Advice on a Breitling Top Time 810

[hansaboy]

Mega vintage deal Eric Wind has a Breitling Top for sale, not the same reference (they have the 7656),
but you can still compare and see some details, condition etc,
and also regarding the SS caseback.

https://www.windvintage.com/breitling-top-time-reference-7656-unpolished

No connection to Eric Wind, only wanting to share from his fantastic (but expensive) collection!
😀

 

[GuiltyGear]

@hansaboy beautiful watch, thanks for sharing. Like the love child between a 810 and a Navitimer. Really down my alley.

 

[fibonacci]

I have the reverse panda version of the Top Time 810 1.1 execution and mine is for sure a monocoque case (I was charged extra for it at service). I put some pictures below so you can compare. Yours does look like a snap back to me. Based on the info in the Fratello article that silver dials came with 1.1 cases and snap backs with 1.2 cases, it may be that yours is a 1.1 dial in a 1.2 case. I'm not really as familiar with the silver dial variant though and suggest you ask at Breitling Source if you'd like more information.

 

[GuiltyGear]

@fibonacci appreciate the input. Beautiful watch! According to the Fratello article, the 1.2 case is a slightly different design. The 1.2 should also be a 19mm lug instead of 21mm.

EDIT: My bad, I mixed mark 1.2 with mark 2. You're right about the 1.1 and 1.2 cases being the same except a snap back.

In your watch, is there a tiny bit of separation between the back and middle cases? This is what mine looks. Not enough space to put a case knife, but a visible seam.

Edited: Jan 28, 2024

 

[fibonacci]

On mine there is no seam or separation, just a subtle step from mid case to back as you can more or less make out in the photo. The case is one solid block of steel and the only way to reach the movement is through the dial, aka a top loader.

 

[Geezer]

Looking at the movement picture in the original post again, you can actually see the female part of the split winding stem.

So it seems clear to me that this is indeed a front-loader. Still unusual to put the "stainless steel back" engraving on the case back, but I think we've all seen stranger stuff. 😀

Congrats on the cool watch, by the way!

GuiltyGear

 

[GuiltyGear]

@Geezer well spotted. I missed that detail. Still I think that @fibonacci has a sound theory. Maybe they took the movement and dial of a 1.1 and transplanted it into a 1.2 case, throwing in the case back of a gold plated model.

I've already sent it for a service so we should know in a week or two.

 

[Geezer]

Good point!

Looking forward to your update.

GuiltyGear

@Geezer well spotted. I missed that detail. Still I think that @fibonacci has a sound theory. Maybe they took the movement and dial of a 1.1 and transplanted it into a 1.2 case, throwing in the case back of a gold plated model.

I've already sent it for a service so we should know in a week or two.

 

[GuiltyGear]

I realized just now it's been over 2 months since my last update here. Finally my watchmaker called to let me know he's done with the Top Time and I should be getting it in a day or two.

He sent me the following photo of the case. Definitely a removable case back, which makes it a Mark 1.2. Serial makes it from 1966, which is correct for a 1.2. He still treated it as a monocoque and opened it from above, as to not risk damaging the case back.