Too easily detatched bracelet

[artec]

I recently bought from my local AD an Aerospace Avantage. After wearing it for a couple of weeks, I found that the bracelet had detached itself from the watch at the 6 end and was lying in the cuff of my long-sleeved knit shirt.

I reconnected it and gave it a good wiggling and examined the ends of the spring-bars as closely as I could and it all looked normal. I could see no reason for the pin having disconnected itself.

A week or so later, I found that the bracelet had detached itself again and this time, the center-piece of the bracelet end and the spring-bar had escaped. I took what was left to my dealer this morning and he says he thinks the holes in the lugs may be inaccurately placed, so that the bracelet end is preventing the pins from centering themselves in the holes. This was because because he couldn't get the ends of the spring-bars to seat completely in the lugs when the bracelet was included with the center-piece but he could without the bracelet..

Being Saturday, their senior watchmaker wasn't in and the guy I was dealing with (very knowledgeable but not a watch-maker) is going to have surgery next week and won't be there. He left a message that the watch-maker was to examine things and see if he agreed with the first diagnosis. If he did agree, a new watch would ordered and given to me to replace the first one.

While I have no complaint at all about how I have been treated or how the problem has been dealt with, I am wondering if anyone has had a similar experience? And if so, how it was handled?

[SnapIT]

Hello Artec,

Honestly, this is the first time such an issue as you described has been brought up on the forum in my memory. It gives you an idea on how often this happens. With man made artifacts, precision ones at that, slight defects can have serious consequences. Lucky you didn't loose the watch altogether. The dealer has certainly taken the most beneficial attitude as far as you're concerned to the problem and will no doubt see you right. Let us know how it turns out.

As an aside, we are usually assisting or commenting on how to get a tight fitting bracelet or band off the watch. So perfection is as always somewhere in the middle . :-)

[artec]

Hello Artec,

Honestly, this is the first time such an issue as you described has been brought up on the forum in my memory. It gives you an idea on how often this happens. With man made artifacts, precision ones at that, slight defects can have serious consequences. Lucky you didn't loose the watch altogether. The dealer has certainly taken the most beneficial attitude as far as you're concerned to the problem and will no doubt see you right. Let us know how it turns out.

As an aside, we are usually assisting or commenting on how to get a tight fitting bracelet or band off the watch. So perfection is as always somewhere in the middle . :-)

Hi SnapIT,

Thanks for the reply. I'm not surprised that my experience was the first, but it's good to have confirmation. While I agree that the dealer's diagnosis makes sense, it's hard to see how the hole can be misplaced...... Without knowing the details of how the machining process works, it's fruitless to speculate, of course, and I suppose we shall never know....... pity!

I imagine that having difficulty in detaching the bracelet from the watch is usually due to not having an appropriate weapon with which to compress the spring-bar, no? There's a very skinny little slot through which the weapon can be inserted and unless one uses a really slim device, you can't see what you're doing. Most of the miniature claw-hammer type of gadgets I've seen are too fat to go in, let alone go in and allow one to see what's happening.

Thanks again.

[artec]

Hello Artec,

Honestly, this is the first time such an issue as you described has been brought up on the forum in my memory. It gives you an idea on how often this happens. With man made artifacts, precision ones at that, slight defects can have serious consequences. Lucky you didn't loose the watch altogether. The dealer has certainly taken the most beneficial attitude as far as you're concerned to the problem and will no doubt see you right. Let us know how it turns out.

As an aside, we are usually assisting or commenting on how to get a tight fitting bracelet or band off the watch. So perfection is as always somewhere in the middle . :-)

You asked me to let you know how it turned out........ the answer is that it turned out very well indeed. The dealer's watch-maker looked at it on Monday morning and a new watch was ordered that day. To my astonishment it arrived today, Tuesday, and I collected it this afternoon. So far it has stayed together as it should.

