Vintage Breitling SuperOcean ref. 2005 Diver's Chronograph--Rare Yachting Bezel

View attachment 44476
Age: 1960s
Maker: Breitling
Case: Stainless steel screw back case. Case is in original condition and has likely never been polished. Case back displays some wrist wear.
SuperOcean reference 2005s are rare enough already. What makes this piece a truly special is the inclusion of the yachting bezel. At the time of the original purchase, the buyer had the option of having the factory upgrade the standard diving bezel to the multi-colored yachting timer bezel featured here. To say that these pieces are one-of-a-kind is truly short of hyperbole. The last public sale of one of these pieces was by James Dowling (of Rolex fame). You can see this piece here. Despite the heavily faded bezel, and since Dowling sold the piece, it has since changed hands in a private sale for nearly $10,000 USD. There are many collectable vintage divers from this period, but few are as elusive as this variant.
Crown: Unsigned crown, most probably a generic replacement.
Dial: Original, factory finished dial is a real beauty with aged lume. Appropriately signed “SWISS MADE T” at 6 O’Clock.
Crystal: Acrylic crystal recently polished
Movement: Breitling heavily modified the base Venus 188 caliber in this reference. The chronometer function on this watch is quite unique. Rather than measuring seconds, the “slow time” chronometer and it’s snow flake hand measure out the time in minutes, taking a full hour to make a complete 360 degree rotation–just what you need when the SCUBA tank is strapped to your back. Since it’s not immediately obvious if the chronometer function is activated, the display window on the dial lets you know by showing a full luminous dot when the function is active, a smaller luminous dot when the chronometer is paused, and a black dot when the chronometer is reset.
My master watchmaker has performed a full inspection and servicing on this watch. The watch was completely disassembled, the appropriate parts were cleaned in the ultrasonic and then oiled using the finest quality Swiss Moebius oils. The mainspring was replaced. It was regulated and is keeping good time. This watch is not waterproof any more, please take care to keep it dry.
Dimensions: Massive 48mm x 42.5 mm without crown. 22mm strap.
Band: Pictured on a generic rubber diving strap.
Shipping: Domestic shipping via Fedex overnight, fully insured with ParcelPro. International orders, will ship via Fedex International. I'll cover shipping in the USA. International buyers are very much welcome; please contact me for a shipping quote and specifics.
Payment: Due to the value, bank wire or cheque only (many references available). Please contact me for further information. All payments must be in USD.
Inspection: I adhere to the customary three day inspection period. That is, once you receive the watch, you have three days to check it out, try it on, impress your friends, etc. You can contact me at any time in those three days and return it--for any reason--in the same way that it was shipped to you. I'll inspect it on receipt and if everything's the same as when I sent it, you'll get an immediate refund minus any shipping costs or payment fees I incurred.
Price: $9500 USD

Great looking watch!

Thanks, Zuke.

Bump

Just an awesome condition on this piece when you consider the use this watch was designed for in the 60's.
Very respectable price!!

I've never seen one of these before. Really fantastic!

I would love to see the documentation on this watch.

Wayne

I'd love to see a copy of the original instruction manual that went home with the buyer, or some of the watchmaker technical guides for the movement.... I've never run across anything like that, though. (If anyone has something, PM me!)

Here's an excerpt from the original catalog:

Note that the reference can contain two movements: the Valjoux 7731 or modified Venus 188. The Venus 188 examples came earlier and were likely quite costly to produce given the extensive modification required to the base calibre.

here's the original instruction manual (on the left in white) with the page in english showing , the other pages are the same just in different languages
on the right the original leaflet for AD's in yellow

Me too. I've never seen any of these before. Probably a limited production.

Consencus among Breitling afficionados is that this bezel (and i am wording this carefully) was most likely never sold as part of the superocean ref 2005 line up, but most likely came off a ref 765x yachting model

Here's a catalog picture from 1973 showing--quite clearly--that the yachting bezel was indeed a factory upgrade option for the ref. 2005 model line.

As we discussed , its a completely different model
8 years later than your 2005 , diff dial, diff hands, diff movement and diff bezel options 😀

its like comparing a 1967 pre moon with a 1975 post moon, or the DRSD with 'normal' SD , same watches but still completely different

anyways , everyone will have to make up their own minds , DYODD (do your own due dilligence)

I disagree. You're mixing and matching different facts to suit your conclusion.
The facts are:
1) There were only two versions of the ref. 2005 that were ever produced. There was my, earlier example, which was shown in the 1969 catalog (above, let's call it rev.1) with a regular diver's bezel, and the later version shown in the picture from the 1973 Swiss Horological Journal,which had a subsidiary seconds dial at the 9 O'clock position (let's call it rev.2), and was pictured in a seldom seen yachting bezel.

2) There were two different movements that were used in the ref. 2005: the Venus 188 that Breitling modified for the SuperOcean, and the Valjoux 7731. Following the Valjoux takeover of Venus, the Venus 188 was discontinued and replaced by the later Valjoux 7730. The Valjoux 7731, then, incorporated Breitling's SuperOcean modifications that were first seen in the Venus 188.

3) There are examples of the rev.1, which contain a Venus 188 badged movement, just as there are examples of the rev. 1 that contain the Valjoux 7731 badged movement.

4) Many known examples of the rev.2, have the "snowflake" chronograph hand, just as the rev. 1 example contains.

Those are the facts.

Now to address your points:
1) In my opinion, it is not a different model; both revisions were reference 2005. Years changed, they added a subsidiary seconds dial.

2) 1969 to 1973 is a time span of 4 years, not 8.

3) Yes, the dial changed, they added the subsidiary seconds dial.

4) My example has the snowflake chronograph hand, just like many rev. 2 examples.

5) Yes, the movement in mine is badged Venus 188. Yes, the movement in the example from the 1973 ad likely contains a Valjoux 7731. There are also rev. 1 examples with a Valjoux 7731 badged movement.

6) The cases used for the rev. 1 and rev. 2 are the same size, with the same pusher layout, with the same motif imprinted on the case back.

7) The bezels used for the rev. 1 and rev. 2 are the same size and completely compatible.

If I'm understanding correctly, you're okay with a yachting bezel on the rev. 2, but not with a yachting bezel on the rev. 1, and your justification is simply that you've never personally seen a piece of period literature showing the rev. 1 with a yachting bezel.

As we've established, the bezels are completely interchangeable. We've also established that the yachting bezels were indeed legitimate upgrade options on the rev.2. Finally, we know that there was a period of time when both rev. 1 and rev. 2 sat, side-by-side, in a dealer's display case.

I stroll in, I like the clean dial layout of the rev.1, but also like the colorful yachting bezel in the dealer's catalog. So I ask him to upgrade the bezel. I pay. I go home. Impossible?--Only in your world.

Lest I mention that a preeminent vintage watch dealer--who by many (all?) accounts, enjoys a squeaky clean reputation--authenticated and sold a similar example?

I respect your point encouraging everyone to make up their own minds and "DYODD," and I respect your knowledge and impressive Breitling collection. Let me be clear here: I loudly and publicly extoll everyone to do your homework whenever you buy a vintage watch, no matter how reputable the source. There is a lively discussion on the forums about this very subject.

So I'd ask you to respect my FS posting here, please.

There is a lot of misinformation and incorrect information in your post above
but i will respect your FS topic and not address any nor will i continue to discuss it

, GLWS

This watch has been sold, off the forums, to a very knowledgable collector.

Thanks everyone for your interest.