A TOOL WATCH WITH FLAIR

The ref. 777 with its approximate 38 mm diameter was a prime example of Breitling’s progression from function-with-purpose to function-with-style. What started out as a robust, comfortable, easy-to-read tool watch evolved into elegant chronographs with an almost endless variety of dial options and case designs, including solid 18k gold screwback cases.

Of all the Premier models, the 777 was offered in the widest range of designs. Most of the options and combinations of functions, cases and dials mentioned in archived catalogs were applied to the 777. A chronograph could have a tachymeter or telemeter scale, a pulsation scale for doctors or a decimal scale for industrial production. It might have applied indexes, lumed indexes, painted indexes, Arabic or Roman numerals. The dials could be white, chamois, champagne, cop- per, salmon, gold, black or brown. It also featured chimera dials, which were made with a special dial polishing and printing method that makes colors and patterns appear, disappear or change intensity under different lighting.

Even for longtime Breitling collectors like myself, it is still possible to find these models in new and surprising combinations. I’m still looking for the next, still unknown, beautiful dial on a Premier 777.

OPPOSITE:

Premier ref. 777, 1945, Venus cal. 178, 37.4 mm case: 18k gold, hands: Pencil

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Premier ref. 777, 1945, Venus cal. 178, 37.4 mm case: 18k gold, hands: Pontif