The Breitling Watch Source Forums

As previously explained on this forum, I'm new to Breitling, and I have a question regarding the Navitimer series.

When I was looking around for a new watch, I wasn't 100% decided on a particular model, but had a penchant for the Navitimer - until it was explained to me by a vendor that this model simply is not waterproof.

When I say waterproof, I mean that I can't go for a swim wearing one, or have a shower - is this information correct?

Grateful for your comments...

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Navitimer World, Evo, Blacksteel, Avenger
Loads of Panerai
Submariner Date, GMT Master llc

The Breitling Navitimer has been water resistant since 1993, but only to 30m (or 3Bar). This does not mean the watch is good to go 30m into the water, but that it is okay to wash your hands while wearing it, and will be safe from rain and is essentially splash proof. You cannot swim, nor take a shower with it. A watch needs about a 100m rating before you can do that. Never was sure why the ratings are like that.

Thank you for that - I realise that having used a Submariner for so long I'm a little biased - for me an absolute fundamental for a watch is for it to be waterproof (swim proof, shower proof - whatever) which is obviously why I've just invested in a watch with a crocodile strap...!!!

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Navitimer World, Evo, Blacksteel, Avenger
Loads of Panerai
Submariner Date, GMT Master llc

I have 3 Breitlings a New Bentley GT Racing, a Chronomat Vitesse 2 tone and a 1981 Chronomat Longitude. One of the rituals I adhere to is that each night when I take off the Breitling I gently brush it with a toothbrush and a little mild soap. I rinse it off and dry it. Does this mean that you can't rinse off a Navitimer this same way ? Because I was just about to buy a Navitimer World and if this is the case I may go with another Bentley in the full size.

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LING MAN

Depending on how hard you brush it, I would say it may not be a good idea to do that with a navitimer. Over the long run, it may cause moisture to build up inside. I've noticed after a few years of regular use, a Navitimer can sometimes get dust inside the case... especially if you use the slide rule a lot. Brushing with a toothbrush may force water into the crevices in the bezel that can leak into the case... if this is a ritual you have to adhere to, i'd recommend a different watch. Most of the Bentley are only rated to 50m too... as they have a slide rule bezel as well, but with the gear system to add extra WR... if they can survive the water, possibly the Navitimer can too. This is all speculation on my part, tho So take with several grains of coarse, unprocessed salt.

As it turns out I had a very rare occurrence take place with my new Bentley GT. After about 5 weeks, the outside of the dial started turning brown because it was not sealed properly from the factory. I purchased the watch from an authorized dealer in FL. We took it back Friday and it just so happens that the southeast Breitling Rep was there that day. They offered to put my watch at the "front of the line" for repair. I pitched a FIT and said that I wanted a new one NOW. As I was realizing that I was in denial all along and really wanted the full size Bentley Motors version, they agreed to give me credit for the cost of the Bentley GT so I walked out of there Friday with the full sized Bentley Motors version and I am much happier even though I had to cough up another $890 for the difference in price. My nephew just purchased a Navitimer World without the great 7 rowed Navitimer bracelet because they did not have one available. He is waiting 6 weeks because the bracelets are back ordered and although the Navitimer is great it is temporarily DISGUSTING without the Steel Bracelet. We live in a very humid climate here where leather or Croc bands are not even an option. However we just can't understand how anyone would actually CHOOSE to wear a Breitling without the metal bracelet. When it comes to Breitlings, the bracelets are half of the attraction !

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LING MAN

Agreed on the bracelets! All my Breitlings ride on bracelets, however I do want to have a croc strapped Breitling one day to go into the collection. Good call on the Motors. I found the Motors to be MUCH more satistfying than the GT, and for the small amount of extra money, definately worth it! Did you get the Motors T or just the Motors? I love the bezel on the newer Motors T.

a breitling without a steelbracelett feels naked! They are too big for leather straps if You ask me, don't get me wrong I love some watches with leather straps but not breitling.

I should add that I have a gripe with the leather straps from Breitling with the tang buckles... they do not fit me! I have to use the smallest hole on the straps and the tang buckle doesnt slip into it very easily... as it gets too wide to go through the buckle at that point... so i end up having to use the second smalled buckle hole, and that one is too loose and the watch does not sit on my wrist. The bracelets however have plenty of extra room for making them smaller.. not sure why the straps do not, and these are on the standard 120/80 straps too.

speeking of bracelets, how thight do You want it to sit on Your hand?

I like my bracelets fairly tight.. so the watch does not move too much as I dont like the watch to sag when my arm is sideways because then watch looks sloppy. I like it to sit nice and snug, higher up on my arms above my slightly above my wrist. I used to like it lower before I got into the heavy watches.

