The Breitling Watch Source Forums

These nice and expensive watches (2K+ which we love)...how well-built are they? Can they handle constant use and everyday wear? Can they handle their chronographs used daily? Set aside their cost and appearance and focus on functionality and longevity...

Opinions?

With regards,

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Breitling SuperOcean Steelfish - 2009
Breitling B-2 - 2002
Rolex DateJust 18k/ SS (1984 vintage)
Omega Seamaster (1958 vintage)
Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece MP6318 - 2003
Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph CV2013-3
Victorinox DiveMaster 500

Well I cant speak for all watches ( luxury), but I can tell you that the SteelFish is a tank. I wear one every single day and it gets bumped, vibrated, shaken, showered, swam with and scuffed....everyday! Since I stopped worrying about keeping it in perfect condition I have really enjoyed it more. I save my other watched for the like new condition. It is still running within +/- 2 sec per day and I love it. Now I have mine on an Ocean Racer becuase of the comfort and teh fact that I sweat a lot outside ( I work outside). A leather strap wouldnt hold up for daily use for me and the bracelet isnt quite as as comfortable for me on a "beater".

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Breitling Steelfish(black)
Breitling Steelfish(silver)
Panerai PAM 312
Bell & Ross BR03-92 Phantom
Steinhart BreitlingSource LE #5/15

I've been wearing my BlackBird almost every day for 3 years and have never had a problem. Some VERY minor scuffs (no-one notices but me), but it's a pretty damn sturdy watch - whether I'm wearing a suit or a tshirt, it's been a great investment.

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PAM359, Omega PO Big Size, 1951 Omega Seamaster, Rolex Sea Dweller

This is a good question. I'm curious to hear people's responses to this one.

I've had my SA for about a year now and it's holding up wonderfully.

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SA Blue Dial Silver Subs Pro 2

I think a lot of it depends on the kind of steel being used. Even though they (nearly) all are 316L stainless, there seems to be quite a big difference in the malleability of the different brands. I have found Breitlings to be amazingly resilient, especially my Steelfish. This is one of the reasons I keep coming back to the brand. On the other hand, many people complain about IWCs being easy to gouge because they use a softer steel in their models like the Ingenieur. My Dornblueth was much easier to scratch than any of my Breitlings. On the other hand, my Zenith is still completely scratchless after 8 months of wear at least twice a week.

///M

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness." --Dave Barry

In terms of hardiness then a lot depends on ensuring that you are using a watch for what it's design for. For example, a Steelfish is designed to be hardy - it runs the B17 movement which is essentially the ETA 2824 which is fairly simple (i.e. no complications other than the date), has been around for 50 to 60 years and is renowned for being hardy and reliable. Additionally the Steelfish case is designed to resist pressure with it's WR rating of 2000m, so the outside is tough and durable as well. Lastly, both the movement and the case are made with great attention to detail using quality components, which makes reliability a far greater prospect that something knocked out for the lowest price in a far eastern sweat shop.

On the Chronograph side, something like the Skyland runs the B13 which is basically a Valjoux 7750, which is again one of the most well known and hardy chronograph movements around. S something like a Skyland is going be able to stand up to repeated wear and tear just fine.

Sure, any polished metal object will pick up scratches from time to time, but that will not compromise the fact that the watches are very hardy as long as you are using the correct watch for the job! By that I mean that purely by virtue of it's construction and intended use, a Navitimer for example is never going to be as tough as a Steelfish. Go diving (or even swimming) in a Navi and you can expect a big bill as a result - but then the Navi isn't designed for that, so you can't really expect otherwise.

So basically, provided you are using the right tool for the job (i.e. a dive watch if you are going diving), follow the manual in terms of when not to change the date etc, and get it serviced when it needs it, then there is no reason why a good mechanical watch can't last a lifetime.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I've worn my Navi practically every day for the past 2 years and have never had an issue. It's tough, resilient and difficult to mark or scratch. I most certainly don't wear it in the water and I don't wear it e.g. running (my choice) or laying golf (where the swing forces are high), but for general everyday wear, including somewhat rough wear it's held up remarkably well, which is exactly what I'd expect!

Breitling's have a reputation for making rugged and precise high-end timepieces so I can imagine you could wear them in almost any circumstance (model-specific of course).

