95th Auction
2017/5/6
Lot 7
Breitling à Genève, "AVI", Case No. 1015130, Ref. 765, Cal. Venus 178, 41 mm, circa 1965
A rare vintage chronograph with 15-minute and 12-hour counter
Case: steel, screw back, original steel bracelet with deployant clasp. Dial: black. Movm.: 2/3 plate movement, pink gilt, Glucydur screw balance.
In 1953 Breitling introduced the AVI with the intention to achieve a contract for supplying the model to the French air force; however, the fact that it had no flyback function meant that the Breitling watch was outperformed by other brands such as Auricoste, Breguet, Dodane and Vixa, who were commissioned to deliver their chronographs to the French pilots.
Breitling went on to design a new aviation watch that had a 15 minute counter and a sub-register with luminous dashes marking three minute intervals. As 15 minutes was the exact time needed for a pre-flight check to clear a plane for takeoff, this facilitated the timing of the routine enormously for the pilots and technicians.
A rare vintage chronograph with 15-minute and 12-hour counter
Case: steel, screw back, original steel bracelet with deployant clasp. Dial: black. Movm.: 2/3 plate movement, pink gilt, Glucydur screw balance.
In 1953 Breitling introduced the AVI with the intention to achieve a contract for supplying the model to the French air force; however, the fact that it had no flyback function meant that the Breitling watch was outperformed by other brands such as Auricoste, Breguet, Dodane and Vixa, who were commissioned to deliver their chronographs to the French pilots.
Breitling went on to design a new aviation watch that had a 15 minute counter and a sub-register with luminous dashes marking three minute intervals. As 15 minutes was the exact time needed for a pre-flight check to clear a plane for takeoff, this facilitated the timing of the routine enormously for the pilots and technicians.
Sold
estimated
900—4.000 €
Price realized
5.500 €