The Breitling Watch Source Forums

This one in Italy has just been listed again. It sold a couple of days ago for around €700. 1st time it was listed at €900 with no bidders.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cronografo-Breitling-Giro-dItalia-carica-manuale-/180667475931?pt=Orologi_da_Polso&hash=item2a109ee7db

Interesting to note that both this one and the one in Germany, I posted above, have 45 minute sub registers where the OPs watch has a 30 minute register. Just an earlier version perhaps?

I think that's the only possible conclusion - the other two are later, so it makes sense - Not sure whether these were formally issued each year to commemorate the race and evolved over the various issues???

I'll recall that my first post stated my belief that someone has been adding the "Giro" to the dials to boost the sales price. I see that Richter shows a late 1950s ad on page 119 with an 1190 with a 45-minute counter, and I think we are looking at correct 1190s, it's just the "Giro d'Italia" I'm questioning. Based on my comparisons, I think:

Jonban's is almost certainly original and authentic

The one in Italy might be authentic, but might have had "Giro" added to the dial (the hands are too much in the way).

The one in Germany is probably not authentic and a poor-in-comparison "Giro" has been added to the dial of an authentic 1190.

These would be good to inspect in hand and compare. I think the chronographs made for the bike races were the lower-end (plated) watches, like 1190, so they will not have a very good survival rate.

i should have pics of the restoration up sometime this week, just awaiting the dial and movement to come back from watchmaker, cant wait to see how it turns out. also have a brown croc strap that I am putting on it