The Breitling Watch Source Forums

To my dismay, the Balckbird Blacksteel will be traveling to BUSA in the next day or so and is still under warranty. Monday night - first day with the watch - I noticed it stopped about 9:30 PM. It had been fully wound about noon. Thinking it might have been a fluke (hoping really), I waited until Tuesday night and bingo it stopped again. So I paid more attention last night. At about 9:30pm +/- 5 minutes the minute hand just stops. BUT the second hand keeps running and tracking the seconds accurately against the atomic clock. Chrono functions will work perfectly too. If I forward the time a few hours, it all works perfectly again. Date wheel operates just fine.


So what would cause a disruption in gearing, etc... to the minute hand in a specific time range?

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SHARKMAN

Obvious answer is that the hands are fouling, but it's an unusual time for that to be happening. The gear wheels can't be fouling because the seconds hand is still running so the train is good.

The minute hand attaches to something called the cannon pinion which fits over the centre wheel arbor and is driven by the centre wheel. That's only held in place by friction and if it has not been asjusted properly then that may be slipping, although again it's odd that it would be at a certain time of day. Related to the cannon pinion, perhaps the movement of the date change mechanism into the running train is reducing the torque through the centre wheel sufficiently that if the cannon pinion is not properly aligned and is causing additional friction that it can't be overcome (assuming that the issue is exclusive to 9:30pm). However, thinking about that last scenario more, that would likely stop the train which would stop the seconds hand.

Another periodic reminder of why warranty matters. Anyway, now you can wear that "other" watch you bought on Saturday, some throwaway piece, Bentley GT, I think?

Signed, the gutless fiscal coward who has looked at that BEB twice now and hasn't bought it yet.

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Scott

AP Royal Oak 15400, silver
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Classic Cars
Vintage gold Corum
Rolex DJ 36 TT, oyster dial, oyster/smooth
Baume & Mercier Riviera 200m, silver dial/aquamarine bezel
Breitling Superocean 57, rose/stainless

I've played around with it more, so it has the problem between about 9:20pm amd 2:30am. In other words, when the date change is engaged. Thnaks Roff for the explanation - it makes sense especially with my additional "testing."

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SHARKMAN

If the cannon pinion is loose, the watch will continue to run normally except the hands will cease to move. The seconds bit and the chrono will all work correctly as the movement is still running. What has been described here is a classic example of this.

The cannon pinion drives an intermediate wheel that drives the hour wheel. The hour wheel drives all the date change works. As Roff stated, the additional torque on the hour wheel required to begin the date change is causing the cannon pinion to slip.

When you set the time with the crown, you are slipping the cannon pinion intentionally. There should always be a slight amount of resistance to turning the crown to set the time. The cannon pinion can be tightened, but it requires the disassembly of the motion works. It's a fair bit of work on a watch with a chrono.

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1809 Cosmonaute
1903 Navi
Navi Olympus
Super Avenger

I'm finally getting better at this