The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I have the deepest respect for Paul - but the 11xx of that period should also have the applied script B or Breitling logo on the dial.

undocumented model, paperthin CS "double caseback" case, refinished dial w/ questionable logo - the only other Breitling ref. 1185 I find is on that ridiculous "Breitling-Museum" site, with a - surprise - refinished dial and what looks like a CS case.

could that be a correct Breitling, although nothing is as expected and documented ?

well .... yes, it could, but it seems highly improbable.

Paul has found the documentation for it - everything about the watch says it is a 1954 Cadette.
Similar watches including the casback and metal insert have been found.

I think everyone agrees the dial is wrong / redone - but if anything its pretending to be a cheaper watch, so a most unlikely fake.

But thanks for your input Fred, my gut feeling was something wasn't quite right - i'm happy with the information / facts given here.
you're perfectly welcome to ignore them and go with your gut feeling.

then I'm sure Paul will share the documentation

funny
some of the worlds most informed people on these, that have spent years of investigation watches from this era, cannot agree on authenticity . And although I do not claim any expertise on these Cadette's I am firmly in Fred's corner

-: Case double backed
-: questionable bridge engraving
-: redone dial

if anything the circumstantial evidence points to fake/franken and enough to steer me away from a purchase, and I am known to have made some pretty gutsy purchases.

Can you please share your thoughts on how you arrive to the "watch is probably correct" conclusion ?

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

I don't own the watch yet , and i don't like to throw money away so i'm always cautious, hence the reason to post here..

The watch serial number is clearly identified as a Breitling 1954 Cadette
The Calibre Venus 188 is correct for this and the actual watch movement looks to be from the right period
Paul has found the link between the 1185 caseback - to Venus 188 to Cadette in this period
The dial is obviously new / reworked - but i have found idenitical dials for this period with B Breitling Geneve (missing Cadette)
The inner with imprinted 'metal' is common someone has kindly posted another here last night, and i found many others on the internet over the last day also
Add the word Cadette to the bottom of the dial and its also correct - this could easily have been lost when repainting or just a careless omission when changing.
If having a new/repainted dial makes it a fake/franken then so be it.

-: Case double backed -

It certainly is but the 'metal dust case' has a different number and when i took it apart was very difficult to relocate, so i've no doubt it was added later - good idea aren't they ?
-: questionable bridge engraving - i don't agree, again someone has posted an almost identical one here and i found many others on the net - i would describe it as 99% correct, not questionable outside the bounds of very minor human error - perhaps the photos don't do it justice , when i looked at it with a loup it certainly waasn't apparent
-: redone dial= no doubt at all its either new or redone , but i don't have the watch to take it off, but again looking through a loop and comparing with similar on-line it is very similar to others of that period.
I really posed the question here because it didn't add up as a 'Geneve' , but it does add up as a 'Cadette'

I do appreciate all of the input and i'm certainly not here to pick a fight but i'm happy its the right movement , with the right caseback, in the right case with a bodged Dial (that i will have put right)
The dust cover can be kept or thrown away as i or future owners desire
Thanks again

now this is getting dangerous.

"The watch serial number is clearly identified as a Breitling 1954 Cadette"
source please, where is the link between that number and a "Cadette" ?

"Paul has found the link between the 1185 caseback - to Venus 188 to Cadette in this period"
where is that "link" ?

"The dial is obviously new / reworked - but i have found idenitical dials for this period with B Breitling Geneve (missing Cadette)"
can we see those dials please and the corresponding watches - please remember the "Cadette" are the most faked Breitling chronographs from South America. Many af the 11xx do neither have Cadette or Sprint on the dial, the question is do they have a logo like the one you show ?

"The inner with imprinted 'metal' is common someone has kindly posted another here last night, and i found many others on the internet over the last day also "
on documented, correct watches ? are you talking about the basic case or the dust cover ?

"case double backed: It certainly is but the 'metal dust case' has a different number and when i took it apart was very difficult to relocate, so i've no doubt it was added later - good idea aren't they "
I dont know how many 18k Breitlings you've handled and how many Chronographe Suisse - but the reason for that "metal" cover" isn't dust actually, but structural reasons - the CS caseback is so thin, it wouldn't protect the watch - many of those are massively dented and bent; Breitling 18k casebacks are massive 18k and need no structural support. The watch you show clearly has such a paper-gold cover.

You are most welcome to convince yourself the watch is real - but those claims above are just ......... off, to put it very mildly.

i made enough points /counter arguements and you've made enough interesting replies that knocks most of them down that i have enough doubt not to buy the watch.

Thanks all very much and i think a fantastic response from all at this very worthwhile forum