The Breitling Watch Source Forums

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Vintage-Brei ... 500wt_1376

Interesting watch. What do you guys think?

Movement looks legit... but the caseback engraving doesn't look consistent with others I've seen. Don't recognize a ref. 2020 either. Everything else looks off too...

I say franken...

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"I don't got the bright watch I got the right watch" -Jay Z

no, most probably authentic and very, very interesting, did not discuss it here before as I thought another member might be interested and it will probably sell high enough anyway, might be a rare find for some collectors.

"A very interesting watch is on offer from Germany, though with a 7733 I do not like so much.

Story goes that this guy (sounds believable) bought some watches from the widow of Willy Breitling, Beatrice, and it is a preproduction prototype ref. 2020 that never went into mass production, seems to be based on a watch Breitling manufactured for the RAF/RN, that was branded by CWC and/or Hamilton.

Seller has the paperwork to prove his story, though the price might not be justified"

http://www.flying-time.de/wbb2/thread.p ... +breitling
http://gator1088.hostgator.com/~mwr/for ... hp?t=24074

same watch without the ref. 2020 but ref. 6BB here with a reference to a german book published in 1999:
http://www.mwrforum.net/forums/showthre ... al+numbers

Very, very, very real!

Someone is going to have to prove that's genuine to me. There are a couple of areas that I would be concerned with. If this was indeed a prototype why would it be given what appears to be a non-existant reference number? Usually the reference numbers are saved for production pieces from that era. No serial number either. A series of watches like this were evidently made for the British government in the late 1970's and there is some information about them online. Nothing mentions Breitling as far as I can see. Plus, they all have the British markings on the back cover not a manufacturers name but that might be for the production pieces. I just don't want to believe it's another Breitling one of. Here's a link with the other similar watches. My picture hosting site is evidently having problems.

http://www.mwrforum.net/forums/showthread.php?p=146298&highlight=newmark

This one popped up this morning and it has many similarities in the movement, back cover, and ref Number but looks like a Franken also.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Breitling-Chronograph-ref-2024-Herren-Stahl-Armband-Uhr-um-1970-cal-7734-/220909906768?pt=DE_Kleidung_Schmuck_Accessoires_Uhren_Armbanduhren&hash=item336f41ab50

your pics dont work for me ?

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

I just took a look at the 2024 that Paul posted and yeah it's got bits of authentic Breitling but don't know about the engraving on the movement bridge, and the Breitling outline on the caseback looks okay but looks too deep. Normally these are known to fade out over time like my 2110. So are the serials and the reference number... The "Breitling watch Corp LTD" looks legit though... The hour and minute hands look generic.

What's going on???

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"I don't got the bright watch I got the right watch" -Jay Z

Seller posted some additional information which seems entirely credible. I suppose it really could be a prototype and the only one made (sigh) but I still would be leary of it as an investment without a paper trail of it's history. I doubt anyone can 100% confirm it's authenticity especially since no examples of this watch were produced for either the British army or civilian market. It also leads one to wonder why it wasn't produced since the other brands which were produced are almost identical. Conclusion would be the Breitling proposal was too expensive and governments tend to go with who can build the most at the cheapest price to get a contract.

I think this one picked up some momentum with odd stories. It cannot be said that this watch was a "prototype." When Hamilton dropped its contracts for supplying watches to the British military, Ray Melor, who had been running the Hamilton UK office, started his CWC (Cabot Watch and Clock Company) to fill the void. He has reported that his first batches of CWC 6BB chronos were made for him at the Breitling factory and the serial numbers on those early pieces do match mid-1970s Breitling dates. I assume that Breitling made some number of these for themselves using dials made for the purpose. They are rare and it is good to finally learn that they were marked "2020." I do wonder why they don't have a serial number inside, like the CWC versions.

So the one that ended today went for a multiple of what an issued CWC 6BB chrono might sell for. It's a collector's piece, so a final price might seem oddly high to many.

I agree.

I was in on this one, but went a little higher than I was comfortable paying in the end, although I can't really say that it's too high for what it is (if you accept the provenance).

Guess it would make this one somewhat of a bargain then?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1972-Hamilton-Military-Aviators-Chronograph-/130610626536?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item1e68ffffe8

Saw this on IG today. From Japan. Just this one photo but posted as ref 1160.

There is background information in the links above, speculating that Breitling first manufactured 6BB mil watched for CWC, which could be true, however the different reference number here doesn’t really support the story given the other was a ref 2020.

I could be wrong of course, but I think this is the same exact watch that is in the mwrforum link. (note IG poster subsequently corresponded with me and says this is the piece that sold at Antiquorum in Geneva 2000)