The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I see that leather straps have part numbers stamped on the inside.
Do the pins have part numbers or they get ordered by the size?

I guess they probably have a parts number at Breitling, but there's no numbers on the bars themselves and I've only ever ordered them by stating the size and whether they're for a bracelet or strap as the diameters (and ends) are slightly different.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

From an article of mine on another forum...


Swapping straps and bracelets is a great way to increase enjoyment of your Breitling watch. The following information will hopefully encourage the reader to try the procedure for him/herself... :-!

These are original Breitling strap and bracelet springbars. Sorry for the lack of detail but if you look close you can see a conical point on the bracelet springbar. This is to help guide it into the inner interhorn holes while CAREFULLY attaching the bracelet. Notice it also has a chamfered shoulder on the outside diameter of the barrel. This is to help position the springbar tool (Please do NOT use a small screwdriver as a springbar tool unless you like scratches and gouges on the case and interhorns.) onto the springbar shaft for insertion into the interhorn hole. (Note: the Bergeon 6111 has removable tips for both types of springbars and is the perfect tool IMO. Link to a source is here: http://lonestarwatches.com/accessories.htm? ) The strap springbar doesn't need this chamfered shoulder because the springbar tool bit is more of a notched "shovel" as opposed to a sharp "fork" for the bracelet springbar tool bit. You can use the bracelet springbar for strap attachment but it is unwise to use strap springbars for bracelet installation because of the likelihood of slippage and scratching. Please don't trust a jeweler or anyone who does'nt know the difference between springbars. EDIT: Recent information shows the part number to be 520.XX for the strap springbar and part number 520.XX.1 for the bracelet springbar. The ""XX" is the interhorn width (22=22mm such as on the standard Navitimer). I hope this helps clear up some confusion for those of you who would like to swap between straps and bracelets. Two or more watches for the price of one! To illustrate the difference...








Every Breitling wtih its original bracelet has the springbars as shown on the right in those two pics. Every strap I have (7 at this time and 7 bracelets as well) has the springbars illustrated on the left. In addition to all of the 22mm springbars I have I also have packages of 15mm, 16mm, and 18mm springbars for my family's Breitlings. All of them are exactly the same for bracelet and exactly the same for strap. Their watches all were originally equipped with "Pilot" bracelets and all configurations concurr when straps were ordered and/or added. I have a Breitling Authorized Service center here which will corroborate this information because that is where I received and validated it. That is also where I was shown how to properly adjust a Breitling bracelet by "biasing" the links to the North side of the watch which ergonomically balances the deployant clasp correctly. Here are examples of correctly balanced Navitimer and Fighter bracelets...





Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Ron

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"The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea"...

Click to view: 500px Photo Gallery "Flow" or... 500px Photo Gallery or... Breitling Pics Slideshow

Great post Ron.

I purchased a rubber strap and switch it out with my Pilot Bracelet regularily. The Bracelet really "dresses" up the watch where the black rubber strap is like wearing blue jeans instead of a three piece suit. Great contrast and it is like having two different Breitlings. Takes a bit more work to get the pilot bracelet back on but easy to get it off and put on the rubber strap. I use the fine bergeon spring bar tool and it works pretty good. I also put clear tape on the lugs in case the spring bar slips putting it on. So far no scratches except a couple on the inside around the hole.

Ron, thanks for a very detailed information.
Is that a B1 on last picture?

YW and yes it is an A78362 Superquartz B-1 on its original 874A "Fighter" bracelet. Here is another unusual shot of it...
Best,
Ron




and a shot taken shortly after I bought it...



on a 357A "Pilot" bracelet from my Chronomat Evolution...



a fairly recent shot on black OEM croco with UTC module...



on a brown "Bund"...



on an 877A Fighter bracelet with A70174 UTC module...







on OEM black croco...



on OEM black calf with black "Bund" pad...

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"The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea"...

Click to view: 500px Photo Gallery "Flow" or... 500px Photo Gallery or... Breitling Pics Slideshow

Interesting.
I leave the spring bars in the leather strap and use the bars that came with the 2 tone bracelet when I fit that.
That tool I bought from a link here is brilliant.

Ron,
those pictures are a piece of art.
The slide rule shown is it a part of Breitling or from somewhere else?

Hi, Optik and thanks for the comment. The prop in that picture is my CPU-26 air navigation computer which was quite useful to me in years past. Like the civilian version E-6B computer, it was sometimes called a "whiz wheel" by users. Many of the functions are duplicated by the bezel slide rule functionality on some Breitling models such as the B-1 and various Navitimers. Do a forum or Google search on the subject and you'll find lots of interesting information. Below are a couple more shots of the CPU-26 taken with my display back Navitimer Cosmonaute...
Best,
Ron

_________________
"The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea"...

Click to view: 500px Photo Gallery "Flow" or... 500px Photo Gallery or... Breitling Pics Slideshow

And another one which I just now found on my hard drive...

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"The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea"...

Click to view: 500px Photo Gallery "Flow" or... 500px Photo Gallery or... Breitling Pics Slideshow

First I thought it is made of paper, but now I see more clearly it is some kind of metal such aluminum and this is serious stuff.
I guess it is complete science in using and operating with it, definitely more than just a slide rule.


Update:
Received the leather strap 22-20 and requested the appropriate pins for the strap, was told not to worry all will be taken care.
This is what I received (attached pins picture).
Are they good for leather strap or I should go back and ask for correct pins?

Update:
Received the leather strap 22-20 and requested the appropriate pins for the strap, was told not to worry all will be taken care.
This is what I received (attached pins picture).
Are they good for leather strap or I should go back and ask for correct pins?

Gorgeous cufflinks you have there

Can you tell us where did you get them?

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- This is Ghost Rider requesting a fly-by. - Negative Ghost Rider. The pattern is full.

They are OK, but one looks a bit bent.

Those are bracelet pins if I'm not mistaken. You can use them on leather straps but personally I'd ask for the slightly thicker strap pins. The Breitling strap pins have flat ends (not pointed) and have a small groove around the end of the barrel. The are a little thicker so are less likely to cut into the leather.

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Driver8

Site Moderator