For quite awhile I’ve been looking at vintage Sicura/Breitling watches. Some very nice looking watches often with splashes of colour on the dial and often bigger than 40mm.
My question really is are they any good?
A lot I’ve looked at appear to be chrome plated cases, mostly with wear to the lugs and edges. Can they be re chromed? Is it worth it?
They don’t seem to come up on the forum, but then again I don’t see a lot of vintage on here really, certainly not divers unless it’s the usual suspects like Rolex and Omega.
What are peoples thoughts and or experience of them?
My advice would be to check what is on the inside.
Just like the corners cut with plated base metal cases, they often used really shonky movements that you will struggle to repair or get parts for.
It seems that sealing was an issue too (many have internal bezels as well) and the movements on some of the ones that I have seen opened have looks decidedly corroded,
So make sure you get a good look inside and out.
D
Thanks for the advice
Like this one?
I've had this for about five years now, got it from the guy who bought it in 1975 who is a good friend.
Plate wear is very minimal. Large at 46X47mm, two internal rotating bezels and one external rotating bezel with slide rule.
Just a funky, showy (gaudy), BIG watch, typical of Sicura and the disco era '70's.
Very popular with certain collectors!
Bettlach 17 jewel movement, fairly easy to service.
The sicura sellers love to flog that breitling connection. But ,unfortunately, you are not getting a cheap breitling when you buy a sicura
Very true.Originally Posted by snedboy
As I understand it, the original Breitling name was bought by the people who owned Sicura, but there was no connection beforehand.
Sicura watches are interesting in themselves, but as snedboy says, not Breitling of that vintage quality.
This is my Sicura, I thought it was possibly a one off re-case, but I saw another on eBay a couple of years ago.
No prizes for guessing the insipiration!
M
Last edited by snowman; 3rd December 2020 at 14:25.
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
Interesting reading.
https://70swatchesgallery.wordpress....-box-brochure/
They made some great looking watches but mostly chrome plated cases and movements that were some of the cheapest to ever bear the Swiss Made label. They'll have either a Baumgartner or EB Bettlach movement with a pin pallet escapement and low jewel count, and whilst they can be serviced and parts are still available, getting them running to an acceptable level when you're used to servicing ETA or Seiko can be impossible.
If you don't mind a watch that's running 30s fast one day and and a minute slow the next then you might love them, but if accuracy is important you'll be disappointed.
Here's a pic of a EB chronograph movement in one to give you an idea of the quality -
Baumgartner/Bettlach are the Trabant of movements.
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