The Breitling Watch Source Forums

A bit of background. I have a Navitimer which I purchased in 2005. The watch was long over due for service so I finally sent it in back in early August... Received the watch back today, a bit earlier than BUSA had indicated. That's a plus... Overall the watch itself looks great, like new! Replaced the crystal along with the usual internal cleaning/maintenance. But a question for the forum... (I am a bit disappointed though this is mostly my fault.) When BUSA sent me the condition report upon receiving my watch they clearly note "Strap Scratched, Strap Worn" as part of their appraisal. I recall being sent this condition report along with required and optional services required/suggested and checked all the boxes. I wanted the watch to be returned to me "like new". I don't recall if the strap was specifically mentioned in the required/optional services report but given the "complete overhaul" I expected, I was a but disappointed to get my watch back with the nine year old, well worn leather strap! Not that I wanted a free strap, happy to pay for it but I must admit I was a bit disappointed to receive the watch this evening with well worn leather strap still in place...

Did I miss something in the repair request or was I wrong to expect them to replace the leather strap as part of the overhaul?

Unless it was expressly stated in the quote it wouldn't be replaced. I'm sure that an AD would be happy to help you with a new one.

Ha! I know he will be happy to help... Not sure what I was thinking/remembering but I was expecting a new strap. I can only retrieve the watch description online, not the actual quote with work description. Oh well, not the end of the world, just little disappointed to see the old strap still there. If I had known that I would have ordered the new strap so had it when the watch arrived...

Since you are wearing leather, may I suggest an aftermarket leather strap. Most are equal quality and you can save big time. Also most are usually shipped in stock and you will have it much faster than from Breitling.

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Omega Planet Ocean Chrono
Tudor Heritage Chrono (blue)
Breitling Chronomat 44 GMT AB042011/C851/732P/A20D.1
Luminox Field Chrono

That's an excellent suggestion Ken! I am shopping around and will look beyond the Breitling leather strap...

Can't agree that most aftermarket are Breitling quality.

+1, in fact usually most straps feel nothing like Breitling OEM, although there are some good strap makers out there.

Just to update, being a little annoyed at getting the watch back on the old strap, I stopped by my local AD. I've bought two Breitlings from him and other jewelry and he offers me a pretty good discount. He had a black leather strap w/ white stitching in stock w/ the deployment buckle and again offered a solid discount. Being the good American I am who loves instant gratification, I bought the strap and had it installed!

I've sent watches to multiple Service Centers and they always say that the watch strap is worn. Replacing it is generally optional, but I think they say that to try to get you to spring for a new one. I've even had that comment on a fairly new Blancpain that was in great shape.

Many after market straps are much better in my opinion, especially the styling.

sent from my Note 3

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ffeelliixx,
Bentley Supersports Light Body | Bentley GT | Navitimer World | Navitimer 50th Anniversary | Montbrillant Datora

Styling is personal, and is different from quality. The only aftermarket strap maker that I have found to be as good as / better than Breitling quality is ABP. There are many aftermarket straps that I prefer from a styling standpoint, but they are generally lower quality material / workmanship - not necessarily bad, just inferior to Breitling.

Quality, like styling, is subjective. There are no objective benchmarks. All of my statements in this thread are of course simply reflections of my personal experience and taste.

That said, there are quite a few after market straps that are of better quality than Breitling. Most are also less expensive. Breitling, like any successful manufacturer, charges a premium for their branding. The rubber strap Breitling was selling 5 years ago is garbage - I don't know what they call it, but it says Breitling across the side. The Breitling calf straps are good quality, but also have terrible terrible styling with all that goofy taper.

While Breitling straps are well made, Di-Modell Chronissimo and Kodiak straps come immediately to mind as being of better quality. I wear my own Breitlings on these - not OEM Breitling straps - no way.

The Chronissimo is rebranded by Sinn as OEM. The Kodiak strap used to be rebranded by Anonimo and, I believe, Panerai. Both are waterproof, and are much much nicer than Breitling straps in quality and styling.

sent from my Note 3

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ffeelliixx,
Bentley Supersports Light Body | Bentley GT | Navitimer World | Navitimer 50th Anniversary | Montbrillant Datora

.[/quote]

Quality, like styling, is subjective. There are no objective benchmarks. All of my statements in this thread are of course simply reflections of my personal experience and taste.

That said, there are quite a few after market straps that are of better quality than Breitling. Most are also less expensive. Breitling, like any successful manufacturer, charges a premium for their branding. The rubber strap Breitling was selling 5 years ago is garbage - I don't know what they call it, but it says Breitling across the side. The Breitling calf straps are good quality, but also have terrible terrible styling with all that goofy taper.

While Breitling straps are well made, Di-Modell Chronissimo and Kodiak straps come immediately to mind as being of better quality. I wear my own Breitlings on these - not OEM Breitling straps - no way.

The Chronissimo is rebranded by Sinn as OEM. The Kodiak strap used to be rebranded by Anonimo and, I believe, Panerai. Both are waterproof, and are much much nicer than Breitling straps in quality and styling.

sent from my Note 3[/quote]

Nope.

Breitling OEM is better than all of those.

Where are you going to buy a Kodiak strap?

Anonimo? They still in business?

I know of one place to get "clones" of the Kodiak and the exposed stitching on the underside is a skin shredder...