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Breitling Landeron 42

Donko1100
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Hi OF! I recently picked up this Breitling with a Landeron 42 movement. It came to me without a rementoire and crown. Two brakes/lever were also missing, but luckily for me in Bulgaria, where I am from, there is a craftsman who made them and now the watch is fully functional! According to my research it was made in the late 30's or early 40's. The glass is plexiglass and I believe it is the original, it is glued and the watchmaker just polished it. A very interesting thing I noticed is the original seal on the back cover, and the watchmaker told me that there is the same under the bezel. I also want to ask what is marked on the balance bridge - TXY?
 
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Dan S
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TXY is the US import code for Tourneau. I suppose that the movement, or parts of it, may have been replaced at some time.
 
Skrotis
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The cal 42 i belive is the only 3 reg Landeron produced
Hard to find parts for this.

Mainly for Breitling but also other brands like Cyma and Kronometer Stockholm.

Swedish military early 40s hands not original
83528D7D-6EE7-48D5-9E21-2A0B8B5822E0.jpeg

earlly 40s
B235F64A-7B7E-4C28-ADF8-F45B0BB96018.jpeg D926A734-D51B-487E-AAC4-45E591DCB6E0.jpeg
 
Donko1100
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Dan S Dan S
TXY is the US import code for Tourneau. I suppose that the movement, or parts of it, may have been replaced at some time.

In my opinion, parts were not replaced because they were missing, and if there was a donor, they would have been replaced. Someone had removed the chronograph minute wheel and the brake. Apparently they interfered with the operation of the clock. Bulgaria is a small country and in 1945 came the communist regime. After that, access to parts and goods from the west was quite difficult. On a related note, I have purchased two USA Air forces WWII Elgin's one had the back cover polished and the other was without it and was worn on a padded strap with only the second movement cover because they have the USA army markings on them. It just wasn't healthy to have anything from the USA during those years.
 
Dan S
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Donko1100 Donko1100
In my opinion, parts were not replaced because they were missing, and if there was a donor, they would have been replaced. Someone had removed the chronograph minute wheel and the brake. Apparently they interfered with the operation of the clock. Bulgaria is a small country and in 1945 came the communist regime. After that, access to parts and goods from the west was quite difficult. On a related note, I have purchased two USA Air forces WWII Elgin's one had the back cover polished and the other was without it and was worn on a padded strap with only the second movement cover because they have the USA army markings on them. It just wasn't healthy to have anything from the USA during those years.

I'm really not sure what you're saying, but it sounds like you are making speculative arguments about the movement being entirely original. 80 years is a long time, and a watch can be repaired on multiple occasions. Generally I think it's best to simply thank people for providing information and avoid defensive and argumentative responses.

In any case, you asked about the meaning of TXY, so I gave you the answer. If you want to believe that a US-import Tourneau balance cock is original to a Bulgarian Breitling watch, that's your choice. Apologies if I am misunderstanding your comment.
 
Donko1100
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Dan S Dan S
I'm really not sure what you're saying, but it sounds like you are making speculative arguments about the movement being entirely original. 80 years is a long time, and a watch can be repaired on multiple occasions. Generally I think it's best to simply thank people for providing information and avoid defensive and argumentative responses.

In any case, you asked about the meaning of TXY, so I gave you the answer. If you want to believe that a US-import Tourneau balance cock is original to a Bulgarian Breitling watch, that's your choice. Apologies if I am misunderstanding your comment.
Thanks for the reply and clarification on the marking! I'm certainly not arguing, but expressing my feeling.
I meant that I don't think parts were replaced because there was nowhere to get them. I am attaching a photo before the repair.
 
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Dan S
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Donko1100 Donko1100
I meant that I don't think parts were replaced because there was nowhere to get them. I am attaching a photo before the repair.

In that case, the other possibility I mentioned is that the entire movement may have been transplanted.

Or perhaps, with research, you can find a connection between Breitling and Tourneau. For example, perhaps Tourneau was a US importer for Breitling.
Edited:
 
Donko1100
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Dan S Dan S
In that case, the other possibility I mentioned is that the entire movement may have been transplanted.

Or perhaps, with research, you can find a connection between Breitling and Tourneau. For example, perhaps Tourneau was a US importer for Breitling.

Thanks again for the direction! I googled and immediately found several watches and some were double signed with Breitling and Tourneau, as well as one with TXY on the balance bridge.
Edited:
 
Donko1100
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Dan S, thanks again for the tip to look for more information! I think what I found will be useful to someone else.
The three-minute scales in the minute register were issued after 1942. Breitling America was established in 1946 and branded the watches with BOW. Another importer, Wakmann, was founded in 1947 under the WOG brand. Since the US had the Tariff Act of 1930, before 1946 every imported watch had to have the importer's mark. Unfortunately, there is no record of these watches in the Breitling archives, and no dating of the serial numbers from this period. I also put on a more suitable handmade strap.
I also found one movement with Breitling bridge written on it and import code TXY. I am editing because now I saw that the text was in Bulgarian and I did not translate it
Edited:
 
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