Hi friends,
Is there any information out there about the -33 or /33 engravings on the case back of some of the Breitling Top Time's?
I've seen examples of it used on most of the 2 subdial Top Time references.(except ref: 2211 and 2011) My initially thought is that it was used to indicate the use of the new Valjoux 7733 movement in c.1969? That would be the most obvious. But there seem to be enough examples out there to suggest this wasn't exclusively the case? On most examples, they have the later dial variation with thicker hour indexes,"zorro sprint" dial, and also the wider gen.2 hands. But again examples do exist to contradict this although they are undocumented. I haven't seen references made to the -33 in any catalogue yet either.
The other interesting point is that the -33 engraving sometimes appear to be an after thought. Different size, slightly misaligned. Typically seen on those cases with an earlier serial number around the mid 60's, but the watch presumably being assembled in 1969. I believe I read somewhere in the forum there was a period where a significant surplus of cases were produced in a particular year and then used at a later date.
I would love to see more examples if anybody is willing to share and discuss.
E.P
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