Breitling 765 AVI - CP family chronology 1953 to 1978 - Vintage Breitling watches for sale

Since there doesn’t seem to be a comprehensive list with Breitling 765 models that were released over the years I decided to make one.

This is the list as I consider ‘correct’ , and as always things will change as I see or notice more differences or dates that need to change. The early history of these pieces I investigated here
Breitling 765 AVI investigation 1953 to 1962

1953 , the birth of the ‘Original’ 765 AVI

1955

Around 1955 we see 2 models.

1 with a ‘digital’ date aperture minute counter

and 1 with a normal subdial layout

1960

still 2 models like above with the only change being the larger beads on the bezel and ‘fatter’ hands on both models

and the ‘normal’ dial layout with subdial but also ‘fatter’ hands and larger beads on the bezel

1962 / 63 / 64

Somewhere between 1962 and 1964 Breitling changed from an all black dial to a ‘reverse’ panda dial.

I have seen indisputable examples with a ’62 case number both in all black , and the earliest ‘reverse panda’ I know of also has a ’62 case number

note that the 1962 / 63 / 64 765 AVI has a steel bezel

1965 the ‘Jean-Claude Killy’ Breitling

1965 marked a significant change in this family of watches . The Bezel is changed from steel to anodized aluminium And the model designation changed from ‘AVI’ to ‘CP’. The CP stands for Co-Pilot. Why we now call this the ‘Jean-Claude Killy’ Breitling you can read here :

‘Jean-Claude Killy’ Breitling or ‘The watch JCK was wearing before, during and after the 1968 Olympics and during his car races “

there was also a model with a slight variation in the bezel of the ‘Jean Claude Killy’ Breitling , this one with a dual graduation bezel

1966

In addition to the ‘normal’ CP with black anodized bezel a ‘Yachting’ model with a 15 minute countdown subdial and bezel was added to the lineup , both models were sold concurrently

1969

Between 1967 and 1969 Breitling stopped using a separate name for these on the case and they only had a reference number . So we say goodbye to the Co-Pilot name as well

An extended family we have now . the 7650 , larger (42.7mm) than the previous 765 (41.5mm)

a newly designed yachting model 7650

Also somewhere in 1969 a separate ref number was given to the yachting model

the ref 7660

and we even see a 24 hour model the 1765 Unitime

approx number of 1765 watchcases made, is 1000 pcs. This number is based on the serial numbers I collected , runs from 1276000 to 1276999. However a batch of these cases was used to make ‘TopTime’ versions . 12 hour watches with the V7736 and V178 movement . These watches were given the reference 1765/36 when equipped with the 7736 movement or left with 1765 if they have the V178 movement . 1765 Toptimes typically have a serial number in the same 1276000 to 1276999 range as the Unitime 1765

Also over the last years several 1765 cases have surfaced with 12 hour AVi / Co-Pilot dials , hands and Venus 178 movements and 12 hour bezel

When these Top Times and AVI’s were made is currently not known but I assume the 1765 Unitime was not a ‘bestseller’ and they used part of the cases to build the Co-pilot 1765 with 12 hour dial and 12 hour bezel, and the 1765/36 before the release of the 7656 as the dial is identical but the subdial hands are different from the 7656 . where the 1765/36 has 2 of the same subdial hands and the running seconds hand is different , the 7656 has 3 different subdial hands

I think it is safe to assume Breitling used whatever was available ‘on hand’ to keep producing watches during difficult financial times in the late 1970ies as the ‘Quartz revolution’ was hitting the mechanical watch industry very hard

Breitling ref 1765/36 ‘Top Time’ with Valjoux 7736 movement

Breitling ref 1765 ‘Top Time’ with Venus 178 movement

1975

For a few years it was very quiet on the 765X and X765 front. Until in 1975 Breitling released the ref 7656 ‘Top Time’

This work in progress article was written by me. If you would like to use this information on your website or somehow publish it please give credit to the writer , and link back to this article and this website . I couldnt have done this without all the info on Breitlingsource.com with a special thanks to Yaffle/Ubik and WatchFred for their feedback and finding me watches to add to the list.

If you would like to contact me or if you have a Breitling AVI 765 you would like to sell please contact me

Breitling 765 AVI – CP family chronology 1953 to 1978

One thought on “Breitling 765 AVI – CP family chronology 1953 to 1978”

Share this:

One thought on “Breitling 765 AVI – CP family chronology 1953 to 1978”