The Breitling Watch Source Forums

That was a Holiday gift enough for me. Thanks for taking the time to really enlighten us on a consumer level as opposed to the usual editorial advertisement that we get from Watch Journal, and other magazines!

Awesome pics as always!

_________________
Breitling Emergency Mission-- Breitling B01--
Chronomatic 24H-- Skyland Blacksteel-- Navitimer World--
Emergency Ti-- Chronomat Evo-- Airwolf-- Skyracer Raven
Bentley GMT-- Motors Speed

Thanks for the comments guys, especially considering my limited English language skills glad that the review was useful though!




Ricardo, I have always enjoyed your excellent and well though out reviews! I wouldn't call them inferior in any way and I look forward to more!

_________________
Certified watch nut.

Actually it seems like quite a few people have the same issue and are now coming forward with those claims. My BP was fairly accurate initially but not sure what went wrong, regardless I have halted all my future IWC plans untill they resolve these issue, and I am contemplating selling the BP if it is not

_________________
Certified watch nut.

Great review and very nice pics too!

Great review! Now if i could just getting around to affording either of them...

Great review Altair. I am really looking forward to the FF vs. Seals Alarm comparison.

Great Review Altair!

Awesome Pictures & A Great Read - Looking Forward To Other Reviews!

Cheers,

Enezdez

_________________
IWC - Big Pilot 5002 - 01
IWC - Pilot Chrono 3717 - 04
Panerai - 183
Omega - Speedmaster 145.012 / 67
Rolex - Explore II (Black Dial) - 216570
Rolex - Explore I 114270
Blancpain FF 5015

Another superb review Altair, thanks again for taking the time. What a great read, particularly from someone with more than a passing interest on the subject and someone who is well read and informed on the subject matter at hand!

I really can't get past the movement problems with that particular IWC calibre. Unbelievable. I presume their working on a solution, any idea as to how's it going?

Looking forward to the rest when you find the time.

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

I'm sure that they are internally, but given that they haven't acknowledged any issues with the movement there will just be a (likely unannounced) "minor update" to the movmeent when it's ready.

Frankly I think they need to up the beat rate from 21,600 to 28,800. Maybe they'd find it easier to regulate then.

_________________
Driver8

Site Moderator

That would certainly help, and there's no reason for a modern movement to be as slow as 3Hz, at least not a relatively simple movement like this (in terms of complications). I'm sure that it's to help with power reserve, but there are plenty of ways to solve that problem too.

Not sure thats a solution myself, many companies have modern movements that have a 21,600 BPS such as the Jaeger Caliber 360 found in the Duometre, teh rationale is that 21,600 is a compromise between the enhanced accuracy of the 2800,00 movements and the reliabilty and low maintenance of 18000 movements. The IWC caliber does not succeed in both and I am certain it is a design issue rather than a technology issue. Especially since most of the watches with reported issues started out keeping very good time, so I dont think its a regulation issue at all.

I just came back today from the IWC dealership and I handed in both my watches, I told them that I will not pick up the watches untill they are fixed this time and that I will be communicating with IWC Switzerland directely about this issue, I am formulating the email now and plan to do a public post on their official forum. Pending IWC's response to this as an organisation, I expect the watches to be repaired to at least a passable level of accurace (+-8 seconds a day) or I will simply sell both watches and boycot the brand altogether (even though no other models in their lineup exhibit these issue) as a matter of principal. If I am not respected as a consumer, how can I respect them as a brand?

Besides, Jaeger continues to over achieve with their lineup at similar prices.

_________________
Certified watch nut.

I completely agree that a slow beat doesn't necssarily mean inaccuracy per se, and you are quite correct about plenty of other manufacturers managing to make 21,600 movements accurate. Take the Unitas 6497 for example. However, unless IWC completely redesign the 7 day movement, I think that increasing the beat rate might at least go some way to help the situation. I'm starting to think it's just a poor design.


I'll be very interested to see how this latest action by you turns out Altair. Please keep us informed.

_________________
Driver8

Site Moderator

It's pretty sad that a company like IWC can't get their "Flagship" watch, the BP, to perform like a "Flagship" watch should. It's a shame because I absolutely love the BP but I'd never buy one with a movement that's as suspect as this one seems to be. Good luck with getting yours fixed.

_________________
"Leave the gun, take the cannoli."