To answer some of the replies I keep my bracelet a little loose and I took out a link Sunday after getting the Bentley Motors on Friday. Taking out a link can be a nerve wracking experience. It's easy to get the thing apart but putting it back together is a real hassle. I got the all polished Bentley Motors version. I had the Bentley GT racing for 5 weeks and it was great but I never liked the brushed portion of it. I prefer all polished so I was going to have my local Breitling repair man polish the GT all out for me, he does it for $75 but I ended up getting the Motors version all polished . We take our Breitings to him periodically for polishing and we drop them off and go to lunch and we are usually able to pick them up in about 2 to 3 hours all polished like new. It's not bad for $75 and while he's at it he replaces the gaskets and tests them for waterproofing. It's good to have the guy around for Breitlings that are not under warranty because he can fix anything and get parts as needed. I will say that when I got the Full Sized Bentley motors home Friday I was VERY PLEASED and started reading about the difference between that and the GT. The Bentley Motors version is a Calibre 25-B, has 38 jewels and it has the 30 second Chronograph. The Second hand circles the entie dial in 30 seconds VS 60 seconds. I have the other 2 LINGS the Chronomat Vitesse 2 tone gold and Stainless and the all stainless Chronomat Longitude made in 1981. My next step is the Mulliner Perpetual when I can afford it in Rose Gold with a black face and a Rose Gold bracelet. That will have to wait a couple of years though because they retail for about $40,000 but I'm dying to get one. After finding this forum it was nice to know that I am not the only guy out there OBSESSED with breitlings.

Ling Man

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LING MAN

I forgot to mention that when my nephew bought his Navitimer World a few weeks ago and they didn't have the metal bracelet he had to pay an additional $450 for a black Croco band to hold him over while he is waiting for the steel bracelet to arrive. The watch has a Blue dial and they were going to give it to him with that PUTRID blue leather band. In South Florida where we live that Croco band is just not feasible due to the humidity. In addition to the fact that it looks TERRIBLE it is also a problem with perspiration. It gets to 90 here every day at this time of year and when he is outside walking to his car for any significant distance after he gets in the car he has to take the watch off and hold it up by his air conditioning ducts to dry off the band. Down here the humidity is unbelievable so Croco bands just don't cut it. Getting these metal bracelets is a hassle too because we talked to various Breitling dealers and even the Breitling rep at the store I bought my Bentley at and they all say that it's 4 to 6 weeks minimum to get the metal bracelets. Breitling needs to start producing more of them.

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LING MAN

A bit of information for you with this caveat; Don't wear a Navi in the shower (as indicated safe in the article below this post) because the O-ring seals for the bezel expand & shrink with temperature/humidity. When you see moisture on the inside of a Navi's crystal, it means you have exceeded the watch's current hermetic sealing capability for one reason or another. A brand new Navi with a recent hermeticity test may not be as susceptible to a lowering of its WR rating but why even risk it? Bottom line, a Navi is NOT a diver piece or even a swimmer's watch for that matter. If those are your needs in timepiece, please consider something else. Hope this helps....
Cheers,
Ron

FYI...

Water Resistant Mark
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Water Resistant mark is a common mark stamped on the back of wrist watches. It is usually accompanied by a rating in terms of meters or feet of pressure which the device is supposedly able to resist.

The "Water Resistant" mark has come to replace the "Water Proof" and is now described by two ISO Standards: ISO 2281 and ISO 6425

Watches are usually marked with one of the following ratings:

30 Meters/100 Feet
50 Meters/160 Feet
100 Meters/300 Feet
150 Meters/500 Feet
200 Meters/660 Feet
1000 Meters/3300 Feet
These however, do not generally indicate the point at which a watch's resistance to pressure is expected to fail. For example, a watch rated 30 Meters would not be expected to survive Scuba Diving to 30 Meters, but would be expected to survive light splashing, for example wearing in the shower.

The reason is that the rating describes the static water pressure that the watch will survive. However, any motion of the watch underwater will increase the water pressure on it. Consequently, water at pressure coming from a tap directed onto a watch that is water resistant to 30 metres may leak into it, as will diving or swimming vigorously at any depth.[1]

A watch rated 50 Meters is expected to survive immersion without pressure such as being worn while washing up dishes.
A watch marked with 100 Meters should be able to survive surface swimming.
A watch marked with 200 Meters should be able to survive Scuba Diving to a depth of 30 meters.
A watch marked with 1000 Meters should be able to withstand pressure greater than 500 Meters which is at the edge of the limit of human endurance(why buy one?).
Because of the historical disparity between what watch makers claim, and what watches are actually expected to be able to survive, the ISO Standard specifies a complex testing procedure for each mark. For example to receive the "Water Resistant 30M" mark, the watch must be able to survive 30 minutes under water at a depth of 1 m (3 feet) followed by 90 seconds under a pressure corresponding to 20m (66 feet).


References
1. FAQ pages at Seiko Watches website

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"The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea"...

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I have been wearing Breitlings for 15 years and I have never seen a watch that can compare to a Breitling. The styling and just the way they stand out on your wrist is amazing! I just recently purchased a Navitimer World and I love the watch but to find the combination I wanted(blue face) with a steel bracelet was impossible to find in my area. I bought the watch and I had a black croco band put on instead of that VERY ugly blue leather one that would have come with the watch until my steel bracelet arrives from Breitling. They tell me will take 4-6 weeks. It has been an agonizing three weeks already and hopefully the other half of my watch will be here soon. I must say that I am ashamed at Breitling for even producing a watch without a steel bracelet!!!! One of the best features of a Breitling is the bracelet. I can't imagine anybody even wanting to have this combination on a Breitling(maybe a dress watch but a Breitling??) Who would have such bad taste lol??? Breitling should make all watches with the proper bracelets(steel & Gold) and have leather/croco bands available if the customer wanted to have that added along with their purchase but to even produce the combination from the factory??? What is going on over there lol? My fellow Breitling fans do yourself a favor do not go through what I have put myself through is always make sure you get the whole watch(steel or gold but please make sure it is some kind of metal)

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Naviman