Some things on the B-1 that I'd change...

[JohnR]

I've had my B-1 for a few weeks now and really am enjoying it. There are a few things that I'd do thought if I could modify it for myself though.

1. I wish it were a little easier to tell which minute the minute hand is on. With all of the slide rule stuff crammed in there and the minute markers/hashes being rather small, they can be difficult to see. The exact minute is very useful for me at the hospital many times a day for charting purposes. If you look at the dial long enough, you can figure it out, but its nice (for my purposes) to have it be a little more obvious. Here's a pic where you can see that it can be a little difficult to figure out the minute.
http://www.fototime.com/7991D8DFA70093B/standard.jpg

Compared to the SOP where it is very obvious. I know, these are 2 totally different watches.
http://www.fototime.com/679D9513FFA3288/standard.jpg

2. On the heels of #1, I find myself often having the digital displays set to 24h time, which is what hospital stuff is timed in. That makes it handy for not having to calculate or remember what time it is in the evening. For some odd reason, I think its cool watching the second hand being coordinated with the digital seconds

The other big thing I use is the date, and often find myself switching between the date and 24h time in the lower digital display. The day of the week isn't too significant to me as I'm usually able to remember that one. What I'd propose is a way to have the date in the top window and the 24h time in the bottom window and be able to display them simultaneously.

Here is my artists rendition of what it would look like.
http://www.fototime.com/10B18D71701ADF3/orig.jpg

Doesn't that seem like it would be really useful? I think so anyway.

The other things is that perhaps offering it in a white dial. I really wish Breitling would offer more of their watches in a pure white dial as they do with the CA and SA, instead of the pseudowhite silver that most of the other models offer. Maybe offer some of the metallic blue dials in the matte blue of the CA. Just a few things I'd like to see.

These are minor things, but just some wishful thinking on my part. Otherwise I love the watch. Its less than a second off (compared to time.gov) after a few weeks. Anyone else have other wishes or ideas for their B-1?

John

[capricorn36]

Hi John,

I would also like to see the two digital displays made independent of one another so you can set what you like in each. There is always a favourite we like to have available all the time.

I notice you want the digital time available at the same time as the date. This is interesting when you have the analogue time available always. I assume this is because you have the problem reading the minutes?

In terms of reading the analog minutes I have a solution that works for me. I simply align the outer metal countdown bezel with the minutes and read the minutes of this instead of the internal bezels under the glass. The markings on the metal bezel are very clear and easy to read.

Lastly what else would I change? Not much. I am very happy with my B-1 and even more so after having travelled with it last week. Which is one of the reasons I bought the watch. The second time zone and alarm were great. I even used the slide rule for converting currency when shopping. Every time I looked at my watch to do the conversion the shop keeper thought I was getting impatient and this helped me with the negotiations! B-)

Cheers,

Cap

[kr4mula]

Using the bezel for the minutes was the first thing that occured to me, too. I know how you like to keep everything all neatly lined up, so this should be a problem for you. My second thought was that it's a good thing you're not trying to use a Datora like mine to tell the time!

I didn't know the two digital displays were linked like that. I guess it's time for you to trade it in for something else. I know this great lady dealer in Germany who has some sweet deals...:-D

I wonder about the white face, too. You'd think it would be more appealing than the silvery stuff, especially for a tool watch. You don't want glare coming off the face, especially since Breitling goes through all the trouble of having the anti-glare coating on both sides of the crystal. The pure white faces, though not my personal preference, are much more striking than the off-white ones. That excludes the bone white of mine, of course!

I'd offer a similar observation about why Breitling (and a lot of other brands) doesn't offer a royal blue watch face. I just don't get excited about that weird sort of anodized aluminum-looking blue that seems to dominate.

Cheers,

Kevin

[JohnR]

Hi John,

I would also like to see the two digital displays made independent of one another so you can set what you like in each. There is always a favourite we like to have available all the time.

I notice you want the digital time available at the same time as the date. This is interesting when you have the analogue time available always. I assume this is because you have the problem reading the minutes?

In terms of reading the analog minutes I have a solution that works for me. I simply align the outer metal countdown bezel with the minutes and read the minutes of this instead of the internal bezels under the glass. The markings on the metal bezel are very clear and easy to read.

