The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Would anyone have a reliable source for a new brown leather strap - I have a Chrono Avenger E73360. It currently has a rubber strap. Would it e wise to spend 200-300 on a genuine Breitling strap or does it make more sense to buy a good quality leather strap? I was also considering a deployment clasp/strap? Any comments or suggestions?

ADs are always your best bet for genuine Breitling straps as there are far too many fakes out there to risk buying from ebay and the like, and even reputable grey market dealers can't offer particularly great prices.

Whether you want to go with a Breitling strap or after-market is really up to you. Personally I always think Breitlings look better on OEM straps - far more so than most other brands actually - but that's just me. For aftermarket there are literally thousands of options to choose from. There are cheap-and-cheerful at one end, to full custom-made straps from the likes of ABP that will cost almost as much as OEM strap, but with the option of exotic leathers. The usual rule of thumb that you "get what you pay for" certainly applies to straps IMO.

_________________
Driver8

Site Moderator

Do some AD's give better strap prices then others? Any AD's you guys recommend for straps even if we aren't buying watches from them at the moment?

I believe the AD mark up on straps is very tight which limits your haggleing power.

Just one thing that Driver mentioned;

ABP Paris; I had an custom utc osterich deployant made a few years ago.

http://breitlingsource.com/phpBB2/viewt ... 29&t=45912

Cost as I recall was circa £120, hell of a lot less than the Brietling croc grained leather deployants. I wear my watches the correct way (inside of my left wrist) and with the utc complication I needed mm adjustments to make the watch head(s) sit just right. I photoed a standard strap and acrobat annotated the adjustments. Perfect service and comfort.

Dont get me wrong Brietling straps are great, but I dont think they are better, and my ABP is as comfortable and fits me better as it is custom.

Have a look at their site and take a call. (Let us know).

(I do believe my longest post ever....)

_________________
Al

“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes"

I've heard people say this before, but was under the impression Breitling Croco straps are just that, croc leather and not cow leather with croc grain on them?

Pretty sure they are grained in the UK. I think years ago you could get the real thing in the US.

I have been tempted towards ABP's raw stingray ........ Might be a distraction from the watch though.

_________________
Al

“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes"

Sorry to contradict you Al, but Breitling Croco straps are indeed real crocodile skin.

The cow leather ones have Cuir Véritable (i.e. Genuine Leather) stamped on the inside, while the croco ones have Croco Véritable (i.e. Genuine Croco) stamped inside. Leather straps with a croco print (which are always very obvious up close) would have to still say it is leather and not croco.

_________________
Driver8

Site Moderator

That's what I thought... and there is a distinct difference between my Breitling OEM Croc strap and my aftermarket leather with croc imprint straps

No need to say sorry Driver I live, I learn. I always thought there were import restrictions on croc to the UK. My bad. Apologies.

But........

_________________
Al

“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes"

Guys you are absolutly correct, again my apologies.

_________________
Al

“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes"