The Breitling Watch Source Forums

We were talking a few months ago about how some of the early Breitling chrono's had almost identical twins from different companies with the same reference numbers and serial number sequences. Well here's another that is indicative of the kind of off brand watch that will get easily turned into a Breitling at some point. It has the correct 171 reference number for a Venus 170 up/down chronograph and a serial number that would correctly date it in the mid forties. All you need to turn this into a Breitling is an old Breitling venus 170 dial and a properly marked Breitling bridge. In fact you could probably use the bridge as is since they often weren't marked consistently during the mid forties. There's actually a similar watch on page 112 of the Richter book and I suspect incorrectly identified as from 1953. Just something to think about.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260607267967&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm570%26_nkw%3D260607267967%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1

Hi Paul, why someone need to sign the dial with "Breitling" ?

It is a Breitling.

Sprint is a brand name of the Breitling company, usual used in the 1920th, sometimes til end of the 1030th and very rarely also in the 1040th.

Already some years ago I declared my doubts about the Richter book. (vide viewtopic.php?f=11&t=431 )
However, when Richter used Breitllings catalogues he couldn't make much wrong. If he says it was the 1953 catalogue then it was the 1953 catalogue. We simply have to believe it.
The problem is, that the 171 on page 112 has a 14''' movement - according to page 166 a Venus 188 - and the SPRINT signed 171 from the bay has undoubtedly a Venus 170 = 12,5''' ! But again the minutes counter says 45 minutes, and 45 minutes counters are significant for Breitling chronographs.
Just something more to think about.

Chris

Going from memory, but doesn't The Book date the same catalogue comewhat eralier?

It is definitely not correct. The page 112 of the Richter book is definite a copy of the page 115 of the original 1946 Breitling catalogue

Thanks for proving Richter wrong once more.

Chris

You are all losing sight of what the topic is. Very easy too make this watch into a Breitling. We see way harder transformations, with nothing in common to the real deal, coming out of South America all the time. That's why there seems to be an abundance of triple date Breitlings, or moonphase, chrono's from this era. Too easy to make a clone. I'm not even sure what to look for anymore because everyone has an opinion about what is or isn't correct. Just makes it all the more difficult to track down genuine pieces.

gratulation to your triple date Breitling.



but why somebody has to make a "Sprint" into a Breitling ? It is a genuine Breitling.

If it was a genuine Breitling it would say Breitling on the dial.

It is a Breitling.

Sprint is a brand name of the Breitling company, usual used in the 1920th, sometimes til end of the 1030th and very rarely also in the 1040th.