THE ESSENTIALS
MAKE: BREITLING
MODEL: 765 CP
YEAR: 1967
BOX/PAPERS: NO/YES(ARCHIVE)
CASE DIAMETER: 41mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: MANUAL WIND
Amongst the lovers of vintage chronographs, few would argue that it is not Heuer, Rolex, or Omega, but Breitling that was the most impactful in shaping the world of sports chronographs as we know it today. The most famous is, of course, the Navitimer, originally developed in 1952 and still the brand’s flagship model today. In 1953, the brand introduced the reference 765 AVI. The 41mm, super-legible design was Breitling’s effort to win a contract with the French Air Force, albeit unsuccessfully partly due to the lack of a flyback function. Thankfully, the model made it to retail clients nevertheless; the 765 then underwent incremental changes over the next decade, with the ‘reverse panda’ design first appearing around 1962.
It was at this point that Heuer "entered the chat"; they released the Autavia in 1962 and the Carrera in 1963, achieving instant success. Breitling had to respond to this and to other heavy-weight competitors such as the Rolex Daytona and Omega Speedmaster. In 1965, the brand made a radical redesign to the 765 line: the new watch, now called the "Co-Pilot (CP)", featured an anodised aluminium bezel and an enlarged 15-minute register at 3 o’clock (requiring modification of the Venus 178 movement). The model was only made for three years before Breiting changed the lineup again in 1967/68, now with the reference 7650 and a larger (42.7mm) case. Despite its short production run, the 765 CP was loved by many, most notably Jean-Claude Killy, who famously wore it during the 1968 Olympics (not a Rolex, as many believe), and the beautiful Raquel Welch in her 1967 film, Fathom...
These pieces are as rare as hen’s teeth, especially the variation we have here with the ‘dual graduation bezel’ (both hour and minute), which is thought to have been made only in 1967. The rarity of this watch is matched only by its unbelievable condition. The dial is unmarked, and the tritium lume on the markers, hands, and 3 o’clock register has aged to a gorgeous creamy hue. The case has been lightly polished in the past but remains impressively sharp. It has been freshly checked over and is running like a dream at 0 s/d, 295 amps, with a 0.4 ms beat error. We paired the watch with a NOS vintage NSA bracelet.
It’s hardly a secret now that we love rare 1960s chronographs here at Fathom, and this watch is one of the most epic we have ever had the privilege to present.