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Happines is Good Health and a Bad Memory.
"Ingrid Bergman"

Thanks for the responses. I normally wear my Maurice Lacroix on a daily basis and substitute it for my Breitling when I am doing anything water related. I wear my beater Citizen Eco-drive when doing impact-type stuff.

I often get the "I can't believe you wear those nice watches everyday" from quite a few people. Well, I bought them to wear! Not keep on the winder...

My ML just came back from it's 5 year service (to the tune of $750). I hope to get many more years out of it!

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Breitling SuperOcean Steelfish - 2009
Breitling B-2 - 2002
Rolex DateJust 18k/ SS (1984 vintage)
Omega Seamaster (1958 vintage)
Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece MP6318 - 2003
Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph CV2013-3
Victorinox DiveMaster 500

I think its all been said. Just a few to add. You can always get a "lemon" watch just like a "lemon" car. No matter what the make, no matter what the price, you can always get a bad one.

A timex can shit out after 3 days or last 30 years. Same with the ever so popular lately FF. Now the FF can always be fixed where usually the timex is a throw away no matter what. The FF could continue to have problems for the remainder of its ticking days, you just never know.

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SA-Baton White Dial/ProII
Tissot Le Locle

[quote="UofRSpider"]I often get the "I can't believe you wear those nice watches everyday" from quite a few people. Well, I bought them to wear! Not keep on the winder...quote]
Exactly. It's a watch, it's meant to be worn and appreciated on the wrist. That's what they're made for (mostly ). As long as you look after it properly it will last for a long time to come.

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Happines is Good Health and a Bad Memory.
"Ingrid Bergman"

Take a look at eBay and see how many pocket watches from more than 100 years ago are still ticking perfectly happily. Modern mechanical watches are much, much more resilient than them, so as long as they are maintained regularly they'll last a lot longer than their owner.

I'm a pretty firm believer that you get what you pay for. That's not to say that everything that's expensive is good, but with some things, like watches, a higher end time piece is usually that, higher end. Think about how many 10 year old high end watches are still running, then think about how many 10 year old $100 watches are still going as strong. There is also the service aspect that has been brought up. With a Breitling for example as long as you don't use it as a hammer and get it serviced when needed you'll have a beautiful watch that can last a very long time. I love my G-Shock, but when it starts dying it's going in the trash, when my Blackbird starts having issues it's going to Breitling to get all fixed up and come back like new.

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"Leave the gun, take the cannoli."

I'd say my two toughest watches are my Breitling Steelfish and IWC Ingenieur. With all my watches I take great pains to avoid scratches, but I'm not afraid at all to subject either of these two watches to repeated shocks. They can take such "abuse" and not flinch. I'd put them in the same class as the Rolex Sub in terms of ruggedness -- and watches don't get much tougher than that.

Of course, as Driver pointed out, you must consider what a watch was designed for. A Patek or Lange, for instance, is just not meant to endure severe abuse. Anyone who buys one knows this beforehand -- they'd sure better...

Be aware of what your watch was meant to endure -- and stay within its limitations. That's your safest bet.

Steve

I'd say that many high-end sports watches are well built and are very durable.

This category will include Breitling Aeromarine series and Chronomat, Rolex Submariner and GMT.

On the contrary, very high-end watches are quite fragile, especially dress watches with complications. I would use special care for watches like Patek, JLC, even Maurice Lacroix.

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Chronomat :: Evolution Red | Evolution Frecce Tricolori | Longitude
Navitimer :: Montbrillant Eclipse | Old II | Current
Professional :: B-1 | B-2 w UTC
Colt :: GMT

Based on what I've seen, I'm on the "get what you pay for" train, though the discussion of ultra high end watches being more delicate makes sense as well. My Airwolf is still brand new, but I certainly wouldn't have paid what I did if I didn't intend on wearing it every day. And I am *rough* on watches. A good friend of mine inthe squadron has been sporting a B1 for several years and it's pristine. He sends it in for maintenance, takes care of it, but it is absolutely a daily wear. If it will stand up to getting smacked against a canopy multiple times a day and withstand g forces that elongate my heart and probably all sorts of other nasty things, I'd stamp it "durable"...