The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I recently purchased a brand new Navitimer World from an authorized dealer in Southern California. At the time of the purchase the AD resized the watch to better fit my wrist. This involved taking the watch into the back room and bringing it back out along with two spare links in a small plastic bag. The lady at the store said they pulled one link from each side to get it to the right size. The watch fit great and i was so stoked i didnt even inspect the spare links till later that night. Anyways, when i finally got home and looked at the spare links i noticed something strange...THE TWO LINKS WERE NOT IDENTICLE!!! One link had the top end with the posts and bottom end cap with the counter sunk holes for the screws along with 5 identicle pieces in between. Of course every odd piece (1, 3, 5, & 7) had the posts through both holes while every even piece (2, 4, & 6) was only attached on one side. This is what i would expect just by looking at the bracelet on my wrist. The other link however only had 6 total pieces, the top piece with the posts and the bottom piece with the counter sunk holes and 4 identicle pieces in between. I found this wierd since it is a 7 piece bracelet and so i called the AD who assured me this was correct. I kinda got the impression that she didnt resize the bracelets herself tho and may not know exactly what she was talking about. She said its normal for one sides link to have 7 pieces and the other sides link to have 6. She mentioned that it had to do with the links near the clasp. Im an engineer and have been examining this bracelet since then to try and eyeball how one side could have only 6 pieces but for the life of me i cant figure it out!! Was hoping some of you experts who have taken a Navitimer bracelet apart could explain how i have two spare links with different amounts of pieces. If you guys need pictures of the spare links id be more then happy to include some but im at work at the moment and cant take any right now. Thanks for your time and sharing any knowledge you may have on this subject.

Simple answer - she's not telling you the truth!

Sounds like you are missing a link from one side.

Thanks for the prompt response Roff. I contacted the AD yesterday and asked about the missing piece. She said only way for us all to be sure is to bring the links back in with my watch when their watchmaker is there. She said shell have him reassemble the watch with all the links so i can see nothings missing and then re-resize it again. I guess that IS the only way were gonna know what is or isnt missing. Ill try to get some pics of the process as well as post a follow up once the job is done.

BTW...Im pretty suprised that nobody else has any input on this topic. Im new to the Breitling world but would think resizing a Navitimer bracelet would be a fairly common topic among enthusiasts. I would still like to hear from anyone else who may have an opinion on the subject. If not i guess well all have answer here real soon.

Hello,

Please have a look here, take the picture and get it to your AD in order to help them to do the correct job...
http://breitlingsource.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=32208
On each picture, all links are here, so you can compare to your own bracelet and compare it

Best regards,

Challenger_fr

I have a much simpler solution. BUSA will provide any buyer of a new Breitling purchased at a US AD with TWO FREE LINK SETS - no questions asked. I truly believe most ADs haven't a clue about this policy. Have your salesperson order your two free links. This should be done everytime a new Breitling is purchased just in case you lose a link and later want to sell the watch.

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SHARKMAN

Now thats what im talkin about!!! Thank you so much for the link to those pics! That will surely close the door on any uninformed argument they may have about my missing piece... YOU THE MAN CHALLENGER_FR!!!





Also a HUGE thank you to you Sharkman for your extremely relevant and eloquent solution to my issue. Going this route, I wont even have to argue with the sales lady about the piece. Ill just have them get me the two free links and be on my way with some links and a smile!



Appreciate all the help you all gave me with this. I could tell by looking at the bracelet something was missing but now i got the official proof to wrap this all up. Breitlings rock and the Breitling fam rocks harder!!! So glad i can now call myself a part of this awesome group!!!

Just wanted to post a follow up to this. I contacted Breitling USA this morning to confirm this information so my AD could order me the links and the customer service lady said there was no such policy and that BUSA does NOT supply free links under any circumstances. She did say that an AD can order replacement links but at a cost to the customer.

Sharkman...If there is more to this like a certain customer service rep i should speak with or a certain number i should call please respond cuz id love to be able to get the free links. Just the way the lady was acting and all the questions she was asking gave me the clear impression it was not going to happen.

Well that's bizarre because my AD told me about it and I've taken advantage of it mutliple times. Perhaps they have changed the policy. Perhaps the person you talked to is clueless. Or perhaps BUSA only wants their ADs to know about this so it can be reserved for ADs to make the request.

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SHARKMAN

Im wondering if she was just clueless to the policy. I wasnt trying to imply you didnt know what you were talking about at all. From your list of lings i can tell youre an expert. Just trying to share my experience and figure out whats going on. Do you think any Breitling AD can request the links for me or only the one i purchased my watch from? I would really like to get the two free links like you suggested if at all possible. Any more info you could give me would be extremely helpful.

I can tell you are new to the site - I'm far from an expert. And no worries, your comment wasn't taken as offensive at all.

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SHARKMAN

Shark is correct. I have had my ADs order me extra links at time of purchase free of any charge to me multiple times. Everytime they order me the two additional links. And like Shark, my wrists aren't bigger than the normal persons (actually they are smaller) but the neither the AD or Breitling ask questions because IT IS they customer service policy to offer them.

I actually think that some of the links I am selling right now were left over from selling a watch with all links and still having had forgotten one in my desk drawer!

Instead of calling Breitling directly, I would just tell your AD that this is Breitling policy and that they are responsible for ordering the links for you at your request. Either way in my opinion, the individual who sized your bracelet at the AD is responsible for this error!

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

Haha. Cool. I just said "expert" cuz you have 7 Breitlings and so must be extremely familiar with the purchase process and perks! Nice collection of watches BTW...and yes i am new to this forum.





Thats two seasoned Breitling vets saying its true so it must be. I just hope my AD isnt clueless to this policy and that everything goes smoothly when i mention it to them. Thanks again guys for your help and ill definately be posting up the result of Sundays trip to the watch shop. Wish me luck...

When I bought my Navi World, my AD obtained the 2 extra links this for me. 4 months later when I bought my Colt GMT, the AD tried to do it again and was told by BUSA that the policy had changed and they no longer did this. This was last December.

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Breitling Montbrillant Olympus
Breitling Navitimer World
Breitling Chronomat
Breitling Colt GMT
Omega Seamaster GMT "Great White"
Omega Speedmaster X-33
Rolex GMT Master IIc
Bremont ALT1-ZT

Next thing you'll tell me is no more swag!

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SHARKMAN

Like in Europe and particulary in France ?

Best regards,

Challenger_fr