The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I reckon I've wanted an Emergency for about 2 years now, and had a few opportunities to buy used ones. However, I can never bring myself to drop the cash I've discussed it with a couple of other watch enthusiasts, but can't quite out my finger on the problem.

So are they hard work to live with? Clunky, uncomfortable with the antenna cap stickingout the side? I realise servicing is quite expensive/frequent and then there's the risk of some wally pulling the antenna cap.

Perhaps I don't even want one, but just fascinated by them

Hello,

The Breitling Emergency watch is very easy and light to wear, I got one in Titanium with a UTC Module.
No problem withe the 2 and antennas, see here, you have to break a security ring in order to use it.
http://breitlingsource.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29787

Yes the Emergency service is quite expensive, the battery (one for the watch and other one for the antenna) will work for around 2 or 4 years.
The service will be necessary according to Breitling the transmetter (500€ in Europe), it could be usefull if you are in an Emergency (in a Cesna 172 for my case).
It's really an expensive tool watch, which could save your life, and when you buy it you do it with the hope to never have to use it.

Best regards,

Challenger_fr

I live with two of them! Pretty nice tool watch, but it's love it or hate it...

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Kiudog

It's pretty easy. Easy to wear, I never worry about accidentally setting it off or anything. Great watch

LOVE the yellow dial.

their great.

You don't notice the caps and its very light to wear but with presence.

...you can get a deal if you look around...

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Navitimer
Crosswind
Chronomat
Emergency

have had five or six by now [still have two]...as with all of the Ti breitlings, very comfortable to wear either on the bracelet or on a rubber strap. best part is that the ti is easy to restore to new in minutes...

and how you do it? would you mind to share?

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Kiudog

Surprised you guys don't notice the antenna cap on the wrist, but I guess Breitling thought of that.

I still think it's an ugly watch and can't see it being a keeper, but I'd really like to try one. The fear of an expensive service looming would probably make me flip it pretty quickly though.

happy to share. breitling's ti finish has a subtle 'grain' to it, almost like their brushed finish. there are two ways to replicate that finish and remove scratches. i use #00 steel wool to start, being careful to go with the 'grain', lightly rinse with water and repeat with #000 steel wool. repeat the rinse and move to the final #0000 steel wool. the same holds true for scotchbrite. there are three different grades made by 3m for auto body shop use. again, start with the coarse grey and move to medium maroon and finish with fine yellow. i have done this hundreds of times to literally dozens of titanium watches and the results have been uniformly great. if you are hesitant, practice on the inside of the bracelet or deployment. of course, deep scratches take some more work at the coarse level, but virtually everything will come out with patience. the only extremely difficult spot on titanium breitlings is the chimney; it scratches easily and is hard to remedy being so close to the crystal. within a few days the titanium will oxidize a bit and you will have that uniform grey finish that it came with...

very nice description and technique. i will try this on my black one that needs some polishing and let you know. my yella fella just came back from sevice.

and.... i don´t think a 300 bucks worth of breitling service is expensive for every 4 years (like i do) for a watch that costs that much... it came back as brand new...amazing! i even ordered a new cristal...

it my .5 c...

the beauty of the Emergency...it´s only for the enthusiast or the real pilot amazingly a very comfy piece.

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Kiudog

Top marks for comfort from me, it's the only watch I wear at weekends really.

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Breitling navitimer super constellation LE
Omega Ploprof 1200m
Bremont supermarine
Rolex milgauss GV
Olivant and Botsford 40mm Gold edition

I know this will remove scratches etc, but it will also round off the nice crisp chamfers that the emergency case has, especially towards the ends of the lugs. I can only afford used ones, but all of them have been refurbed and consequently do not look crisp any more

MartC , have you tried AM for a price on a new one?
I got mine from there a few months ago for less than ive seen some second hand ones sell for.

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Breitling navitimer super constellation LE
Omega Ploprof 1200m
Bremont supermarine
Rolex milgauss GV
Olivant and Botsford 40mm Gold edition

i have never had that problem but have seen it often enough with over polished second hand watches. i would suggest that the person that refinished the ones that you looked at was ham fisted and put it on a wheel instead of doing it slowly by hand. breitling refinishes these cases all of the time w/o ruining the crispness of the case and in my experience, it is not hard to do. one just has to pay careful attention to the lines where the chamfer joins both top and side of the case. of course, if there is a significant ding in the edge of the case, there is nothing that anyone can do without removing some edge...