BREITLING GENEVE TOP TIME 810 MK 2 with Venus 178 mvmnt. (for information / guide)

FROM THE BREITLING of 1884 thru 1978
Léon Breitling, his son Gaston, and later his grandson Willy Breitling 1935 thru 1978
often referred to as the ORIGINAL BREITLING era, before the company was taken over and rebranded

Introduced in 1968 and was produced until the early 1970s. Some sources suggest that production may have stopped in 1969, but this is not universally agreed upon.

1968 BREITLING GENEVE TOP TIME 810 MK2 PANDA DIAL
Venus 178 mvmnt. (WOG) manual wind
Solid Stainless steel case (NOT chrome plated)
@ 38.5MM minus crown 19MM lugs
case back marked "WATERPROOF"

The late 1960s with their clean, functional designs, reflecting the era's appreciation for simplicity and craftsmanship.
When wrist watch companies built things to last, emphasizing quality, durability, and timeless design creating products that were not only precise and reliable but also designed to be cherished and passed down through generations, as oppose to todays focus on fashion and disposability (planned obsolescence) a strategy used by manufacturers to encourage consumers to buy new products regularly.

VENUS 178 ...
Tri-compax 17 Jewel manual wind Column Chronograph Wheel with 45 hour power reserve. (WOG stamped). Also used in Breitling models - Chronomat, Navitimer, Unitime, Duograph. Venus was the preferred chronographe movement by Breitling. VENUS closed shop and was taken over by Valjoux, Breitling continued to use their Venus parts inventory for new pieces and repairs they had until they were exhausted.

Contemporary chronograph movements to the Venus 178 ... Valjoux 72, Lemania CH27, Lemania 2310, and the Omega cal. 321 as this is based off of Lemania CH27 C12p modified by Omega.

VENUS 178 BREITLING preferred mvmnt versus the Valjoux 72 Rolex choice​

​

The Valjoux 72 was generally considered to be cheaper to produce than the Venus 178. The Valjoux 72 was designed to be more cost-effective but not as precise and smooth in operation compared to intricate column-wheel calibres.

In contrast, the Venus 178, while highly regarded for its quality and reliability, was part of a family of movements that were known for their SUPERIOR but more expensive seven-pillar column wheel design. The Venus 178 was one of the more impressive movements of its time. The column wheel mechanism which is a key component for controlling the start, stop, and reset functions of the chronograph in the Venus 178 is often considered superior to other designs because it provides a more consistent and reliable engagement between the chronograph pushers and the gears. This results in a more precise and smoother operation of the chronograph functions.​

The Venus 178 is often considered to function more smoothly and is highly accurate. The Venus 178 was built with higher-grade materials and tighter tolerances.

​

Precision:​

The Venus 178 features a seven-column wheel and a drop-hammer reset mechanism, resulting in smoother actuation, more consistent chronograph engagement, and refined control over start, stop, and reset functions with superior timekeeping stability and operational precision, especially in aviation contexts where accuracy was critical.

SOLID STAINLESS STEEL CASE ...
The MK 2 model typically features a more conventional case design compared to the monocoque case of the MK 1. The case is generally more accessible for servicing and maintenance. The lugs @19MM are straight and have a polished finish. They are slightly chamfered, though not as much as in the earlier MK 1 models.
WATER Ingress labaling: The transition from using the term "waterproof" to "water resistant" in watch labeling was a gradual shift that occurred over time, some watch case manufacturers and the watch companies they supplied transitioned as early as 1969 or 1970 to more accurately reflect the limitations and conditions under which watches could withstand water exposure.

Breitling Venus Movement WOG Stamp​

The stamp "WOG" on a vintage Breitling watch with a Venus movement refers to the import code used by the Wakmann company, which was the main importer of Breitling watches into the United States during the mid-1950s. This import code was mandated by U.S. customs in the late 1940s for tariff purposes. Prior to this, in the early 1950s, Breitling itself imported watches into the U.S. and used the import code "BOW".


VARIANTS ...

*** Breitling Geneve Top Time 824 with a 24-hour military dial

*** Breitling Geneve Top Time 810 MK2 transitional model (later stages of production)
fitted with a Valjoux 7736 movement which was used when the supply of Venus 178 movements was exhausted (Venus closed),


replaced by ...

.BREITLING TOP TIME 815 "LONG PLAYING" , which used a hand-wound, cam-operated Valjoux 7736 movement, providing a 52-hour power reserve.

​

Thanks for the pics.

Is that Top Time 810 case chrome plated or polished stainless steel?

Thanks!

this is the Mark 2 (later version) with 38.5MM case and this model has an ALL stainless steel case and case back

@hmmmcamu

Can you tell us what lug-to-lug length of the 810 is?

I'm interested in this watch, but many pics I’ve seen online of the MKII show lug-to-lug that looks stretched out.

Also, what size is your wrist and it does it look ‘too long’?

I wish they had just kept the chamfered lugs of the MK I and reduced width to 19mm instead.😕

Thanks for your time!

Gorgeous watches!

i have 7 1/2 " wrists and it fits very very nicely on my wrist

1968 BREITLING GENEVE 810 TOP TIME MK2