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Chrono Avenger Dial


andreww

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In my Chrono Avenger Primer I pointed out that an easy way to tell the difference between a gen & rep dial was to look at the 8. If most of the top of the 8 is missing its Gen, and if most of the top of the 8 is there, its a rep. I did note that the catalogue picture of the black dial version did seem to have an 8 like our reps, but that I hadn't seen an actual example of it.... Until now. Below are two CAs currently on ebay. Note the the differences in the 8. Everything else seems to be pretty good, but Im not 100% convinced this is not a rep.

Here is what the typical gen dial looks like...

E1336009-B555-TITPROFII_15447.jpg

And here is the suspect watch. Also note the difference in the pearl.

435e_12.JPG.jpg

AR looks good however

4ab2_12.JPG.jpg

Serial is different from my 2nd gen, not sure if the 1st gen uses the same numbers.

4bfe_12.JPG.jpg

Crown looks good as well

4980_12.JPG.jpg

So, do you guys think this is a well modded rep, or an early version that makes our reps look better than we thought?

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It's not the back that's in question (besides, a caseback would be easy to replace if you could source one), but rather, the dial. Specifically the amount of the "8" that is cut off at the top by the small seconds subdial. Typically (read:always) up 'til now, we have noticed the flaw in the rep is that there is much more "8" than there is on the gen. This watch brings that assumption into question.

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Here is the back of my first gen if this helps.

Okay, I think I missed part of that. Are you saying this is your first genuine watch, or first generation CA replica?

Ok. Just trying to help here.

This is a picture of my dial - it is genuine. This watch also has a genuine ETA 7750 in it - hence the perfect date alignment in the genuine dial window.

Again, what's genuine, the dial or the watch? Because if the watch is gen, why is the datefont wrong? And if you're saying you replaced the dial on your replica, how can you be sure the dial's genuine?

A genuine ETA 7750 would cause the date to line up perfectly in a replica dial window as well.

I'm not trying to rag on your watch, just want to clarify what you're saying.

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Not sure I buy the second variant of gen dial theory :brow:

However it is feasible you could be looking at a very good franken, a gen movt in a old factory rep case - explains dial, pearl, decent AR etc.

Alternatively, I'm still not 100% that isn't merely a good date overlay/new DW in there, alignment is a little iffy and the printing is not quite crisp/sharp/black enough IMO. CWe know Lello is working on this DW project, so very possible somebody else will have done this also?

Another pic for comparison - same old gen dial ;)

7c4e3jpgfq0.jpg

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Sorry for the confusion giorgio.

My watch is a first generation rep.

The back is of the rep.

The front is a genuine dial. Believe me, it is.

The 7750 is a genuine Eta with a standard ETA font.

As I said, i think that they must have made more than one version of this watch's dial. I compared my new dial with a genuine in the AD, particular noting the "8" and it was the exact same.

Yes - i am one of the many who is also eagerly awaiting Lello's datewheel project.

Also - not all replicas have "correct" window placement. For instance, some of our replica windows are cut in the wrong place and off a little here or there - and hence - that is why you can not get the date numbers to line up sometimes - even if using a genuine movement.

I will see if I can dig up the old dial so that you can compare.

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@cskent69 - I could tell that yours was a 1st gen rep by the short second hand. also, note the shape of the CGs at the back of the watch. Yours is more "rounded", nothing like the gen. My 2nd generation rep seems to be more accurate in this area.

Genuine back

4e23_12.JPG.jpg

As for the 8 on the dial, the less cut off version is what appears in the 2006 catalogue, so I have no doubt that there is indeed a second variation of the dial. My guess is that this variation is from the first editions of this watch.

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One thing your image does show cskent69 is how different the crown gaurds look on the rep. The gen is muck more rounded than the square cut rep. Thanks for sharing that.
Pardon?
@cskent69 - I could tell that yours was a 1st gen rep by the short second hand. also, note the shape of the CGs at the back of the watch. Yours is more "rounded", nothing like the gen.
Oh, I see!

The front is a genuine dial. Believe me, it is.
May I ask how you can be so sure that's a genuine dial? Did you order it from Breitling?

I have no doubt that there is indeed a second variation of the dial. My guess is that this variation is from the first editions of this watch.
I think to believe that at the conclusion of a six year production run, Breitling decided to retool their dies so that the Chrono Avenger would more closely resemble the replica would be wishful thinking. But if that is true, then the 8/10 is not the only thing they changed:

Avenger-1.jpg

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I think to believe that at the conclusion of a six year production run, Breitling decided to retool their dies so that the Chrono Avenger would more closely resemble the replica would be wishful thinking. But if that is true, then the 8/10 is not the only thing they changed:

My guess would be that the initial run of chrono avengers in black were the ones that resemble our rep dials. My reasons for thinking this? The watch in my initial post has the old style bracelet (again, like our reps), and the fact that the original Breitling photo shows this same dial. I have yet to see this 8 on any of the other color variations.

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It might have a Valj. 7750 in there but that ain't no standard ETA DW font - lacking in the serifs department ;)

Apologies, talking pish here (one of those days) had my own 7750 DWs out last night - indeed unlike the majority of ETA DWs the double digit numeral '1's are without serifs. Strange but true!

Hopefully will have an old factory TiCA on its way to me soon, so looking forward to Lello's DW project.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Which reputable dealers are offering the most accurate rep in the CA (Ti)? Now that we've settled the '8', date wheel and font questions by hybridization, do we have an accurate rep we can acquire, or do we all have to mod to add correct movements, fonts, etc.,?

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