Important Collectors’ Wristwatches,Po...

New York, Mar 23, 2005

LOT 88

Breitling, Genève, "Emergency Breitling Orbiter 3,? No. 04/20, Ref. K56321. Made in a limited edition of only 20 examples to com-memorate the First Non-Stop Around-the-World Flight in the ?Orbiter 3? in 1999. Very fine, rare, oversized, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold aviator?s quartz chronometer wristwatch with digital display for the chronograph, perpetual calendar with date, day, month and year, world time indication, alarm, micro anten-na with aviation emergency frequency, and a stainless steel Breitling buckle. Accompanied by a special case, accessories, an original piece of the ?Orbiter 3? balloon, and a certificate.

USD 5,000 - 7,000

EUR 4,000 - 5,500

Sold: USD 10,350

C. Three-body, solid, polished and brushed, case back engravedwith ?Orbiter 3? flight details, graduated bi-directional revolvingbezel, micro antennas between the lugs at 12 and 6, case backwith 4 screws and test button to test the emergency function,sapphire crystal. D. Satiné black with yellow gold and Arabicnumerals and luminous indexes, apertures for the digitaldisplays, multicolored ?Orbiter 3? logo at 9. Luminous yellowgold hands. M. Cal. 68, with quartz standardization.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 43 mm. Thickness: 16 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: A

Good

Case: 2

Very good

Movement: 2

Very good

Dial: 1 - 01

Notes

Orbiter 3 Embarked on its historic mission on March 1, 1999, piloted by Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones. It lifted off in Switzerland and finally landed in Egypt after its record-setting, non-stop around-the- world flight of 19 days, 21 hours and 47 minutes, covering a total distance of 45,755 kilometers.