The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Been reading for a while here and havent posted much, but I have a question that I'm sure you guys can answer for me. I have a Chrono SuperOcean and a Navitimer World. The only thing I can say I dislike about both watches is how quickly the stainless steel bracelet scratches and dulls. The navi world is primarily worn when I am in a suit and isn't worn very much, and the SuperOcean is worn every day. Long story short, I have been looking for a rubber strap for a while to replace the SO bracelet for every day use being that it will be much more resilient to normal wear and tear. My first question is which one to go with, the Diver Pro, or the Ocean Racer. Price doesnt matter, and I am petrified of the tang buckle letting go and losing my watch (have heard many horror stories with much less expensive watches, which is making me hesitant to go with a strap that doesnt have a folding clasp). THe second question is where can I purchase an authentic one online. All of my AD's have told me that nobody stocks them and it is a 6-8 week wait. I will wait if I have to but would much rather address this immediately. Thanks in advance.

Taste is personal and the Diver Pro II (the one available on deployant) and the OR are totally different. To me the DPII looked bland when I first saw it, but it's growing on me. I'd still go for the OR though, but that's just my taste.

Authentic watches sell some straps online, but I wouldn't recommend using them, pricing isn't great and there have been some bad stories from customers. Have you tried Govbergs, Andrew Michaels, etc?

Just got this one in today and the Diver II with the deploment is so comfortable

I will contact those 2 tomorrow. I found authentic watches through a google search, but their prices seem much higher than quoted in person from an AD. I will contact those 2 jewelers tomorrow and see if they have any of those straps in stock. Mayor's, Tourneau, and 2 local jewelers all told me 6-8 weeks to order any of the rubber straps. Thanks for the help and I will post again when I have an update.

That combination looks great...Tourneau has a similar model in silver with the ocean racer. That is what started me on the rubber strap for my superocean. I am still fighting off the urge to buy it.

I've looked for Breitling OEM straps online and my experience is you can get them cheaper through the AD. Not sure why, perhaps because ADs don't regularly keep a strap inventory so there isn't much to dump to the grey market dealers. The tang buckle DPII is plenty sturdy - you wouldn't lose your watch. But the best - BY FAR - is the DPII or Ocean Racer on the deployment strap.

You can order a tang buckle DPII for under $100 at most any AD. I pay $85 on the nose. Whereas the same strap(or Ocean Racer) on deployment will will cost close to $400. If price isn't a huge issue the deployment is terrifc and almost infinitely adjustable.

The DPII is a bit more comfortable IMO and experience than the OR, but the OR has that rally strap appeal.

Whichever way you go you are putting something on a $3000+ watch, so get something you want.

And just to make it more complicated, the black dial SOC looks awesome on a black croco or calf strap while the white dial looks equally as good on a brown croco or calf strap. I never found the leather straps looked so great on the blue dial - it seemed to cry out for rubber.

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SHARKMAN

That's ridiculous. If your AD has a decent relationship with their regional rep the wait shouldn't be more than 2 weeks. I've ordered perhaps 20 Breitling straps of all sorts and NEVER had to wait more than 2 weeks, except when ordering short straps that weren't in stock at BUSA or Brietling SA. Even then I had calf and croco straps custom made from start to finish and delivered in 4-5 weeks.

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SHARKMAN

Me too. It's odd because I always prefer the look of the OR in pictures, but in person I must say I infinitely prefer the DPII. (And that's changed for me because when I first saw the DPII in the flesh last year I thought it was most boring looking strap ever made! I think the DPII is a definite grower.)

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Shark is right...no more than 2 weeks. My AD stocks a handful of the straps, and is also willing to take ones off of a new watch if needed. I recently wanted a brown croco on deployment and they took it off of a new Navitimer to give it to me right then.



. I never thought about that until just now...thanks for putting that in my head.

I personally like the DPII better than the OR. Something about those holes drives me nuts. I keep thinking that if I wore it out in the sun I'd have these little tan circles on my wrist while the rest of it was pale, I know I'm an idiot.

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"Leave the gun, take the cannoli."

Geee, I live in Arizona and haven't noticed wrist circles yet. I see crop circles all the time. Little green men. Occasionally fairies and gnomes. No wrist circles though.

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SHARKMAN

I prefer DPII much more than the OR...the circles annoy the crap out of me. I also prefer watches on deployment so I'd spend the extra. Best place is to look on here, place a WTB ad, and maybe someone can help you out. Maybe even ask for George's contact info and see if he can help you. Authentic watches is priced wayyyyyyyyyy above retail, I'd stay away.

No interest in calf or croc on deployment? I prefer them over rubber but that's just my personal taste.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

Liked the Diver II so much just picked one up for the SO LE with deployment

Shark, for some reason none of that surprises me.

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"Leave the gun, take the cannoli."

Nice one, i was looking at one this morning at my local AD, it had a royal blue face loooked fantastic.




Rich

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