The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Here's one for sale on our favorite auction site. The dial looks ok but the military markings on the back are a little suspicious. Looking at the movement though I'm not sure if that Venus 175 movement is a later movement than the watch should have. For sure the PXW on the balance cock is a problem since it's the Swiss Import Code for the Parker Watch Company. Actually I don't remember if I've ever seen a correct early Montbrillant with a Swiss Import Code at all. Anyway, info here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144334227213?hash=item219afd870d:g:lp8AAOSwAa5hu9tg

Paul - any watch imported from the later 1930s onwards needed an import code and there was no Wakmann and/or Breitling Corp. US before 1947.
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so we have a multitude of small US importers before that, almost impossible to keep track of them all, but that raises no red flag for me

serial is in line for the period, case is correct for a ref. 742; movement is actually earlier than the 14 lignes 165/175 and correct for the period, it's the smaller 13 lignes Venus cal. 150 (also used in the earliest 769s and continued in the smaller Premier 787, 788, 789, 790; last known usage in the SuperOcean 807).

so the only true issue is that very, very unrealistic pricing....

Last bit to add as I also collect military watches…. This “S/xxxx” marking has only come to group collective consciousness in the past 5 years. No one knows what it means yet but they’re found on a diverse range of usually esoteric brands, all chronographs. So in tune with Fred’s comments, it’s not out of place.

Interesting but the only cases of dual branded watches I've seen from this era is when the original movement importers info has been scratched out. I've had a few of those but and they did say Breitling on the dial. Perhaps that only pertains to those watches imported to the US during the early Swiss Code days. With the Parker Watch Co on the movement we can always say someone replaced the balance but you really never know with these early pieces. The Parker Watch Co. did indeed exist and was a US company. The Parker Watch Co. was registered on 1st January 1927 (US Horological Trademarks Index) under the name of Saul Parker, in New York City. PXW was an import code (Mikrolisk) used by Parker Watch Co. on their imported movements. Since this was a US company I can't see how Montbriillant would have used the PXW brand movement on a Montbrillant dialed example without it being altered (scratched out). Montbrillant didn't have their own Swiss code? As for the British military reference on the back, you'd have to explain how that PXW movement which clearly is an export to the US would wind up with British military markings. With these old vintage pieces I think there have been plenty of creative examples floating around just because there is such a grey area in proving them authentic. Why I generally stay away from them.

I never said the marks were military and I didn’t say they were British. I only comment that they are discussed in military collecting groups as caseback marking are intrinsic to issued watches, but no suggestion yet that S/xxxx are military issued. They’ve been found all over the world on what I commented were often obscure brands. Can’t recall seeing a connection to Britain.

There was another Breitling a few years back in the discussion







If you register with mwr you can read the discussion

https://www.mwrforum.net/forums/showthr ... t=S%2Fxxxx