The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Probably from some duff post on some duff forum somewhere, which is where I have read it as well

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"It is just a matter of time!"

I just bought a FC after reading this post, I got the basic index model, as I liked the looks and size (43mm) and at 800 USD it seems like a great value, if paid four times that for a bracelet so its a guaranteed good value! Will post a vid and pics when it gets here in a few days as well as my impressions.

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Certified watch nut.

That'd be absolutely awesome! I'm eagerly awaiting any form of review/video/pics.

How do you like the finish of the watch? I mean for $800 one can't expect Breitling/Rolex finish but is it closer to high-end or closer to well... Casio?

EDIT: It really bothers me that there are no dealers carrying this brand in the vicinity of my city. The closest is Stockholm and that's about 373 miles from here.

I would have to say that the Seiko's watches are hard to beat for the money. They all contain in-house movements.

The cheapest could possibly be Vostok but, from what I've read in the past, their QA isn't as good as Seiko.

The Nomos Club looks amazing value at less than 1000GBP, but it is only 36mm.

I agree that the FC in-house is also great value and I look forward to seeing Altair's pictures and thoughts. Especially given the rest of his collection.

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I bought mine from Amazon sight unseen, will let you know when it gets here and compare to other watches. I have low expectations for quality but I expect the value is good, similar to Oris.

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Certified watch nut.

Great! We're looking forward to your thoughts and experience on this!

I'd agree on both counts Ricardo.

Seiko are indeed hard to beat for the money.... depending on the model as some are very expensive.

I've also owned both Vostok and Vostok Europe watches - I assume you are talking about Vostok Europe here? Vostok Europe movements always used to be in-house, but recently they've started using some Japanese movements as well. Their in-house movements were pretty good in my experience - if generally pretty fast running - but they are fairly low beat and if I remember rightly, they don't tend to hack either. Think, Seiko Monster in that regard. The quality wasn't bad for the most part considering that they are designed for the western market. Cases and dials were all quite nice, but some things were less good - like the hands and the straps. Given a choice I'd definitely go with Seiko, although VE makes for a much less common (and therefore more interesting?) choice.

Vostok (as opposed to VE) were/are also in-house, but theses were always cheap Russian watches for their domestic market, and the quality was as you'd expect - generally pretty poor. A lot use plated base-metal cases, and the styling is best described as "soviet". Think the horological equivalent of what soviet-era concrete tower-blocks did for architecture.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

But are all their models in-house? I have been looking for a nice rectangle watch and think I've found it with FC. (FC-330MS4MC6 Carree Moonphase Silver Moonphase Dial Watch.) From what I can tell so far, it is in-house. If so, I will definitely pick one up for ther dressy occasions.

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An ever changing collection.....

No they are not all manufacture movements. Most are not, in fact. The Index model which I like, and I think Altair ordered, has an ETA or Sellito movement.


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SHARKMAN

That's what I thought. Still good value IMO for the ones that are in-house.

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An ever changing collection.....

Well here are my brief thoughts – (1) I wish they had the SS version of this watch in 40mm available because I am leery about gold plating. It looks fine and the video someone posted indicates 15 micron plating. We will see.

(2) It is a surprisingly nice watch for the price - $1150 retail; I paid under $800 on Amazon. Simple and well done. The dial is pretty amazing really. Under a loupe the hour chapter ring has a very fine guilloche which to the naked eye just gives it a slight satin finish. I don’t know why the date window looks a bit messed up in these pics – it is quite perfect to the naked eye and under a loupe.

(3) This is one with a straight 2824-2 ETA. Nothing special there unless you get your rocks off over a gold plated rotor. I don’t, but to each his own peccadilloes. At 24 hours it is running balls on +/- zero seconds, so nicely regulated. It winds a wee bit rough, not terrible or anything, but the hands move and set without a bit of play, unlike some of my Breitlings.

(4) The strap looks nice but I’m concerned the croco layer is thin and a bit brittle. I do not think this one will stand up to much or for long. I will pop a couple hundred for a Camille Fournet.

(5) I wish they had made the Index model a bit smaller – really like the look of that one, but I don’t want a dress watch at 53mm lug to lug. Mine is 44mm lug to lug.

(6) Overall, it seems FC has very good QC. Quite a nice niche they found and I really enjoyed listening to their story and philosophy on the video posted. I would not hesitate trying out one of the manufacture models and indeed one may be right around the corner , but definitely SS. Pretty cool little company making crazy affordable watches in classic Swiss watch designs.






Some crappy pics –

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SHARKMAN

With you and Altair I should contact them about getting a commission for raising the awareness

That's a very nice looking dress piece, and you really can't go wrong for that money.

Thought this was worth a share as it is the Cover Story on this month's International Watch Magazine. I really liked the part about how FC was one of, if not, the first to popularize the open heart aperture, but did not file for a patent at the time.

http://iwmagazine.com/2012/06/13/the-moon-and-beyond-2/

I love the look of the FC Worldtimer pictured in the iwmagazine.
That is what the TO Unitime should have looked like.

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"It is just a matter of time!"

I agree completely! Very classy design but not overdone!

Thank you Sharkman for taking the plunge and giving us some real life information! Speaking for myself I really appreciate you taking the time and effort to write a review on this!