Ug Top Time? Breitling Compax?

LouS · Nov 14, 2013

Here's an interesting piece from Farfo - a watch branded UG Compax that is a dead ringer, down to the Venus 178 movement, for a Breitling TopTime. Screams franken to me, despite the UG-like reference number and case number on the back. Not a recognizable UG part on it. Anyone seen anything like it? Opinions?

universal-geneve-compax_triple_register_venus_chronograph.jpg

universal-geneve-compax_triple_register_venus_chronograph_back.jpg

universal-geneve-compax_triple_register_venus_chronograph_movement.jpg

ulackfocus · Nov 14, 2013

That's friggin' strange! The Breitling Long Plaing 815 looked just like that too.

mbirtch · Nov 15, 2013

LouS
Here's an interesting piece from Farfo - a watch branded UG Compax that is a dead ringer, down to the Venus 178 movement, for a Breitling TopTime. Screams franken to me, despite the UG-like reference number and case number on the back. Not a recognizable UG part on it. Anyone seen anything like it? Opinions?

I,ve seen a few of these over the years so am not sure on it being "franken"-there is an even more interesting Breitling, cased in a space compax and of the chronomat series I think on Chrono24.very dubious....and the chronomat series is notorious for made up watches with exchanged bevels etc...............................bear in mind that my aerocompax is also venus 178......................The 1765 Unitime series also has some strange issues - the really bad engraving to case backs( a watchmaker once said to me that Breitling would never have let this level of workmanship go to market)but in 1969,Breitling I believe, ceased so who knows...............some do not even have serial numbers.................very strange.............so very possibly a "franken"but not sure..............

Interstatetime · Nov 21, 2013

As a watch dude but admittedly not an expert either on UG or Breitling I will just ask some logic and numbers questions:

1) What is the price differential between the Breitling Top Time and a similar UG Compax?

2) How much would it cost to assemble and engrave etc a watch like this?

3) If there is not a logical way to see a profit in doing it why would somebody do it?

JohnCote
Just Curious

ulackfocus · Nov 21, 2013

Since Breitling and UG used outsourced calibers, I can only guess that this is a similar situation to models that look alike from other brands who didn't make in-house movements.

mbirtch · Nov 22, 2013

Interstatetime
As a watch dude but admittedly not an expert either on UG or Breitling I will just ask some logic and numbers questions:

1) What is the price differential between the Breitling Top Time and a similar UG Compax?

2) How much would it cost to assemble and engrave etc a watch like this?

3) If there is not a logical way to see a profit in doing it why would somebody do it?

JohnCote
Just Curious

I agree-why go to the trouble..............value-wise it would have been better to brand as Breitling rather than UG..............there were many Breitling models-Chronomats/TopTime/Chronomatics at the lower range (and now I think really undervalued )and many of those appear from time to time(out of Germany usually) ,with some looking very dubious.......bezels incorrect etc...........I think this is correct although I must say I have not seen one before..................MikeB.

Northernman · Nov 22, 2013

There was some writing about another UG with a Venus 178 caliber inside. See: http://mb.nawcc.org/showthread.php?76803-Universal-Geneve-Aero-Compax-Info-Needed. I guess it never was cleared if this was a franken or not.

mbirtch · Nov 22, 2013

Northernman
There was some writing about another UG with a Venus 178 caliber inside. See: http://mb.nawcc.org/showthread.php?76803-Universal-Geneve-Aero-Compax-Info-Needed. I guess it never was cleared if this was a franken or not.

yes indeed-I have this chronograph and it does have venus 178 (24 hour adapted).......................not a franken but a 1963-65 first series Aerocompax-BTW, mine is currently up for sale,MIkeB

Interstatetime · Nov 22, 2013

Lou, there exist watches which some might call "Factory Frankens." To some they are horrible exceptions to the beauty of "the rules" and to others they are little treasured exceptions. As I said, I have no idea what this watch may really be.

JohnnyC

Jimmy M · Nov 24, 2013

I have seen one other Universal Geneve chronograph with black registers like that, so it is certainly rare, if not totally fake. I do not own the Sala book, so is there anything appearing in that which can determine whether it is real or not?
I purchased a Zenith watch from farfo .com about five years ago. The one thing I can say, is that the gentleman who runs farfo.com is upstanding and honest, as well as knowledgeable. So if there is a question as to the legitimacy of this, I know he is not purposely trying to sell a fake.