The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I posted this in technical also.


Hello,

I was restoring a 1960 stainless Navitimer with the beads of rice bezel and Venus movement.

Unfortunately the retaining ring has been misplaced. This is the thin ring used to hold the bezel to the case and fits under the bezel as it is snapped into place on the case.

Any source or replacement ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Actually two would be needed, as I also have a cosmonauts from 1965 with a very worn retaining ring.

Geoff

I deleted from technical, please don't double post.

Wilco!

Meant to add a statement to remove one if required!

Thanks

I have the same kind of ring lacking for a Chronomat 808 .
Virtually impossible to find as it is the thinest part of the case , and imho the only realistic solution is machining .
3D metal printing would be an option, provided that a quantity is launched to reduce the unit cost .
In your case the best option would be machining 2 new parts .

sorry guys,
good responses but it is the thin brass ring that attaches that to the case. similar to the wire snap bezel retaining rings other companies use. it would seem it is even rarer then the brass machined ring you picture.

when i get back from london saturday i will take a picture of the correct part.

Geoff

Replaced the original flat washer type bezel retaining spring with the following:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R4 ... s&_sacat=0

Excellent result, much firmer and stronger clip then the 50 year old original. Bezel is no longer loose.

I sent the watch to breitling Toronto to tighten the bezel or replace the spring. They sent it back with the same looseness and spring. Never dared wear it in case I lost the bezel.

Not afraid to wear the watch now!



Also have this one:



Geoff

Hi Geoff
the link sends me to a list of rings ?, which one exactly did you use please ?

_________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Breitling and Boats. The rest I wasted" - mostly Elmore Leonard

two things,

The gold plated version AOPA case style pictured above takes the following rings:

https://www.ebay.ca/ulk/itm/321655569291 which fit perfectly after a little bending to increase every other angle.

It replaced a flimsy original tension ring.

The beads of rice initially posted at the beginning of this thread requires a thick tension ring similar to rolex bezel rings and will not accept the the rings listed above.

Geoff

OK for a Copilot but never seen a Navitimer bezel fitted with such a bezel spring ?

neither Navitimers nor Chronomat have these springs

Fred,

Just for the record, is it the below spring you say that Navitimers don't use ?

Kurt B http://www.kurt-b.com

I will show the pictures for you of the 1965 aopa 24 hour Navitimer pictured above using one of those springs. The 1960 beads of rice 12 hour Navitimer I restored will not take one of those springs.

Having said that the 1965 Navitimer did not originally have one of those. It is a substitute for the retention ring no longer made that was flat and washer like and very fatigued. The ring is now firmly in place and no longer loose fitting. Those springs are thin enough to substitute for the original washer like ring.

Standby for photos.

Geoff

This bezel (1964 AOPA "special milled edge"), is the only stainless steel reference 806 Navitimer that used the bezel spring.

I merely posted it for Fred, as it sounded like he was unaware of it. Maybe my understanding was wrong, but here it is anyway.

/ Kurt B http://www.kurt-b.com

Good post Kurt,

That is the bezel on the aopa pictured. It did not have a retention spring but a thin round flexible washer which had a cut to allow it to snap in place. I sent it to breitling Canada to have the bezel tightened. They sent it back with the original retention spring with the note that they were not able to fix it!

I saw a post of a breitling Navitimer with a retention spring and thought I would try it. One of the ones pictured worked perfectly with a slight adjustment of the angles.

Geoff