The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hi everyone.

I'm seeking to buy a vintage Breitling and stumbled upon this. It is suposedly from 1972, and listed at 900$US.

Pictures:
http://www.vintageure.dk/desktopmodules ... ?oli=27823

http://www.vintageure.dk/desktopmodules ... ?oli=27824

http://www.vintageure.dk/desktopmodules ... ?oli=27825

Could anyone please help me determine if it is genuine?

Best regards

Claus

Without hitting the books, I'm not sure what this is - don't know much about the 70s - it's so much easier when they have the name on the front

Can't validate the year without a serial number, and I wouldn't buy the watch without a movement shot, but the price is probably close for this era - maybe a little high.

I'll check the books this evening and see if I can match it to anything.

I don't know about this one.

If it's an early 70s watch without the name on the front then the default assumption is that it's a Long Playing.

The main hands look OK for the era, but more common Long Playing hands are slightly pointed. The usual sub dial hands for this era are also the more squared ones (the ones that look like a rectangle with a thin pointer coming out).

I wouldn't say that these hands are wrong, just 'unusual' - old world have some Long Playing with square hands and similar (but not identical) sub dial hands.

The 3 o'clock sub dial confuses me - a red section for 5 minutes and then major minute indicators at 3, 6 and 9 minutes. It makes me think that this is a version for a special purpose, but I'm not sure what - wouldn't be yachting as that would be a 10 minute countdown.

I wouldn't buy it because I can't match movement and model number, but my gut says it's right, just an unusual model.

Sorry - not sure that's very helpful.

Thank you very much for spending some of your time on a vintage rookie.

Actually it helped a lot because you made me aware of certain caracteristics that I should look out for.

I looked at the model library on this site, and found that Top Time models have the same major minute markings at 3, 6, and 9 on the subdial. Do you know what these major markings are used for.

I've asked the seller to provide further information such as serial number, model, certificate and pictures of the movement, so perhaps I will be back, posting additional information to help identifying it.

But until then, once again, thank you

I've always assumed that the 3 minute major markers were just because they were convenient separators in a 30 minute chrono, don't know if there is anything more than that - it just confused me to see them in combination with a 5 minute area.

They are to time long-distance telephone conversations which back in the 1950s/60s were charged in 3 minute blocks up to 9 minutes.


Dr Hook - Sylvia's Mother
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to the phone
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's tryin' to start a new life of her own
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's happy so why don't you leave her alone
And the operator says forty cents more for the next three minutes

That's right!

I'd completely forgotten about that. Still can't figure out what the combination with the 5 minute area is for though.