The Breitling Watch Source Forums

i have, according to an inscription as a gift with the date, a 1943 breitling/ wakmann watch.I will post a slightly better pic than what my friend put up here for me. It measures 3.5 mm across the face and has gold ton face but rest of watch appears to be steel. face says breitling and only other words on front are at top right; telemeter mile.nothing on outside of back cover but personal inscription.inside of back cover says; FOND acierinoxydable and then a scratched out word and wakmann watch co swiss which all appear to have been scribed and not stamped. then; stainless steel back; with the numbers 443628. now on the inside of the watch it says; seventeen 17 jewels unadjusted. again a scratched out word with wakmann put beside it and watch co swiss that appear to be stamped. the scratched out word appears to be 'premier'. af rs are the only other letters i see. this is the first time ive checked out this watch and ive had it about 15 years. any ideas if this is real or fake? thanks

That serial number would put it before 1944 which is where Breitling records start. For that age I'm a little surprised it's it's not a Venus 170 with the registers at 12 and 6 o'clock. Back in the early forties there were certain restrictions on importing watches into the US and they sometimes had names of the US importers hand etched into the movements or cases. I have a couple of other brand watches from this period where this was the case also. Since Wakmann was the importer for Breitling that's a plausible scenario. Better pictures would help a lot.

As Paul says, better pictures will definitely help.

The 71x and 72x reference numbers are of this vintage with 9 and 3 subs so that may well be the basis.

I have my girlfriends camera coming today and will post better pictures. Any idea what this might be worth in good and running condition?

here are some better pics. I hope they will help in your opinion of whether this is real or fake. if this is real would it be worthwhile to insure? thanks for all of your help!!

sorry, forgot one. best i could get this one to come out. thanks again.

That doesn't look good to me.

The bridge stamping isn't like any Breitling bridge that I have seen, and certainly not on something this early. I also don't like the fact that the manufacturer code has been removed from the balance cock. That suggests that it is something other than BOW / WOG, which would mean non Breitling. The Wakmann script is way too amateur.

I believe that the bridge design from 1942 in a Venus 175 was also different with more rounded jewel ends.

There are some Breitling bits here, but I think it's a frankenwatch.

What I don't understand is who would scratch out the name of the manufacturer on the bridge and on the inside caseback...

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

Someone who recognised that they couldn't successfully sell a watch that said Breitling on the front and another name on the inside.

The Wakmann attempt was a mistake though!