http://lesmala.net/jean-michel/navitimer/year.htm

So breitling started not at 0000001 as they have a continuing numbering since 1944 (clever). from this you see my watch (125 serial number) was clearly prodcued by Fall/End of 1968 or let me say the case back was prodcued at that time. So when they commercialized it its not clear from the numbers, but in contrast to heuer were we have not such a list i trust in the data above: this has been used as refeence by thousands of people and the table is correct.

So here is what I could think of: production in 1968 and commercilization in 1969? Still the watch is in catalogs dated 1968 print time (no other date on front of catalog; but germans tend to have the print date coded on the pamplets: same with heuer)...

Sure is for me this watch is in the same time frame than the chronomatic. Also here we only have a printed stamp on the GF bracelet: this is a shame...as heuer should have their serial number list somewhere: we should ask them !

Its a big mistake by all of the companies that they never had serial numbers on the movements. this today would make the watches we have much more valueable....as now we swith the inner life to the outer like pants.

Its also a pitty that the movements do not have any other indication. with my breitling I can only find a small XS or SX stamped inside a inner plate, but no idea if this tells us something?

Whom could we ask? breitling of course but they are not clever..when I gave my first led serial nad model number to them: they stated thiks watch was never produced by breitling..also same with the 9108....

So lets discuss further as I think its a very interesting find we have here with a very interesting date history....

Alex

: Alex:

: you can be very proud of this rare one, but I believe that it is a
: mistake to suggest that this Breitling (or any Breitling) is
: earlier than the first Heuers. This was a joint venture led by
: Heuer and Breitling; the first 100 prototypes were developed
: together (in Fall 1968), as a group and were shared between the
: four brands (Heuer, Breitling, Hamilton-Buren and
: Dubois-Depraz). The press conferences at which the Cal 11 models
: were first shown to the world were held jointly and
: simultaneously (in March 1969). I believe that production and
: retail sales were also within the same timeframe, in mid-to-late
: 1969.

: So Breitling could have chosen to start with serial number 000001
: if they had wanted to do so, but this will not support any claim
: that Breitling was earlier than Heuer. Even Breitling has never
: made this claim.

: Jeff

: +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++