Jump to content
When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
  • Current Donation Goals

Breitling Datewheels


cskent69

Recommended Posts

I believe that the manufacurers already know what the font is, as I was looking at a chinese made Breitling box (that I've had for over a year) yesterday, and the font is just like the font as in the Breitling Chronolog (05).

Anyway, after hours of trawing the web I found this - which I think is the closest to the Navitimer and Crosswind series.

http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/aboutype/redeye-serif/light/

type in "12469 BREITLING" and you see the example. A bit of tweaking to make it wider may produce the correct style?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is what I was quickly able to whip together, still missing a few including number 1. These are mostly from Chronomat Evolutions but there are a couple shots from other models. It appears the fonts do vary from model to model, but the difference is negligible, especially since the font can seem to vary even on the same model depending on its age. I was thinking, couldn't we maybe find the font, generate an image on PC, then print with laser printer to a thin white sheet of plastic (similar to a transparency), then cut it out and apply to a datewheel? Might need to shave the datewheel a tiny bit to compensate for the thickness of the plastic sheet, but could work, no?

2. 204527-810.jpg

3. 204527-811.jpg

4. 204527-812.jpg

5. 204527-813.jpg

6. 204527-814.jpg

7. 204527-815.jpg

8. 204527-816.jpg

9. 204527-817.jpg

10. 204527-818.jpg

12. 204527-819.jpg

14. 204527-820.jpg

15. 204527-821.jpg

17. 204527-822.jpg

20. 204527-823.jpg

21. 204527-824.jpg

22. 204527-825.jpg

24. 204527-826.jpg

28. 204527-827.jpg

29. 204527-828.jpg

31. 204527-829.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe that the manufacurers already know what the font is, as I was looking at a chinese made Breitling box (that I've had for over a year) yesterday, and the font is just like the font as in the Breitling Chronolog (05).

Anyway, after hours of trawing the web I found this - which I think is the closest to the Navitimer and Crosswind series.

http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/aboutype/redeye-serif/light/

type in "12469 BREITLING" and you see the example. A bit of tweaking to make it wider may produce the correct style?

I just realized you are referencing the Navitimer and Crosswind font, however this thread is dealing with the 7750 datewheel which is not used in the Navitimer rep, so your font wouldn't be applicable. See posts #8 and #9, apparently someone has chased down the 7753 (Navitimer) font previously and the project appears to have died. I'm hoping to get a realistic font for the Chronomat Evolution.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Having done 3 different DW's now, i can tell you a couple of things from painful experience:

1)piecing the font's together from dial shots is a fools game --I ought to know since I'm the fool who's tried it.

2)The movement pic is a good start for ID purposes but it's not nearly high res enough to try to trace or duplicate

3)The font in the above myfonts link is not it, and would take too much tweaking in Illustrator to make it "it." I'm convinced most hig end watchmakers use proprietary fonts--OP, FM, and Tag do not but Rolex, VC, AP, Cartier and I bet Brietling do.

That being said, I've gotten my hands on what appears to be an OEM Brietling DW--it looks a lot like the gen version of one of the currently repped pieces, but it's not exact..maybe from an older model? Theoretically, would you guys be satisfied with an overlay that has slightly different 2's and 7's. Maybe ultra perfectionists could wear a different watch 12 days a month?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe it would be possible to get a high res pic from angus, since the watchmaker had a gen they were working with. Also it might be worth it to put a bug in rjb and The Zigmeister's ear that if they work a gen breitling (which i believe they both have occasionally in the past) to get a high res picture if someone is serious about this project.

From the last datewheel posts though I would say its probably not a project for the faint of heart.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...
Having done 3 different DW's now, i can tell you a couple of things from painful experience:

1)piecing the font's together from dial shots is a fools game --I ought to know since I'm the fool who's tried it.

2)The movement pic is a good start for ID purposes but it's not nearly high res enough to try to trace or duplicate

3)The font in the above myfonts link is not it, and would take too much tweaking in Illustrator to make it "it." I'm convinced most hig end watchmakers use proprietary fonts--OP, FM, and Tag do not but Rolex, VC, AP, Cartier and I bet Brietling do.

That being said, I've gotten my hands on what appears to be an OEM Brietling DW--it looks a lot like the gen version of one of the currently repped pieces, but it's not exact..maybe from an older model? Theoretically, would you guys be satisfied with an overlay that has slightly different 2's and 7's. Maybe ultra perfectionists could wear a different watch 12 days a month?

@archibald - I would take any type of Breitling datewheel as i am sure that they are better than what we have now. Are you and the gang still pursuing this?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...
Please Sign In or Sign Up