Vintage Breitling Chronomat 808 Ref 217012 Venus 175 Chronograph Slide Rule Watch, c. 1960s

Lot description — Sphere Auctions LLC

A genuine vintage Breitling Chronomat, reference 808 (case marked "Chronomat + 217012"), circa 1960s. This is the model that launched the Chronomat line in 1942 — the first wristwatch to combine a chronograph with a rotating slide-rule bezel, patented under Swiss patent 217012 (marked on the caseback as "+217012"), predating and directly inspiring the Navitimer.Case is 36.4mm excluding the crown (approx. 44–45mm lug-to-lug), gold-capped/rolled gold-plated construction with a stainless steel back, per the caseback stamp reading "Chronomat + 217012 / 808 / Stainless Steel Back." Case serial #929538. Rotating bidirectional slide-rule bezel is present and functions.Dial is signed "Breitling Genève, Chronomat," with tachymeter and telemeter scales and the integrated logarithmic slide-rule ring. Two-register configuration (30-minute and running seconds). Please note: the dial shows significant spotting and staining across its surface — this is moisture/age discoloration rather than a clean "tropical" fade, and is a meaningful condition factor for this watch.Movement is a genuine Venus Cal. 175, signed on the bridge "Breitling Watch Ltd, Seventeen 17 Jewels, Unadjusted, Swiss." The bridge carries Venus's own five-pointed "star in a cloud" hallmark, stamped on all authentic Venus-manufactured ebauches — a detail worth confirming given how often this reference turns up as a franken-watch or re-signed movement in the secondary market. Manual-wind column-wheel chronograph, 17 jewels.Watch is fully functional — chronograph start/stop/reset, slide rule rotation, and timekeeping all work correctly.This is a vintage mechanical chronograph. As with all vintage watches, a service inspection is recommended before regular wear, especially given the visible dial condition.