I give full marks to my dealer and almost full marks to Breitling (full marks only with-held because of the initial problem. The speedy response makes me wonder whether the ailment may not be totally unheard of).

I had also ordered a "Professional I" bracelet from Authentic Watches (can I say that?) and it also arrived today. I much prefer the straight bars to the angled ones on the Professional II. It looks as if it was mounted before it had hardened completely.

The external appearance is fine and the watch and bracelet look as if they were made for each other. From underneath, though, the bracelet end-piece is considerably thicker and it doesn't look right. However, it's the look from outside and the security that matter, and they are both fine. The only thing I don't like about the Professional I was the price!

This is another happy ending!

[Hobbes]

happened to me with my b1, if i flexed the wrist the right way it would pop the bracelet at 6pm. In my case it went back and they had to drill the holes a tad deeper as the springbars were unable to fully seat. now its fine :)

[RJRJRJ]

The dealer's watch-maker looked at it on Monday morning and a new watch was ordered that day. To my astonishment it arrived today, Tuesday, and I collected it this afternoon. So far it has stayed together as it should.


lol..did you make sure the serial number is different?

[fenderusastrat]

lol..did you make sure the serial number is different?

You likely got the same watch back from the dealer just fixed. I had such an issue with one my Bs when I first got it. The reason it was happening on my watch was because the springbar used to hold the bracelet in place was very slightly bent. When I replaced the springbar the problem went away...

[artec]

lol..did you make sure the serial number is different?

New serial number, new box, new registration sheet, new sticky tape on the bracelet, new sticky disc on the watch back, no scratch on the clasp....... Yes it's a new watch!
And I thought I was cynical!

It's interesting that when I first posted about the too-easy detachment, no-one had heard of it, now people who've had the same problem are turning up in crowds!

[SnapIT]

New serial number, new box, new registration sheet, new sticky tape on the bracelet, new sticky disc on the watch back, no scratch on the clasp....... Yes it's a new watch!
And I thought I was cynical!

It's interesting that when I first posted about the too-easy detachment, no-one had heard of it, now people who've had the same problem are turning up in crowds!

Nice work Artec and thanks for posting.
On the topic of bracelets, we have answered dozens and dozens of questions in the past. Its fair to say that much of the discussion falls into the category of "change out and maintenance" questions or "which tool to use" or how to resize etc etc, but for outright failure to remain attached under normal wear, very very few if any as I stated before. The close fitting solid end pieces supplied for most models just don't suffer from this type of failure. The tolerances are too close. If a pin hole was out by 1 mm then a successful seating of the spring pin just wouldn't be possible. You have one of the few that both passed QC and carried a defect that resulted in a failure.
The great part is that you dealer came to the party once the problem was isolated.. kudos to the dealer. And good luck with your 'new' watch. Pics required!! |>

[RJRJRJ]

New serial number, new box, new registration sheet, new sticky tape on the bracelet, new sticky disc on the watch back, no scratch on the clasp....... Yes it's a new watch!
And I thought I was cynical!


Yeah, but did you open the case back to see if they put the old movement in there? lol j/k enjoy the new watch. Fast turnaround timtoo. I wonder how the heck they got one so fast.

[fenderusastrat]

Yeah, but did you open the case back to see if they put the old movement in there? lol j/k enjoy the new watch. Fast turnaround timtoo. I wonder how the heck they got one so fast.


By swapping casebacks and bracelets... :-)

[artec]

Yeah, but did you open the case back to see if they put the old movement in there? lol j/k enjoy the new watch. Fast turnaround timtoo. I wonder how the heck they got one so fast.

The dealer ordered the new watch on Monday morning and Mr Breitling overnighted it to the AD with delivery on Tuesday morning. Mr B never sw the "old" watch until after the new one had already been delivered, so the worst of the cynics are confounded!

I must say, I'm very impressed...... a very different experience from one I had with Rolex service on an Oysterquartz....... but that's another story and besides, the wench is dead. I've always liked this AD since my first experience with them back in the seventies.