The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Does anyone know the exact year / month the venus 178 movement was first released ?

( do we see a pattern in my questions ? )


Ranfft says 'early 1950'ies' but I am curious what year and preferably year/month these movements were released ?, what is the earliest known watch of any make that has a venus 178 movement inside ?

I know of a 1953 765 AVI , serial 820441 , with a V178 , but surely this is not the oldest ?


My pattern is trying to establish a date when the 765 AVI was developed .

I assume it takes at least 6 months to develop a watch , taking a known movement, designing the dial , special 15 minute aperture window and parts for that , designing the watch dial and hands etc etc

Lets say Breitling moved to geneve in march 1953, any watch released prior to march would not have geneve on the dial , take off a conservative 6 month development time and we have a initial design date of sept / oct 1952 for the 765 AVI .

Well ahead of the release of the Breguet XX, Vixa , Auricoste and others

Yes I am trying to come up with 'proof' by deduction that Breitling was the original designer of the famous type XX , and not Breguet

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"I spent most of my money on Booze, Breitling and Boats. The rest I wasted" - mostly Elmore Leonard

Not sure that I have ever seen a specific year, will try and dig through some references on the weekend. 175 that is the family base was introduced in the mid 40s I think (definitely the 40s), so wouldn't be surprised if the 178 was prior to 1950, but don't ask me to find a piece with it in from that early!

René, it is sure that Venus 178 appeared at least 10 years before its use in the ref .765 !

Breitling ref 734 appeared in catalogs in 1941 or 1942 as a military watch and was encasing a Venus 178 .
I have one 734 case number 543325. By the fact it is a proof that Venus 178 was already available in 1943 .
Chronomat 786 fitted with the Venus 178 appeared at the same period . All those I have seen have a nickel finish

I guess that rosegold plated execution appeared further , maybe for Breitling . I have also seen a rosegold plated V178 for Lip .

For sure earlier than 1950. I've got this Harman ref 734 w/Venus 178 and serial # 601xxx from 1945 incoming.



Also this one is an even earlier piece and also a ref 734 serial # 543xxx probably 1943.