The Breitling Watch Source Forums

has anyone had problems with the older bakelite box hinges.. mines broke and over the last few weeks i have noticed various posts on many forums stating watch a1 box hinge broken.the new type box is a huge improvement but that said for a prestige item such as breitling you would expect the box to show some quality..

I have one box with a broken hinge - but it's 13 years old and has lived in Italy, England and now Canada. It was broken when I received it and it may have been broken by the FedEx guy getting it out of the truck or my the first owner on the day he received it, I don't know.

Personally, it doesn't bother me as the box just sits in a closet. If I ever decide to sell the piece, which I very much doubt I will, I might try and find a replacement box, but more likely just declare the fact that the hinge is broken.

Bakelite is well known as being a brittle, easily broken material - that's a material pronlem, not a manufacturing one.

im not that fussed really either , but its not the bakelite its the hinge.mines sits in the wardrobe and i assume the hinges get less wear than most things whith hinges(if you know what i mean)its just something i have observed having read lots of sales posts for breitlings .

The broken hinge on mine is bakelite - it's a male / female pin / slot thing and it's the slot on one side that's broken.

You'll get 2 types of problem with the hinges on the older style Bakelite boxes.

Firstly the actual Bakelite cracks and disintegrates around the area of the hinge(s) - this is pretty much irreparable although if it's reinforced when it starts to go it will last a bit longer.

Second thing which goes wrong is the sprung steel "clip" across the hinge come adrift. This can be fixed by relocating the clip over the hinge(s) when slack.

If the hinge(s) come out of the box or lid they can be super glued back in but the tension of the spring clips holds them in generally.

Time will tell whether they've got the latest design right - I suspect it will prove to be more robust.

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Aerospace Titanium & Gold - Grey Face
B-1 on Fighter/Blue Shark - Blue Face
Emergency on Pro - Yellow Face

To complete the collection:
Navi 01 46/Black leather - Black/white
Montbrillant Datora/Navi - White face


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