The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Any ideas what this is and whether it's genuine?



Stef

_________________

Hi,probably no help at all,the only watch i can find anything like it is the U.N,similar hand set and single pusher in the crown,the only Breitling I can find, with a very similar dial,has pushers at 2+4,same sweep second hand,but no other likeness.Cheers.

Almost certainly not. Obviously we would need to see more of it, but the most obvious giveaway is that Breitling would not have a wristwatch chronograph where there wasn't a separate pusher to activate the chronograph. Since that was there major selling point from 1915 onwards, all of the catalogues I've seen show this feature on the wristwatches of this period.

The Breitling to my eye looks like it's been very crudely applied to a no name enamel dial, if this was real we would expect it to have no name on the dial and if it was truly a Breitling of this age, pre-1930, I would expect it to be marked, if at all, Montbrillant maybe on the case or the movement. (check out the example I posted in the previous post "grail of grails")

It could either be a complete franken of parts, or a re-cased pocket watch, but of course let me reserve judgement until we could see more pictures.

Here's a few more photos. One thing that caught my eye was the Breitling stamp on the movement, it's not very straight!













Stef

_________________

Accurate watch from the period wouldn't have a stamp on the bridge anyway. Don't recognise the caseback markings, and of course a Breitling single pusher wouldn't be on the crown (they split the reset from the single pusher to the crown in 1923 but then it became a two pusher).

Dial is just ugly.

Roff's right of course.

If we wanted to be more picky we could pick up on the fact that Breitling Watch Corp didn't come into existence until the Forties I believe and if this was the case the movement would be stamped BOW or WOG to denote an imported movement.



I think this was slightly earlier. 1915 for separate single pusher, early thirties for twin pushers.

BTW Stefan, look forward to seeing your chronomatic. How was dealing with Breitling, a good experience?

Don't you go arguing with me Mr. Yaffle - I am always right and don't you forget it

If memory serves (and it may not):

1915 - single pusher
1923 - two pushers (separate reset) with second pusher in the crown
1934 - two pushers in 'traditional' locations

Sorry a temporary memory lapse Roff.

I didn't know they split the reset to the crown in the 1920's. Never seen that feature before.

Thanks guys, didn't think it looked right somehow, least of all the pusher being integrated with the crown, never seen that on a Breitling before. It's for sale on Ebay, it'll be interesting to see what it goes for.



Yes, hopefully the Chronomatic will be back with me in the next 7-10 days. Dealing with Breitling UK was as pain free as always. I was a little optimistic as to what parts they would have but the plexi and the outer bezel are being replaced so it should come back almost as new and see me right for another 41 years or so!

As soon as I get it back I'll post up the photos. The only thing I'm not looking forward to is the bill, but unfortunately here in the UK we're a bit limited on where we can get things done, and I'm always a firm believer that you get what you pay for!

My Olympus came back from BUK like a brand new watch so I'm very pleased with them indeed. They seem to be as anal about time keeping preciseness as I do because everyone I've sent back for overhaul or warranty has come back keeping remarkeable time.

Stef

_________________

Roff, it is not only ugly, it is IMHO also the proof for a Frankenstein watch.

The "KILOMETRS A L.HEURE" should have rung a thousand bells.

Cheers
Chris

Well of course, I didn't mean that it was ugly and real, there is very little (if anything) right about any of it.