The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I have just aquired this nice vintage chrono from the owner who has had it since the sixties! It says 1190 on the case back and is a 779 mill serial dating it to around 1950-51 ?
It has a stamped venus 188 inside running well. The centre seconds hand has been replaced some time ago and maybe the hour / minute hand but they are quite corroded and pretty much match the stainless Arabic numerals in colour so I am not sure and the owner cant remember !
Is this a Premier model as all it has on the dial is Incabloc .? I am considering having the case re Chromed as its al pretty much back to its base metal and looks pretty shoddy . I understand this model maybe have been issued to an Air Force maybe Swiss/Italian but Im not sure as I cant find a similar model with the blue Telemetre scale on the outer side of the side.
Any information would be great from you Breit Chaps!!

SM

No one ??!!

It is not a Premier, "just" a ref. 1190, all Premier had column wheel movements.
dial has been refinished, logo is quite a bit off; there is no indication whatsoever that these have been in miltary use, why do you assume this ?

Thanks for your comments , but I never assume anything ! Thats why I commented that ` maybe ` it had been military issued due to comments online about similar models I encountered.

As for the dial I dont think it has been refinished due to the existing circular patterns in the sub dials and also the overall paternation that exists , the blue scale is very faded . But even if it has I dont see it as a big issue , thousands of old breitlings from the 40`s and 50`s have been restored, they are not particularly valuable and as it stands its a good looking very wearable watch in its current state . Im just looking for some information about the model .
Do you think differently then ?!
Thanks
S F

Have a feeling that I am heading out onto thin ice as you only seem to want to hear things that support your views, but.....

It's an 1190 as Fred says, with a serial number dating it to 1951. Dial has most certainly been refinished, and not particularly well if we are going to be honest. Can't comment on the movement without seeing it.

Not at all , if you think its a refinished dial I am open all ears to understand why ! ? Thats reasonable isnt it?
And I do state its not a big issue for me so why you feel you are on thin ice I dont understand!!

S F

So I am less experienced than most around here, so I have the least to lose with an opinion on the re dial.

1. the Breitling script doesn't look great to me - the font and size look wrong - and it seems like it has been re done.
2. I would be unhappy to see no seconds mark on the second hand sub dial. Whilst you obviously see watches without these on later dials, I would expect them to have been here on one this early - with this type of dial.
3. It is unusual to see all blue tachy scales - as you point out, it makes the dial more difficult to read and see no reason why this would have been done originally but lots of reasons ( mainly cost) why a single colour was used on a redial.

On the positive side, it's nice to own and wear a vintage B - is it not?

Graham

{On the positive side, it's nice to own and wear a vintage B - is it not?}

How true it is! Speaking from experience THERE IS VERY LITTLR THAT CAN COMPARE. It separates you from the rest of the crowd!!!!!!

_________________
"A man with one watch knows what time it is; a man with two watches is never quite sure."

Well a year has passed and finally I have finished this project. the case was pretty rough but I carefuly restored it and I think it looks great now and again a very wearable vintage Breitling compared to how it looked before.