The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I'm considering a first-time Breitling purchase (Navitimer Montbrillant; see viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19170). Some of the things I've read on this forum and elsewhere concerning the Navitimer's and their sensitivity to water (hand-washing??) are starting to freak me out.

I can understand not swimming, showering or bathing your infant in the watch, but do you guys take off your Navis after using the men's room, before washing your hands?

Are the Windriders/Cockpits any less sensitive?

Thanks again for your advice.

I'm sorry to hijack your thread, but I too wanted to start a similar thread. I've got my first Navitimer range Breitling, a 44mm Chrono-Matic a couple of days ago, and now waiting for the bracelet to arrive. I've started wondering: how can one clean such a watch? About the B-1 I was told I should be careful, but light rinsing the watch (in order to clean the watch head) is no problem.

In the case with a Navitimer one needs to be even more careful than with a B-1, then I wonder how to clean such a watch? Shall I rinse the bracelet while covering the watch head to protect it from water? And then rub the watch head with a micro-fiber cloth to clean it from dirt and oils?

Thank you in advance for setting me (us) straight

_________________
Ingenieur - Speedmaster - Submariner

Hi guys,

I just picked up a brand new Navi World myself and had the same question, see the following thread, consensus is swimming, showering, diving NO, washing hands and cleaning with a toothbrush and rinsing with warm water under a tap of in a bowl is OK.

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=18732

_________________
Steel Fish (Blue Dial)

Hand washing is fine - these things don't have gaps between case and caseback!

I wouldn't run a high pressure faucet straight onto the watch, but hand washing is fine.

Windriders are more waterproof - and have higher water resistance ratings.

_________________
-RJ

Hi All!

I have owned three Navitimers the two current one's and my first breitling an Old Navitimer Model. Initially, I was not aware of the water issue - for the first year in a half or two - I did get it wet & I placed it under thet faucet to clean lots as I recall - I never had an issue with the watch other than attempting to move the bezel became extemely arduous to say the least over time. As a result I took it to an authorized repair center in Mid-Town NYC - he was a one man operation probably long gone out of business - located across the street from Grand Central Station.

He stated that regardless whatever Breitling clamed about water resistance/proof ignore and do not get the Navitimer wet!!! Incidently, the reason why it was so difficult to move the bezel was due to rust accumalation between the bezel and the case or so he claimed - dunno if that is possible. However, since then I have never gotten any of my Navitimers wet. Doesn't mean I take it off if doing dishes for example but I am very careful - and yes if I had loads to do I would take it off.

Now I clean my Navitimers every day that I wear them after I shower I use my moist towel and I go over the bracelet & head with the towel with the one and the other just the head due to it's on a strap. Oh one more thing if I get caught in a thunder storm with short sleeves - the minute either I get in the car or home or whereever I am going I dry the Navitimer. Nonetheless, I still find rotating the bezel in an attempt to use the slide-ruler hard to do regardless - not that I know how to use one but perhaps I would of had the incentive to learn had it be easier to move - lmao

Yet I don't think that I baby the Navitimers - well maybe one the 1461/52 it's a pain to set if it stops for more than a few days during the current week cycle!

Best Regards,

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

Personally I think there is a little too much paranoia at times about the sensitivity of Navitimers to moisture. However, if you're daft enough to swim in one, then 9 times out of 10 you will mess it up.

The simple thing to remember is that the Navitimer is not a sports watch (at least in the modern understanding of the word), and it's certainly not a dive watch. It was never designed to be. There are a great many watches out there (usually the more dressy types) that are no more than splash proof, and that is exactly how you should think of the Navitimer range. I remember when 30m WR was actually designated as "splash proof", and I think there'd be far less confusion if that was still the convention. 30m gives people way too much of a false sense of security.

The Navitimer's susceptibility to water is simply a product of it's design - i.e. specifically the bezel. It's no more than a friction fit, and if you remove the bezel, the crystal comes with it. This is different to, say, a Chronomat or an SA whereby if you remove the bezel, the main body of the watch is still sealed.

The crown while not being screw-locked, is still protected by 2 gaskets, but you absolutely must avoid using the crown of ANY watch when it's in contact with water. The Navi pushpieces are similar to all other Breitlings in terms of design and gasket protection, but again (with a few exceptions) you should not operate the pushpieces of 99% of watches when the watch is wet or in contact with water. So these parts are pretty similar to other watches. The only really compromised part is the bezel. Now if your Navi has a very stiff bezel (which IMO is infinitely more preferable to a loose one) then your watch will have better WR compared to one that twists very easily. It's all about the friction fit.

I've owned a couple of Navis in the past and I have one now, and fortunately they have all had very stiff bezels. As a result I've always been more than happy to wash them off under a very lightly running tap without any ill effects at all. Basically I have the tap more than dripping, but certainly with no pressure behind it. If you imagine slowly turning on a tap until the drips become a constant stream, that's what I use. The only other thing I do is ensure that I don't use the crown or pushpieces until it's totally dry, but that's it..... they need no more molly-coddling than it IMO. I certainly don't come out in a cold sweat whenever I wash my hands!

So my advice is this - Firstly, if you swim in a Navi you're a fool and will only have yourself to blame because it never was, and never will be a dive watch. Secondly, if the bezel is tight I feel pretty confident to wash my Navi's in water as I mentioned above. And lastly, never use the crown or pushpieces of any watch when it is wet. (Obviously some watches are specifically deisgned to allow pushpiece operation uderwater - the SWC, the Doxa 600T, etc..... but I can't think of a single watch where you could use the crown underwater. DON'T DO IT!)

PS - My disclaimer here - The above is what I choose to do with my Navis, and I am in no endorsing it to anyone else so I accept no responsibility if you do the same and your Navi leaks! OK!?!?!

_________________
Driver8

Site Moderator

I wonder if anyone has ever seen the bezel taken off of a Navi? There must be some sort of gasket/seal system used, I can't imagine it's just a metal-to-metal seal between the rotating bezel and watch case.

S

_________________
Steel Fish (Blue Dial)

I was actually wondering the same thing the other day. Id like to know specifically how its fit, and it its just pressed on or locked from inside the case requiring the case back to be opened. My Navi bezel is nice and smooth and doesnt seem like metal on metal but ive got no idea.

_________________
-RJ

I would guess the bezel goes down inside the case, there has got to be some sort of rubber gasket between the inside edge of the case and the outside edge of the bezel to keep the water out. The only way to lock it on would be from the inside, with the case-back removed, perhaps there is some sort of snap ring that seats into a groove in the case?

_________________
Steel Fish (Blue Dial)

I would be careful with any nav and water, i don't think washing under a tap or i bowl is a good idea. I've known quite a few get a tiny amount of moisture in the case then you are in trouble , as it all mists up. I sold a nav 50th to a guy once who got drunk then showered in it !! He thought it was my fault it got wet inside !