The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Talking about safes or properly.... Vaults, here
I know just enough about watches to get into trouble but do know a bit about safes after doing extensive research about them.
I needed one for my valuables and a big enough vault for a gun collection. Ended up with a used large commercial TL30 rated VAULT. Installed on the first floor of a slab constructed home.
It seems to me that some here have a fairly extensive collection of watches. Now protect them. There are many "gun safes" available on the market which in reality are RSC's :Residential Security Containers. Which means Ok for a smash and grab type thief or a small collection. Anyone can manufacture a metal box and call it a "safe". Some of them are a joke.
IF you have a significant collection then a REAL safe is needed.
Which means a TL15 or TL30 commercial vault. These are rated by Underwriters laboratories for having a proven and repeatable theft protection ability. Not just claims by an aggressive "Safe" marketing department
TL means "Tool resistant" safe. Tools meaning crow bars, saws, sledge hammers etc. Now hang on to your hats. : the "15" in TL15 means 15 minutes of time by a dedicated and knowledgeable thief.
TL30 = 30 Minutes.
In all reality 99.9% of the bad guys would freak over a TL15. Just the same; CYA.
AMSEC makes a real nice small watch collector sized commercial safe that weighs <1000 lbs.
Fire resistance is another issue.
Most TL15 and TL30 composite (not plate steel) safes are about as good as one can get for that. Plate safes offer minimal fire resistance but can still be TL rated.
I have no interest in selling a safe so am impartial.
I am fairly knowledgeable.
If you have questions please ask.
That means I get to ask of your expertise on watchs too.. right ?

Damn, if I had a collection that important, I dont think even a TL30 safe would comfort me. But then again, id probably be more worried about being mugged.

Ive got a small safe. Weighs probably 100 lbs and is fireproof. Dont know if it has any TL, but at least its a bitch to run with.

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-RJ

You can get a custom watch safe with 40 watch winders for about $80,000.

Personally I just use red food color on my winders' locks next to a fake positive HIV report. Seems to be working.

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SHARKMAN

Oh sharkman your posts are the best...

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"I don't got the bright watch I got the right watch" -Jay Z

good thing crooks are not smart enough to know The only way to get hiv is for an infected white blood cell from one person to be directly deposited into the bloodstream of another person.

If one wanted to use a gun safe, which would you recomend and why? I am actually looking to buy one in the near future.

R/

I can pretty much guarantee that my fire resistant "gun safe" is going to take a thief more than 30 minutes to gain entry. 4 barrels with a combination and key lock.....with plate steel.... I mean common. This is a 22 gun 30 minute of 1200 degree fire protection and empty it probably weighs 350lbs (closer to 500lbs now). The fire resistant lining is actually concrete.

Either way, ALL of my valuables are intact and safe as far as I'm concerned.

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Breitling Steelfish(black)
Breitling Steelfish(silver)
Panerai PAM 312
Bell & Ross BR03-92 Phantom
Steinhart BreitlingSource LE #5/15

Was thinking about how to respond to this, and that sums it up.

Surely my security would be rather less if I detailed on here what my security was!

Check out Patriot Gun Safes. http://www.patriotsafe.com/

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UN Maxi Marine Ti
B01, BEB
SOH
Aerospace Ti
Chrono SO
Omega 300 Master Co-Axial Chro
Omega PO Chrono.
AP ROO Diver
Titan Black Rolex DSOD Honeycomb Dial

The safe salesmens mantra is that the safe should be about 10% of the valve of the contents.
This is a good starting point.
Second item is to always get one bigger than you need. Its amazing how quickly we accumulate stuff.
Other considerations;
How far from a fire department are you ? Across the street from one or are you in the boonies with a volunteer fire department.
How safe is your community ; gated with security so tight even you are suspect or do you live in a high crime area ?
Adjust accordingly.If Security is a higher priority get thicker steel. IMO 10 gauge minimum, 3/16" better, 1/4"+ now were talking. Less than 10 gauge and you have a cool looking cabinet but perhaps OK for a secure community. Fire no biggie ? Then one sheet of Sheetrock (yes you read right) is OK. Each sheet is 1/2" You can tell how many by the thickness of the walls. BTW fire resistance claims are just that. Until you get into UL rated safes (TL's) Tl's dont use no stinkin sheetrock.
When I was narrowing down "gun safes" the two that I focused on were Champion for a normal local gun safe and an internet co. called Sturdy. A no-name but awesome bang for the buck safe built with security as #1 priority not sales numbers. You can custom order a Sturdy to your specs. They offer great advice as well.
Just for grins go to Sturdy's site and see videos how "safe" normal safes are.
IMO the brand name safes with all the glitz (for example; number of bolts and fancy paint jobs ) are clever marketing programs that give the illusion of hard core security. My commercial safe has about a third the number of bolts that some of the name brands do. Yet weighs 4 times as much, is ugly as sin (except to me ), and is next to impenetrable (famous last words). You will never ever see a jeweler put jewelry in a gun "safe". Their insurance would not allow it.
Once again the vast majority of residential burglaries are smash and grabs. Almost anything will do. Except IMO for the safes you can buy at office supply stores, home improvement warehouse stores, etc etc. I'm not going to mention brands. If one does indeed have one of these make sure it is bolted to the floor.

If my collection consisted of small valuable objects such as watches, coins, stamps, etc an AMSEC CSC is an awesome REAL safe.
But for a full size (gun) safe nothing beats a used/overhauled commercial TL30. That is if you live in a slab foundation home or can stick it in a slab garage. They be beefy.
Check out Worldwide safe or Rolland safe.