The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Fred and Roff what do you think!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1940s-B ... 5649055d87

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"A man with one watch knows what time it is; a man with two watches is never quite sure."

have of course been watching this (as several other, probably) hoping it would remain under the radar and affordable

absolutely real, 1947 ref. 178. very, very nice & the most complete package, the first 40s Premier manual I have seen. The bridge engraving has most probably been added (much) later

(would have loved it to have no comemmorative engravings on the caseback, but then it would be quite perfect)

Definite fake.

I probably shouldn't tell you that I'm currently the high bidder but I expect this to go in the $1300-$1500 range, maybe more since it has the box.

Agree that the bridge marking's not original, also very surprising dial logo for this early.

Engraving on the back really hurts value.

funny how watches never seem to stay below radar here

The engraving doesnt put me off either but the dial 'Breitling" in capital letters I am unfamiliar with, that doesnt mean much as I have not watched or paid attention to these ref's before

But with so many other interested parties I am not entering this bidding either !

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

Nice looking watch though I see there are concerns regarding the dial and bridge engraving, but I only have use for that manual doc since have no intention of buying it:). Btw the papers too don't belong to that watch,are much later, it has square pushers and the manual has round ones plus is a 3 subdial chrono. Posting the user manual in the 785 section:)

. . . to which I would add a comment on the "METAL" ring in the case indicative of a Chronographe Suisse. I may be too suspicious of this one.

Oh, heck, I'll be two-footed and an arm suspicious. I note that the dial is re-painted with a tick mark for 6 minutes and 9 minutes, but not 3 minutes. I note the very real-looking "BOW" import code on the movement.

And, here, I just don't have any reference material here at work (ssshhhh), but isn't "since 1884" a modern innovation?

You're most likely right about the 'since 1884', I hadn't noticed that. Plus the box seems to be wooden which would be a first for me. I asked for a pic of the outer box to be posted which should clear it up.

well, one again Bill seems right, was so impressed by that complete package I did not notice it obviosly seems new and the "since 1884" ? Also the missing direct dial pic makes we wonder, on one of the pics dial seems refinished ? The inside "Metal" is correct for the 18k ref. 178.

$1375 final amount. Surprised to see Bill Shaine tried a snipe on that one. Defintely some questions on this one but I was most curious about the box.

Bill,
can you elaborate on the 'metal' comment a little bit more ?, I have seen many more 18K Breitling watches using a spacer where the spacer , although Gold coloured is actually stamped 'metal' ?

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

actually not happy w/ several aspects of this one, I was dazzled by the - most probably fake - box and the manual, but dial and bridge seem totally inconsistent with the 1947 production date, comparison below to a ref. 178 from 1946.