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#TBT: The Clebar Chronograph With a Venus 178

Michael Stockton’s Clebar chronograph pairs a Venus 178 column-wheel movement with a 35 mm steel case, but its maker, reference and date remain uncertain.
Estimate3–4 min Catalogued SpecialistWatchRanker Team
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The Clebar chronograph Michael Stockton examined is a 35 mm stainless-steel watch with 18 mm lugs and a column-wheel Venus 178 movement. Its exact reference, maker and production date remain unestablished in the available accounts, so it is best approached as an intriguing vintage watch with unresolved history—not a model whose origins are settled.

What is the Clebar Chronograph Venus 178?

It is the name used for the chronograph featured by Michael Stockton in Fratello Watches’ February 4, 2016 article. Stockton’s measurements and movement observations apply to the example he handled; they should not be treated as specifications for every Clebar chronograph.

He found a column-wheel Venus 178 inside his watch. Stockton described that movement as unusual in the mid-to-late 1960s outside Breitling, but that observation does not establish when this particular watch was made.

What does the reviewed example look like?

Case and dimensions

Stockton measured the stainless-steel case at 35 mm across, with 18 mm between the lugs. He described a tall, domed acrylic crystal, steep polished bezel, snap caseback, chamfered lugs, flat pushers and a broad, flat crown.

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Dial and layout

The silver dial has a blue tachymeter track, applied markers with lume dots, and recessed subregisters with a pie-pan profile. Stockton noted visual traits he associated with Heuer Carrera 2447 watches, but that is a comparison of appearance—not evidence of shared manufacture, equivalent specifications or a confirmed relationship.

What is known about the watch’s history—and what is not?

Clebar’s history is difficult to establish from the accounts available here. The material does not confirm the maker, an exact reference, production dates or quantity, or a verified relationship among all Clebar, Zodiac and Heuer/Leonidas-branded examples.

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Stockton proposed that older cases or movements might have been paired with newer-looking dials, possibly involving Zodiac/Clebar. He explicitly said the theory had “absolutely no proof.” It is a speculative explanation for the watch’s mixed-era appearance, not established brand or production history.

Stockton wrote, “I’ve had this watch for roughly a year now and it’s a study in mystery no matter how you slice it.” That captures the uncertainty he encountered; it is his personal assessment, not an official description.

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Can a Clebar chronograph be identified or restored?

A family-owned watch may resemble Stockton’s example without being the same reference or containing the same movement. In an October 25, 2024 r/VintageWatches post, an owner asked for help identifying and dating a father’s Clebar chronograph and hoped to restore it. Replies offered conflicting claims, but did not cite documentation that resolves the watch’s identity or Clebar’s production history. See the owner’s identification request and discussion.

For a specific watch, record clear photographs of the dial, caseback exterior and interior, movement, and any reference or serial markings. These details can help a watchmaker or knowledgeable vintage-watch specialist assess the individual piece; resemblance alone does not confirm its date or provenance.

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Stockton reported finding few examples and said model-specific parts seemed nearly nonexistent. He considered the Venus 178 relatively common and serviceable, but those were his 2016 impressions—not a current parts inventory or a guarantee that a particular watch can be repaired. An incomplete example can be especially difficult to restore if it is missing a Clebar-specific component.

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What did the 2016 article say about value?

Stockton suggested a $1,000–$2,000 range in February 2016. That was his historical opinion, not a current market estimate. The source material does not provide a recent, verified price series for this exact configuration, so the old range should not be used as present-day price guidance.

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What strap fits the reviewed example?

Stockton measured 18 mm between the lugs and paired his watch with an 18 mm shell cordovan strap. For a similar strap search, 18 mm is a reasonable starting point, but measure the individual watch before ordering: the reported dimension belongs to his example, not a guarantee that every Clebar case is identical.

Sources

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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