From an article I wrote for the Breitling forum I moderate...
Swapping Straps and Bracelets...is a great way to increase enjoyment of your Breitling watch. The following information will hopefully encourage the reader to try the procedure for him/herself... :-!
These are original Breitling strap and bracelet springbars. Sorry for the lack of detail but if you look close you can see a conical point on the bracelet springbar. This is to help guide it into the inner interhorn holes while CAREFULLY attaching the bracelet. Notice it also has a chamfered shoulder on the outside diameter of the barrel. This is to help position the springbar tool
(Please do NOT use a small screwdriver as a springbar tool unless you like scratches and gouges on the case and interhorns.) onto the springbar shaft for insertion into the interhorn hole. (Note: the Bergeon 6111 has removable tips for both types of springbars and is the perfect tool IMO. Link to a source is here:
http://lonestarwatches.com/accessories.htm? ) The strap springbar doesn't need this chamfered shoulder because the springbar tool bit is more of a notched "shovel" as opposed to a sharp "fork" for the bracelet springbar tool bit.
You can use the bracelet springbar for strap attachment but it is unwise to use strap springbars for bracelet installation because of the likelihood of slippage and scratching. Please don't trust a jeweler or anyone who does'nt know the difference between springbars.
EDIT: Recent information shows the part number to be 520.XX for the strap springbar and part number 520.XX.1 for the bracelet springbar. The ""XX" is the interhorn width (22=22mm such as on the standard Navitimer). I hope this helps clear up some confusion for those of you who would like to swap between straps and bracelets. Two or more watches for the price of one!
To illustrate the difference...
Every Breitling wtih its original bracelet has the springbars as shown on the right in those two pics. Every strap I have (7 at this time and 7 bracelets as well) has the springbars illustrated on the left. In addition to all of the 22mm springbars I have I also have packages of 15mm, 16mm, and 18mm springbars for my family's Breitlings. All of them are exactly the same for bracelet and exactly the same for strap. Their watches all were originally equipped with "Pilot" bracelets and all configurations concurr when straps were ordered and/or added. I have a Breitling Authorized Service center here which will corroborate this information because that is where I received and validated it. That is also where I was shown how to properly adjust a Breitling bracelet by "biasing" the links to the North side of the watch which ergonomically balances the deployant clasp correctly. Here are examples of correctly balanced Navitimer and Fighter bracelets...
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Ron
And another one...
Deployant Clasp Adjustment Procedure...On the
deployant clasps for Breitling bracelets, I have had to adjust at least 1 out of 5 to ensure proper closure/release. On these bracelets, the curved "T' piece (the one with "BREITLING" engraved on it) can be carefully adjusted with two forefingers and thumb while holding the rest of the clasp between thumb and forefinger of the opposite hand. Squeezing the two forefingers and thumb together from either side of the curved piece will either shorten or lengthen the piece very, very slightly. Because the piece you are adjusting is quite stiff it doesn't really feel like you are making any difference in the "curve" (hence length) of the piece but you are. Repeated closing and opening of the clasp will bear this out. The "T" will then snap into and out of its receptacle with a different feel of "stiffness". It goes without saying that caution is in order here but the procedure does work I assure you. For your
strap deployant clasp, using the same procedure will adjust the closing/opening "stiffness" of the clasp cover over the bar for capture/release. I made this adjustment on my Mom's watch (below) and it worked just fine. Again, be careful and work slowly...
Cheers,
Ron
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