The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Comments on my recent purchase are appreciated. This was not sold as a Breitling, but merely as a vintage chronograph. I have never owned a Breitling (or a chronograph for that matter), and bought it simply because I like it and the price was right. However, after doing some online research to figure out the age of my chrono, I have convinced myself this is a 1946 Breitling ref. 178 with an unmarked Venus 170. Please feel free to put me in my place if I am being ridiculous here

Clearly the dial is the oddest part. It looks original and age appropriate, but it is not signed "Breitling" as you'd expect on a genuine dial. Why would a genuine Breitling dial not be signed? I think looks too good to be an old refinish job, but I am far from an expert. Even if it was refinished, why wouldn't they have put "Breitling" on it?

Attached are photos of the best comparison watch I can find. My watch is on the right, the comparison on the left. The serial numbers are only about 10 digits apart, and I cannot find any significant differences other than the hands. The comparison is currently for sale on (what I believe is) a reputable website, but I guess this also raises questions of how authentic the comparison is: http://www.lorologiese.com/us/breitling-vintage-1946-vertical-chronograph-ref-178.html

The hands on my watch do not look original to me, but I would appreciate any comments on them. The hour and minute hands look too new, and perhaps even too short. They also do not appear blued...but I am not sure lumed hands of this vintage would be (the comparison watch hands do not appear blued).

I anxiously await your feedback! Is this a sleeper-Breitling that I stumbled on? Or should I just enjoy it as I originally intended...a cool looking vintage chrono? Thanks!!

It's pretty common to find other brands using the same Breitling cases and similar dials. We've always wondered whether that's because Breitling sold off excess cases or did Breitling buy off the shelf cases, the same that were used by others, for their own use. No telling for sure but I've seen a bunch of them. Whether the movement bridge is signed or not usually coincide with the production date. Later Venus 170's signed and earlier generally are not signed. Here's one I just picked up.

Thanks, vintage!

What bothers me is how incredibly identical the dials are. I have compared every square millimeter of these two dials, and they are so similar (except for the signatures, of course) that I can't help but believe they came off the same line. The ink is even faded the same, particularly the red ink. Even the smallest of details appear identical to me.

For example, if you look at the "60" in the top minute-counter wheel on each dial (sorry, I lack terminology!), the 6's are the exact same font on each dial. And that font is slightly different than the font of the 6 on the lower second-counter wheel, which is also the same on each dial. IMHO, there is no way these two dials were not created with the same die, and close in time. Although I am more optimistic than I am experienced, so that may be blinding me here.

Thanks again for the response and I will continue to enjoy this chrono, regardless of what it is (or isn't!).

I agree but it really just indicates they probably both originated at the same place. That place could have been an independent manufacturer or a brand name like Breitling. There's really no way to determine which. It's easy to picture a manufacturer with hundreds of dials and cases in stock and all he has to do is add a name when he gets an order.

For whatever its worth (perhaps nothing, except to correct my early post), the hands are blued. I just never looked at them correctly. Amazing how I never noticed it before, but now its all I see. Guess I just didn't realize how subtle the effect is. Or I should get my eyes checked.