All'amico Ballestrazzi Riconoscente, Piero 1928-1941
To my friend Ballestrazzi, gratefully, Piero 1928-1941
1930s Breitling Pilot Monopusher Chronograph
Reference: Monopusher "Fabrique en suisse" for French market
Serial: 38xxxx
Year: 1930s
Case: Stainless Steel, Chrome middle
Dial: Gilt Telemeter (hands have been colour matched to dial)
Dimensions: 33.5mm excluding crown
Function: Timing/Telemeter
Caliber: Venus
Strap: Nato
A rare and wonderful early Breitling Pilots "monopusher" chronograph which has fixed springbar case. Dating before 1944 but we cannot find the exact reference to date the watch because Breitling only seemed to record their serials from 1944.
This watch was gifted by Piero in Italy, as you can see the inscription on the caseback, it adds so much provenence and spirit to the history of this piece, and the stories it could tell!
The dial is fantastic glossy gilt with applied radium mass numbers and leaf style hands which compliment the copper gilt tones. The watch must date very early around the start of the 1930s.
The case has some wear to be expected, but is untouched and not polished as we prefer to leave the battle scars. For a watch of over 80s years old it is astonishing.
The watch has been fully overhauled by our watchmaker and is running perfectly.
These early Breitlings are very rare and seldom come up on the market.
This watch came from my personal collection, puchased around 7 years ago.