The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Nope. The nearest we can get to "bear (bare) arms" in the UK is wearing a T-shirt!

As far as I know Breitling have no plans for any different metal watches, so I think tungsten Navis are one heck of a way off. To be honest i think part of the reason it's not more widespread is that it's damn hard to work with. I get the impression you can't do a lot of fine casting / engraving with it. I just don't think it'd lend itself to Breitlings designs too well. Shame 'cause it's a great metal for watches.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Grade 2 would be far easier on machining tools than Gr5. A serious fabrication line will be setup for Ti or steel with different coatings on tooling for Ti to keep tool life up. For example, drilling through Gr5 Ti can destroy a standard drill bit in about five holes, even with coolant and monitoring speed. I've never personally worked with Gr1 since it really isn't that popular. Gr5 and Gr23 (or 6-4 ELI) are much more common and aren't that difficult to work with proper tools. I wouldn't so much guess it is a material cost issue for Breitling as it is a manufacturing cost issue.

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Steelfish GMT LE (white)

Good points Driver and I concur, in my earlier reviews I had noticed that Breitlings use of Titanium was subpar, and that my JLC and Panerai Ti models where far superior. I think this is one reason Titanium seems to have a bad rap around here.

About Tungsten, glad to hear that you find the material favorable! I have a new Tungsten case watch coming in myself! Wont say much at this point, but it has a in house skeleton movement, is an ultra rare version of a limited run, the original 500 all had Tungsten cases and bezels, but mine is one of ten factory modified with a saphire bezel. Those in the know I am sure recognize what I am talking about

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Certified watch nut.

If you had said the original run was 999 pieces I would have been there, need to think about 500.

Well leave it to you Roff, not only to guess the right watch but even with an unintentional curve ball thrown in. I was thinking of the other watch I have incoming, this one is 999 piece!

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Certified watch nut.

Glad that my brain hasn't died just yet. Looking forward to seeing the pictures, it's a nice skeleton movement.

Hmmmm, the only watch I can think of that matches that description (i.e. tungsten, skeleton dial and an LE of 999) is made by a manufacturer whose name starts with "H" and ends in "ublot"!

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Well yes, you got it as well Driver. Cantget anything past this nerdy crowd

Yes I know, I am a sellout! I didnt like the Big Bangs initially, mainely due to the large number of variations, many of which where quite ugly IMO and the fact they they all used ETA movements. But since they came out with an in house model that had a different enough case, a skeleton in house movement, and are using high tech materials, well ive been contemplating that model. The only thing holding me back was that the all tugnsten version was a bit bland visually. Needless to say, when I was offered the rare ceramic bezel version and at a reasonable price, well you know me and my will power

Sorry to hi jack your thread D, will keep the rest for my upcoming review.

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Certified watch nut.

Great post D8. I've owned a few Ti (grade 2) watches and they have all been disappointing with respect to their ability to hold a finish. They always end up looking like one big swirl mark. Not attractive. It's a shame, IMO, that Breitling hasn't yet taken the next step and elevated the use of their materials.



Sinn has most famously used iced hardened cases in the past - they were supplied by another company called Damasko. Damasko owns the patents for the "ice hardening" process. This process, as you mentioned, hardens the entire case to ~700 Vickers. These days, Sinn sells "Tegimented" watches cases. This treatment is a bit different in that it effectively hardens just the outermost shell of the case to ~1200 Vickers. It's difficult to tell the difference between these treatments on the surface because they both just end up looking matte.

The partnership between Sinn and Damasko ended at some point and Damasko is now making their own watches. I've actually decided to get their DA36 for my flieger-style watch. I was a little apprehensive about their lack of "heritage" but the watch and the technology used is interesting enough to warrant the purchase.

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“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.” - Albert Einstein

Yes, good points Ian. I actually had a tegimented Sinn UX a little while back that also benefited from being made from submarine steel. One possible issue with tegimenting (rather like DLC actually) however is that it's effectively putting a very hard but very thin outer surface on the steel. This can apparently lead to the so-called "egg-shell" effect whereby the a hard enough impact with a pointed edge can dent the underlying substrate (i.e. the steel) and crack the tough tegimented surface, kind of like an egg-shell. I say apparently, because I've never actually seen an example of the egg-shell effect in pictures. The ice hardening used by Damasko is allegedly effective throughout the metal as you rightly say, although I have read that it's pretty difficulty to say how far the hardening process extends into the metal.

I really like a couple of pieces by Damasko, but they tend to be a little small, and I've never been totally sold on the very matt, tool look of the steel.

(PS - Altair - I'm reserving judgement on your new Hublot until I see it! I didn't know they'd finally ventured into the in-house arena.)

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I was thinking the same thing, I'm curious to see how the Hublot performs.

I never heard the eggshell thing about the tegmented steel, interesting. I still want a U1 though, maybe I'll test it out

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"Leave the gun, take the cannoli."

I have some Ping irons that have titanium faces. I just gave one of them a good look, and its looks excellent and even still has the bead blasted finish on it. Keep in mind that this thing has hit hundreds or thousands of balls, rocks, sticks etc. Anybody know what grade of titanium this could be?

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-RJ

I'd say it's grade FOREEEEEEEEEEEEE.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

I prefer the steel in my 1911 too. For mass, balance and long term wearability, similar to my watches now that I think of it, even though I own a titanium Aerospace. The big issue with the carry weight of a 1911 has more to do with those damn lead things I shove up the grip.

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Breitling Aerospace
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Breitling Bentley GMT Midnight Carbon LE
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Rolex Datejust
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"Leave the gun, take the cannoli."