The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hi folks, a seller on another forum is putting up this Panda 810 for sale. No pictures of the movement or the crown so far, but I've asked for them.

Based on my limited knowledge so far, would I be correct to tsay this is a 810 , and that it should contain a Venus 178 movement?

Also, any red flags about the watch so far? AFAIK it seems similar to other examples on the web and Fred's, so it seems OK.

Pictures of the movement would be crucial though, so I hope the seller sends them soon. But if there are obvious signs this is a franken, then all bets are off of course.






Thanks!

The 12 hr sub register hand is wrong and the lume on the dial looks a little thick. I'm pretty sure that bracelet has had the ends cut down to fit the watch. The price is probably in the ballpark.

Ah, I missed that! Thanks for pointing out the problem with the hands.

Interested to hear other experts thoughts regarding this.

watch is a basically correct execeution 1, assembled in 1964 or 1965, would be VERY suprised if the movement wasn't correct too.
main hands should be white, not silver; the hour counter is incorrect, as Paul said.

here's how it should look, but perfect examples are very, very hard to find - and the issues can be corrected.

Fred, could you please clarify a bit what are different dial execution of these 810?
Thanks a lot

Hi Nicolas, I've also been trying to do some research on this topic, and I found an earlier post from Fred on WUS. The post shows case and dial evolution, along with a brief explanation of the timeline too.
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f15/top-ti ... 07060.html

This other one from Fred also has some info.
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f11/first- ... 38582.html

Both posts, as always, have absolutely killer pictures!


Fred, if I may ask: if I understand your post on the "Top Time Hunt" thread correctly:
a) the Generation 1 cases had 2 types of dials
b) one earlier dial type (1964-1967) with no 'dots' on the sides of the 12 o'clock marker, and a later type (1967-1970) with the dots?

So that means this picture of yours shows 3 Gen 1 cases ... the one on the left with the brown rally strap being a later dial, and the other 2 on the right being an earlier dial?


If I get this right, hey maybe I'm getting the hang of this! (or I could be totally wrong!).

Thanks everyone for helping us noobs on this learning journey.

there is a decent thread about most variations here: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=52706

basically we have a case/dial/hands transition in 1967, also launching the "true pandal" 810.

if we restrict this to the SS models, we have only "reverse panda" & silver dials as full execution 1 models, i.e. EPSA monocoque top loader cases & thin baton hands:





we see "transitional" versions of the reverse panda 810, i.e. execution 1 case & hands, but execution 2 dials, cases are still 1964 & 1965 production lots, I have not seen a 1966 case, but assume these were assembled close to phasing out the execution 1 cases; I have not seen other "new" dials in such transitional versions:



from 1967 onwards we have the new broader hands & the cases w/ massive lugs, the silver dial is phased out and replaced by the "true panda":



and here is a "full execution 2" reverse panda, not my pic, not my watch:



and next time we'll do the GP variations

Thanks for sharing.
Very interesting information.
I start to like very much this ref 810, especially execution 1

Thanks Fred for the info! BTW, do 20mm straps work with the 19mm lug width?

lug width on the exe 1 is 21mm
lug width on the exe 2 is 19mm

so no easy solutions

with a bit of patience you'll find 19s & 21s (harder), but 1mm plus works ok.

It seems that this piece contains cal 179, is that normal?

Was wondering what were the movements in Top Time 810?

178

Does the movement 179 exist?

Does it mean that its a franken, cause the previous auction at Bonham's in London also states the movement as 179.

I find this a bit odd.

they are plain wrong, I'm afraid

179 DOES exist, very much so - and you'd kill for a watch at this price level to "accidentally" hold one.

meet the Venus 179:



it is the bicompax Rattrapante, one of the most complicated and valuable calibers of the times and very, very valuable today.

grin