An unusual Clebar

[Ultra-Vintage]

I meant to post this a few months ago, and saw the pictures again as I was cleaning files out of my camera.  This is a Clebar Chronograph that I picked up from another watch dealer a few months back.  A little different than most of the ones we see on Ebay for sale, and much earlier in production. 

It was definitely meant to be a serious chronograph for the time, with an excellent quality movement that was shockproof and antimagnetic (Venus 175), the right kind of waterproof pushers, and an all steel case (beveled edge lugs, 37mm X 44mm).  The guy that I bought it from kept telling me that it was made by Breitling because they have a Premier that is identical, an assumption he was using to price it more than double of where it should have been.  Breitling did make a "Premier" with the same case, dial, and movement......but as we have discussed on this board many times before, the same suppliers for those parts sold them to everyone.  They often were not brand specific or designed.

The watch is all original, including the pushers, and the dial has taken on an aged "honey gold" appearance that I love on vintage watches.  This is usually caused by a combination of changes in the lacquer on the dial due to natural aging, and maybe a bit of moisture exposure along the way.  Even though it has a few light spots around the edges, all of the numbering is there and visible.  The lume on the dial and hands is original as well, and all of the blued hands on the watch now have almost a purple-rainbow effect when hit by the light.

What we did to the watch:

-Full mechanical disassembly and service, including new mainspring and a new shouldered screw for the Flyback Trip Lever
-Complete disassembly, clean and lube on the pushers (they were frozen up due to decades of use and accumulated debris)
-Light Case polish and detail
-New Crystal
-New Hadley Roma vintage-looking Oiled Leather band with contrasting white stitch, that will get more vintage looking as it is worn

[jmh86325]

I LIKEY 

[incountry]

That's a beautiful watch U-V.  Any idea of the vintage? 

[Ultra-Vintage]

That's a beautiful watch U-V.  Any idea of the vintage?

With the styling and version of Venus 175 that it has, I am thinking mid-late 1940's

[jon p]

WOW, beautiful watch, really looks a lot like my 1950s Wakmann crono.