The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Pretty good job of refinishing the dial.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-BREITLING-CHRONOMAT-CHRONOGRAPH-Ref-769-from-1942-BEAUTIFUL-/261124374458?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item3ccc39bfba

I would be checking the makers date against the word 'Geneve' on the dial. See if there is any mismatch.

9 days to go. Bidding will be interesting on this one.

_________________
Jim

"You have Control".

Phil has commented on the same watch in another thread, including his comments here:



not so bad: well maybe, BUT the idiocy is breathtaking; "Geneve" is totally wrong on these dials, as this design is the 40s dial, Breitling did not know yet they would move to Geneva in 1952 !

there is a bit more, though. below is a very early 1942 (probably, no way to really know?) that is quite different and corresponds to other SS pieces I saw from these early days; different stamping font, "Acier Inoxydable" and ref. outside, serial number inside - unsure about the hour and minute hands on this one, there were many different hands documented, but these are clearly restored at least.

Clearly the "Genève" is stupid but I sorted out all about dial , in the way it is declared as a redial .
Below I have attached pics of my own early SS Chronomat - before and after restoration with a silver dial , original but not strictly matching.
The caseback is similar to Fred's pics , and different from the Argentina's 769, with 2 options : either the case was originally goldplated, or the caseback does not match the case .
The hands on Fred's pics are not Breitling hands . They were 3 possible hands , you can see 2 versions on my pics and the last one is a kind of lancet .
Please note the "Côtes de Genève" finish on my V175, this finish was present on some war period watches .

Yep. Its a 'bitser'. Bits of this and bits of that. Thats cool and not that unusual on many watches for sale out there. It will be marked down accrodingly. Which is why I say, the bidding will be interesting.

Jim

_________________
Jim

"You have Control".

What I was trying to allude to originally was how much better the redone dials are getting. It would only take a little attention to detail to make these things really hard to spot. Somebody is starting to do some very detailed work and it's a shame to see it wasted on outright fakes when that energy should be channeled into restorations.

absolutely right, Paul. a pity.

Absolutely, I totally agree with your thoughts. Rstoration work is getting to the point where its difficult to see where the orignal stops and the resto work begins. I keep thinking about those guys who plasma weld & finish damaged cases to an as new conditon. Wow, that was really somehting.

There is a master at this type of work in Sydney Australia. I must find his details. His refinishes are so authentic, it is impossible to tell the difference without knowing about it first. I once viewed a hi res pic of a restoration he had completed (it was a Brietling that had been dropped into a swimming pool) and the restoration was so so good.

He would be one of a handful here in Australia capable of doing such beautiful detailed work. I hear he works through the original to the extent that he can and is mostly all hand finished (gulp). I would think a fire ravaged watch would test him, but otherwise his restorations are exemplary for anything less than total damage.

Although the restoration here seems pretty good, it has made ‘those who know’ wonder about the authenticity of the example. If it’s out of context, it does not take much for you guys (who I regard as experts) to notice it. I had to do a double take at first as something seemed a little too unreal about this one. Some confusion in my mind as well but I could not put my finger on it straight away.

Jim

_________________
Jim

"You have Control".

well, there is a market for nicely but inadequately restored Chronomat 769, piece sold for $3,150

just to document that dial:

Another indication that if you don't do your homework and research a prospective buy then this can happen. Of course the buyer might have just thought it fit his needs as is and the rest didn't matter or maybe he has an original dial on hand ready to slip in. You never know. As long as he doesn't go back to the seller 4 months later demanding a refund.

well, at least he did apologize, Paul.