. Have you never scraped a bumper whilst parking, had someone catch the side of your car with a shopping trolley, had a wayward golf ball land on your bonnet and if there is anyone out there who has never had a stone chip I will stand right here on my soap box and eat my underpants. If any or all of the outside of the car has been painted (properly), that’s fine - If it’s had surgery that required 2 quarter panels, a bonnet, a boot lid, both doors, the front wings and the off side wing mirror then that is a different matter. – from 911virgin

A growing family and a succession of houses needing repairs and updates put paid to any serious expansion to my ‘collection’, though I did add a Titanium Tissot in the mid 1990s.

Recently, my brother – who’s also keen on watches, sent me a link to Harry Tan’s personal site where there was an article on Reed Tan who lives in Singapore and offers his own watch designs.

I looked at the site and really liked the clarity and simplicity of the ‘Max Visibility’; it was very good value at SGD280 (about £125, €143 or $198), so I ordered one from the web.

The watch arrived safely a few days later and looked every bit as good as the pictures on the site. If I did have any comments, it would have been about the length of the hands and the size of the date aperture – something Reed agreed with during an email chat.

I was perfectly happy with the watch, but thought I could add a second Reed Tan if and when Reed updated the ‘Max Visibility’ to the ‘Max Visibility II’.

However, after a few days, the watch failed keep time accurately, which was raised with Reed.

His response was exemplary, the watch was returned and repaired without issue and the hands were changed to the latest – longer, specification.

The watch was returned a few days later and has worked perfectly ever since.

It has also drawn very complimentary remarks from several people in the office – one with a Panerai and the other with a Tag…

I’m sure Reed’s watches will be very successful in the years to come!