Vintage Pilot Chronograph Twins: Heuer, Sinn, Zenith

amanico · 2017-09-08T08:18:03Z

Compare vintage pilot chronographs: Heuer, Sinn, Leonidas, Breitling, and Zenith. Explore military origins, movements, and collector appeal.

amanico

WPS member · Horological Meandering forum

22 replies6538 views5 photos

Amanico's post offers a fascinating comparison of vintage pilot chronographs from Heuer, Sinn, Leonidas, Breitling, and Zenith. He highlights their shared aesthetic and military origins, inviting readers to appreciate the subtle differences and historical significance of these iconic timepieces. This article delves into the allure of military-issued watches and their enduring appeal to collectors.

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Some were issued for the German and Norwegian Army Pilots, others for the Italian Pilots. But all have the same look, with a slight reserve for the Zenith, which is very close but not totally the same.

Let's see hat in pictures.

Sinn,

Leonidas ( EI: Esercito Italiano ),

Breitling ( E.I )

Heuer,

And the Zenith... Which also has a different movement, the others housing a Valjoux 222 or 236. While the Zenith houses a Cal 146 DP.

The Breitling is the smaller among these, with a 39, 5 mm case, while the others are 43 mm big.

That would be a superb theme of collection, don't you think?

The rarest is certainly the Norwegian Heuer, then the italian Breitling and Zenith.

Best,

Nicolas

PS: Credit pictures: For the Breitling: Radium Stash.

For the Leonidas: Vintage Breitling dot com.

For the Zenith: Revolution.

For the Sinn: Chronex.de.

Key Points from the Discussion

The Heuer Bundeswehr and Leonidas EI were essentially the same watch, both powered by the Valjoux 230 with flyback function, due to Heuer's later absorption of Leonidas. The Breitling used a Valjoux 222, also with flyback.
The Heuer Bundeswehr was also used by the German Luftwaffe, and the 'Cairelli' versions were built in smaller examples, making them scarcer. These Valjoux movements typically have a modest 38-hour power reserve and utilitarian finishing.
Sinn used to service Heuer Bundeswehr watches, and some dials were later replaced with Sinn branding. There's also a later Sinn model, the 155, with the same case and bezel but an automatic, 7750-based movement.
The Zenith pilot chronograph stands out due to its different movement, the Caliber 146 DP, compared to the Valjoux 222 or 236 found in the others. The Breitling is also notably smaller at 39.5mm, while the rest are 43mm.
Military watches, especially these pilot chronographs, are highly desirable but challenging to find. The Zenith is generally presumed to fetch the highest prices among them.
The utilitarian, form-follows-function design of these pilot chronographs is highly appealing. The bezels, high readability, and masculine look are particularly admired.
There is a question regarding why the Italian Defense Ministry recently sold a large lot of these watches through an opaque process instead of using established auction houses for wider reach.

The Discussion

Joepny

Sep 8, 2017

Really like Breitling 817 Cronometro - stunning one

I still do not understand why the Italian Defense Ministry sold a big lot of them through an opaque process recently. Any Italian PuristS who can shed light on it? Why didn't they consign them to an established watch auction house so there would have been wider audience?

amanico

Sep 8, 2017

You mean the auction in October 2016? They thought they could do it by themselves, I think.

This Breitling is super tempting. Best, Nicolas

Joepny

Sep 8, 2017

Yes that one.

It's a shame but all in the past now. I'm going to hunt for that Breitling if I can get my act together.

amanico

Sep 8, 2017

That would be a great catch. Try the Heuer Bund, too, which is still very under rated, nowadays. [nt]

KMII

Sep 8, 2017

Isn't the Sinn...

Just a redialled Heuer? Sinn used to service them and later some dials were replaced with Sinn branded ones. There is even a later Sinn model, with the same case and bezel but an automatic, 7750 based movement, 155 I believe. But they are all quite appealing in their utilitarian form follows function design.

amanico

Sep 8, 2017

Or the Heuer a rebadged Sinn? ;) [nt]