The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Every once in a while you cross the path of great people and I think I have done so yesterday, on a little island, in midst of the north Atlantic.

The guy in question is no other than Gilbert, Ursmidur (Icelandic for Watchmaker) and I'm happy to report he's made a watch for me.

As a few of you may know, I have recently been rather interested in a JS piece called the Sif, a watch made for the icelandic coastguard and named in reference to the Icelandic coastguard 's fist helicopter, the TF - SIF. In the nordic mythology, Sif is the name of Thor's wife, and thus quite fitting for both, the coastguard's helicopter and the coastguard's timepiece.

Gilbert didn't have any of them left in stock. So he queued the music and went to work. Instants later, and pretty much in front of my eyes a watch materialized, was tested and finely adjusted... Impressive to say the least. And so it comes that I not only got a brilliant watch, but also encountered a great watchmaker! I'll certainly be back at Gilbert's next time I get to Iceland.

As to the watch, it'll spend a lot of time on my wrist, it is both one of the best made and one of the best looking pieces I own. I love that thing!

Photos below, in front of the Tyr, one of the Icelandic coastguards cutters.

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Cheers from Switzerland,

Fred

Congratulations - glad that you managed to get one and great story for how that specific piece came about.

Very nice acquisition. I've admired JS for quite some time. Maybe one day . . .

Playing with some different looks, the steel bracelet is amazingly well made and up to Breitling standards in my opinion. The clasp os in no way an Oysterclast... It is no slouch though.

Which is a pitty actually, because this is really to be worn on NATOs mainly... They just fit soo well!

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Cheers from Switzerland,

Fred

I'll bet that would look great on vintage leather.

That is a great looking watch. Congratulations. And I agree, a vintage or distressed leather strap would be just right.

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David
Je suis désole pour mon mauvais français.

Zenith Pilot Big Date; IWC Vintage Collection Aquatimer; IWC Portuguese 7-day

I was wondering if you'd gotten around to picking this up yet. Looks great, and how nice to be able to see it made before your eyes. Congrats.

Thanks everyone!

I've met another indie Watchmaker today @ Maurice de Mauriac. Daniel Dreifuss not only makes watches, but also is the place to go in Zurich for NATO straps and before too long, I had the "Iceland" strap I would've gone for to begin with, if only there had still been some available.

Dreifuss' Straps come in many colors and are both thin and soft, if maybe just that little tad too short to fold them properly at the end. Anyhow, to me this is just the perfect combination for a day where really I long for the Icelandic climate I just left. Gosh it's warm here...

As for the distressed leather, I guess it could actually look quite interesting on it... Does anyone have a good suggestion where one'd get a strap like that?

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Cheers from Switzerland,

Fred