The Breitling Watch Source Forums

First descent post here. Also active on some Dutch watch forums, but not too many Emergency interest over there.
This Breitling Emergency watch was on my wanted-list for quit some time now.

However, finding a nice piece with the SQ movement and full Breitling service history in Europe is hard. Finding a Coral one is even harder, and getting a guided tour within Fort Knox is easier then finding a Coral one with matching UTC !
(coincidental as we speak there is one of sale on C24 right now, but that thing is without documented service history, NO box and NO papers, nothing, so not an option for most E-freaks I would think)

I live in the Netherlands, so first move was contacting all AD's. None had anymore in stock. Ok, next move was searching all the well known watch sites and only a very few candidates were available there. I Was able to locate two rather new Coral ones without UTC, but logistics on these ones were kind of risky. One in Italy and the other one USA.
Andrew Michaels actually had a NOS Coral Emergency in stock and a used UTC-module and made a pretty descent offer, but still I thought I could do a little better. Compliments for Richard at AMJ though ! spoke a few times over the phone and emailed a bit and he was always very friendly and helpful !

Then I decided It was probably easier to find any colour dial SQ and request a dial change at Breitling. The UTC was something I would handle later.

Inititally I contacted one of the few Breitling service-centres in The Netherlands who told me Breitling did not allow dial colour changes on the Emergency. What ? Why ?!
Some story about serial mismatching the dial colour in Breitling records. Anyway, I had some trouble believing that because under certain circumstances even the crazy rigid Rolex service department would allow dial colour changes, and Breitling couldn't be more strict dan R right ? That seemed just impossible to me, and I was right !

Anyway, after contacting the Dutch distributor (Koster&Zn) I got another (better !) story. Initially I heard the same, but after mentioning the fact that B-UK and B-USA did dial changes on Emergencies (found out on the internet) they sorted things out and contacted me 15 minutes later to inform me dial change was possible for sure!
The story about it not being possible appeared to be outdated policy. However with the dial change a full service was needed. Full Emergency service was €390, dial change 300, grand total €690. The lady of the house asked a few times if I was nuts to pay that kind of money for a differerent colour but hey..... Let's stimulate economy !

So I ended up buying a very nice blue Emergency SQ with all the goodies, papers, and full service history, just very lightly polished and a descent price !
After getting the watch I did wear it for half an hour on my wrist while driving to the distrubutor/main service centre Koster&Zn where I dropped it of for the Orange adventure and it was time to say goodby again to my newly acquired watch.
At Koster they use pretty strict procedures with quotes and not ordering parts (Coral dial) before getting a written o.k. for the full quote, but they soon noticed I was serious and became a little more flexible.
Many thanks to the ladies handling service Nadine and Xenia who were very helpful and friendly during the the whole proces ! For the Dutch readers, if you ever need Breitling service in the Netherlands , be sure to contact one of them !

Next challenge. How to find a (NOS) Coral UTC-module ?!
I decided to use the shotgun-technique firing out about 200 emails to European AD's requesting for a NOS Coral UTC.
Maybe I missed one or two of them, but it should be very possible they ALL (!!) responded to my mail, as expected negative and trying to promote the new model in a few occasions, but still pretty good customer-service from the Breitling network !

Untill.......One of the last ones responded he actually had one and immediately offrered it at a terrific price. YESS !

I accepted his offer within a second and deal was arranged with wire transfer and Fedex and 2 days later the UTC arrived , waiting for his big orange brother.

Back to the watch. About four weeks after leaving the watch at Koster&Zn I got the call it was ready.

Here is the final result ! !





Strap-wise this thing is a absolute challenge. Since the UTC on the south-side has 19mm and the watch itself at the Northside is 22mm you have to be very creative with straps. I think the special adapted UTC Titanium Pro-I bracelet looks a little oldfashioned so that's not an option for me. The only other "factory original " option would be the leather strap, but this uber-tool-watch screams rubber or NATO! For the moment I have modified an old diver pro strap to fit the UTC, and I have ordered various two piece Nato straps in black to give that a try. Pics of that will follow later.

For the moment this is the result. Some pictures in it's "natural habitat" will follow soon as well.

