Lemania movement - not often seen in this era Breitling.

Circa 1970 Long Playing, but the 9757 is odd. Are there no numbers on the outside of the caseback?

Glad that you mentioned the bead basting because the case looks like the plastic polymer Sprint cases.

I don't see any obvious problems, although a Breitling logo crown should be there, and someone without gloves or finger cotts has been all over that caeback which won't do it any good.

Casebacks aren't that easy to swap out, and the reference number is not one I can find, but you are right the Breitling markings on the inside look correct. It could be a frankenwatch, and if we were only dealing with a description then I would say a Lemania 1873 powered 9757 model was not a real Breitling.

The dial looks good, the case looks real (although many companies used similar styles in the 70s), the bridge engraving on the movement looks right, and the caseback stamping looks right. I just don't know.

This listing is my watch exactly except in gold tone, even the caseback and crown seem identical. Google translator doesn't make sense and I don't speak German unfortunately. I'd love to know what the description says.

http://cgi.ebay.de/BREITLING-TRICOMPAX- ... 0738759635

Must be my lucky night. I went searching eBay and found two interesting listings. First one is the Long Playing model I always come across in my searches but the last pic I think shows my watch, although it is a b&w photo, but looks like maybe from an old magazine ad.

http://cgi.ebay.com/BREITLING-Chronogra ... 3f0af3d237

This listing is my watch exactly except in gold tone, even the caseback and crown seem identical. Google translator doesn't make sense and I don't speak German unfortunately. I'd love to know what the description says.

http://cgi.ebay.de/BREITLING-TRICOMPAX- ... 0738759635

It would make sense that the watch would be all original, as my grandfather was on the stingy side, so while he might not have tossed out a broken watch that was a gift or had sentimental value he most likely wouldn't spend money to fix it either.

Lemania movement - not often seen in this era Breitling.

That's a genuine Breitling Long Playing with a Lemania 1873 movement. They pop up all the time on ebay. I might add that the Lemania movement is a much higher quality movement than the Valjoux 7736. Here's the gold plated version.

http://cgi.ebay.de/BREITLING-TRICOMPAX-CHRONOGRAPH-LEMANIA-1873-RARITAT-/270738759635

There you go, learn something new every day.

Do you have any documentation for this model number Paul, it's totally out of whack with what's 'normal'

Never been able to find any sort of documentation on these. They are a bit of an anomoly but I've seen them enough times over the last 10 years to know they fit into that grey area from about 1975 - 1983. Breitling also put out a very similar watch, ref 820, earlier on with the Valjoux 7736 that also came either steel or gold plated but had a slightly different case design around the lugs. The earlier model is the one most are familiar with so when this one pops up everyone questions it. You also have to remember the Lemania 1873 movement was used in some of the early Navitimers and Cosmonauts in the early 1980's also plus I had a really nice display back Chrono Callisto with a Lemania 1873.

That's a genuine Breitling Long Playing with a Lemania 1873 movement. They pop up all the time on ebay. I might add that the Lemania movement is a much higher quality movement than the Valjoux 7736. Here's the gold plated version.

http://cgi.ebay.de/BREITLING-TRICOMPAX-CHRONOGRAPH-LEMANIA-1873-RARITAT-/270738759635