Lastly what else would I change? Not much. I am very happy with my B-1 and even more so after having travelled with it last week. Which is one of the reasons I bought the watch. The second time zone and alarm were great. I even used the slide rule for converting currency when shopping. Every time I looked at my watch to do the conversion the shop keeper thought I was getting impatient and this helped me with the negotiations! B-)

Cheers,

Cap

Those are some good points. I think the larger idea of what I'm saying is that like you said, we all have some stuff that we'd like to have displayed all the time and if it could have independant displays of some sort it would be perfect.

For some odd reason, and don't laugh, somehow I missed the minute markings on the bezel. Or atleast I didn't notice them enough to think about using them. I think I've mostly focused on keeping that little dot aligned at 12 (as Kevin thinks I would) and somehow didn't pay much attention to the rest of the bezel. I haven't quite arrived at using the slide rule yet, although I don't usually have that much use for calculating things on the fly when there isn't a calculator near by.

And yes, its odd that I want the digital time displayed. I've been wearing these purely analog watches for years now, save the Ironman that I use sometimes when I exercise, and now I want this digital display as a crutch of sorts. Even my car has an analog clock. Although, as you postulated, my desire to look at the digital time does go back to wanting to know the minutes. I think I can start using the bezel for this now and move leave the diaplay on the date for the most part.

John

[JohnR]

Using the bezel for the minutes was the first thing that occured to me, too. I know how you like to keep everything all neatly lined up, so this should be a problem for you. My second thought was that it's a good thing you're not trying to use a Datora like mine to tell the time!

I didn't know the two digital displays were linked like that. I guess it's time for you to trade it in for something else. I know this great lady dealer in Germany who has some sweet deals...:-D

I wonder about the white face, too. You'd think it would be more appealing than the silvery stuff, especially for a tool watch. You don't want glare coming off the face, especially since Breitling goes through all the trouble of having the anti-glare coating on both sides of the crystal. The pure white faces, though not my personal preference, are much more striking than the off-white ones. That excludes the bone white of mine, of course!

Cheers,

Kevin

Yea, I don't know how you tell time with that thing on your wrist. Thankfully all of your work stuff happened in the past, so its not as time critical as some of my stuff.

I suppose now that I have my money back from Germany I could see if she has any other great deals that I could invest in. B-)

And I also agree, the pure white dials do seem a little more stiking than the silvery ones.

John

[kr4mula]

And yes, its odd that I want the digital time displayed. I've been wearing these purely analog watches for years now, save the Ironman that I use sometimes when I exercise, and now I want this digital display as a crutch of sorts. Even my car has an analog clock. Although, as you postulated, my desire to look at the digital time does go back to wanting to know the minutes. I think I can start using the bezel for this now and move leave the diaplay on the date for the most part.

John

John's all about the electronic crutches. He uses his car's navigation system to find his way to and from work every day. If his watch had a GPS, he'd use it to find his way from his bedroom to his bathroom.

If the watch is too complicated for you (i.e. the minutes on the bezel, sliderule, etc.), I'll trade you it for my nice, simple quartz Citizen dive watch. The minutes are easy to read on it.

Oh, and the slide rule is useful for doing some repeated calculations, like currency conversion, or figuring out sale prices.

Cheers,

Kevin

[JohnR]

Oops, that was supposed to read - I use it [the digital display] as a crutch of sorts, and not, I want it as a crutch of sorts. Similar, but a little different.

[findo-400]

Hi guys,

Great, some B-1 chat.

How about this.

Different info in each display as you said. Slightly better lumina for the minuite markers( thicker). With the addition of white or yellow dial options. Aaaaaannnnnnd.......................a Dassault ELC bolted onto the back of it.

Hey presto, the pilots' ulitmate wrist instrument !!!

(I'll have 2 please :-! )

[findo-400]

Further to my suggestion for a B-1/ Emergency cross.

What do you think?

[O2AFAC67]

Further to my suggestion for a B-1/ Emergency cross.

What do you think?Looks pretty good. I do prefer the E's compass rose bezel over the B1's 60 minute increment countdown version. Your photo is however missing the very necessary UTC module. If we're working toward the ultimate tool watch Breitling here... ;-) Cheers,
Ron

[JohnR]

Further to my suggestion for a B-1/ Emergency cross.

What do you think?

Interesting combo. Of course with that look, and based on the previous suggestion of using the bezel for timing, you'd never know what minute it is. :-D

John