The Breitling Watch Source Forums

A 81600 Cosmonaute issued by Breitling SA in 1985 - 1986 , no parenthood with Sinn . After buying parts from Breitling inventory + rights on design and name, Helmut Sinn assembled very few watches encasing a Valjoux 7740 . He quickly made his own road using Lemania then Valjoux 7750 with his own parts stronhgly inspired from Breitling design but not interchangeable .
There were 2 variations of case , one heavy with thin movement holder , and the other light with a massive movement holder . Yours looks "light with massive ring "
The caseback is severely worn - enough to erase ref 81600 and SN???
The bezel is not from Breitling SA , neither from L.G. Breitling stock sold out because old style bezels are for flat scale rule and this one looks angled => possibly a part from J. Zurbuchen or post 1982 Sinn ?
The sweephand is not correct .

Hereafter my 100% genuine and NOS 81600 Cosmonaute , pictured before and after a full service

Except bezel - and used caseback, your watch is an acceptable 81600 Cossie , so with good replacement parts it would be easy to get back to correct configuration . You can find correct caseback and bezel for this version now on ebay
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/BREITLING-NAVITI ... 4868063c9c
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/BREITLING-CHRONO ... 4868063cac

Hi
thank you so much for that, you can't see it in the pictures, but scratched lightly on the back is 816 it is very faint and not machine etched just scratched, thank you all for taking the time to help me.

Hi
how do you change the bezel?

You take it to a watchmaker if you have to ask the question

Hi
good advice, i will do that, thank you.

Well, maybe not so fast. Many of us have fixed and upgraded lots of complicated things with some help, research and perhaps special tools. DIY involves learning how things works and that can be fun and rewarding. If you want to try it, find some help {BTW, I have no idea how to change a bezel, but would help if I could} and then decide if you want to attempt it on your watch. A watchmaker indeed a reasonable default solution. YMMV.

Desert Hiker

Changing the bezel means removing the crystal and that compromises the integrity of the movement by allowing foreign contaminants in. That's a very bad idea!

a friend of mine who does dabble with watches, (he is limited to changing batteries can take a back off to inspect the workings etc.) has told me to be careful purchasing a bezel and case back as the likely hood is they may not fit just the tiniest difference can mean it won't fit at all, or may be loose and allow moisture in, he also said whilst changing the back is relatively simple (providing it is the correct back) even he would not touch the bezel, for the very reasons listed in the last post,) so now i don't know what to do it would be a lot of money to spend if they didn't fit even if i took it to a jeweller. Thank you all for the advice i will have to think now what to do.

So the bezel doesn't pop off from the top!?!? Now this is some usable and valuable information that a DIYer would respect and appreciate!!!

Desert Hiker

It does, but with these cases the crystal integrity really relies on the bezel as well as the case - it would have been more accurate of me to say that it might end up removing the crystal.

And I continue to learn.

Desert Hiker