During the search for this ultimate Emergency combo I spoke to quit some dealers and rep's, but the amount of absolute nonsense some people tell you about this watch is just dissapointing, but sometimes (very) funny. One lady (AD) informed me this watch had not only a built in transmitter but also a mic to be able to communicate with Air Traffic Control when airplane-radio's would fail.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME ?!?!

Awesome watch and a great story, I admire your persistence and initiative. Excellent pics and an interesting post. Enjoy the watch and wear it in good health.

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Breitling B-1 1999
Breitling Chrono Superocean 2004
Casio G Shock
Citizen Eco Drive AT4000-02E (for gardening)
Seiko 5 SNZG15J1
Hamilton X Wind LE

Great pics of a great combo!

_________________
An ever changing collection.....

Nice pics for sure!
My second favorite color on the "E".

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Chrono Avenger M1, Ti- yellow dial, on Pro II Ti bracelet.
Avenger Code Yellow LE, on Diver Pro II strap, w/arabic dial.

Yellow would be your number one then I presume.....

Who has an idea of the lifespan of the movement battery? Breitling recommends service for these E's every 2 years, but thats because the TX batteries are limiting for sure. If you leave the displays blanked most of the times what would be the time before refreshing them is needed?

Must...have...Coral...Emergency...now...

Congratulations!

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HeadOffice...
B1+UTC
B1+UTC
B2+UTC
Chronomatic 49
Emergency+UTC-Yellow
Emergency+UTC-Black
Emergency+UTC-Blue
Super Avenger
SuperOcean Heritage 46

-- Looking for B4B Le Mans

Thank you sir !
The big fat white numbers contrasting against the bright orange are just too cool !!

In case anyone is still looking for a Pro1 UTC bracelet (without UTC module), I know one European distrubutor who has it in stock. Retail is 495, but since it's considered a sort of obsolete by most AD's a nice dicsount could be very well possible.
If anyone is interested just PM me for details.

Sweet !!

Nice finds!

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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

As promised a few more pics of this orange monster in it's sort of "natural" habitat......
I pushed the test signal inside the cockpit (after informing my collegue ) but the signal isn't picked up by our radio's then, obviously because the VHF (121.5) antenna is at the outside of the fuselage and the Emergency test signal being very weak.
I will also try it another time standing outside the aircraft asking my collegue to listen to the VHF box, haven't done that yet.

Have worn it for a few weeks now and got so much comments about it, most of them positive and sometimes funny.
"Now what on earth are YOU wearing on your wrist !?!? "
Getting comments is NOT the reason I bought this watch, but it definitely is a side-effect of wearing a bright coloured Emergency with UTC !


Got some other straps in, will post a few pics from them later.


I asked earlier if someone knows the lifespan of the movement batteries ? Should be similar of an Aerospace right ?

that watch looks right at home in the cockpit. thanks for sharing the pics

There's no test button on the watch to transmit - that's a contact on the back for the transmitter box only.
Or am I mistaken?
Either way - must have your watch(es) to add to my collection.

By the way, battery life about 3 years for me (and I never use any of its functions other than checking the date - I'm a desk pilot).

_________________
HeadOffice...
B1+UTC
B1+UTC
B2+UTC
Chronomatic 49
Emergency+UTC-Yellow
Emergency+UTC-Black
Emergency+UTC-Blue
Super Avenger
SuperOcean Heritage 46

-- Looking for B4B Le Mans

The thing on the back is a actually a button, normally the little "contact" on the tester as you call it pushes this button when the watched is being placed on the tester and positive force is applied.

When the button is pressed the transmitter is transmitting it's signal on 121.5Mhz with the morse-code B every minute.
Since the two antenna's of the watch are not pulled the range of this test signal is very very weak. It could also be possible the test-signal is weaker (in mW's) compared to the signal being transmitted if the antenna's are pulled. That i don't know

I stand corrected. Thank you very much. Now, ready to sell?

_________________
HeadOffice...
B1+UTC
B1+UTC
B2+UTC
Chronomatic 49
Emergency+UTC-Yellow
Emergency+UTC-Black
Emergency+UTC-Blue
Super Avenger
SuperOcean Heritage 46

-- Looking for B4B Le Mans

Euh, no sir, this thing is just way too cool !!