The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Dear Roff & all

You remember, that I raised the question, whether the present "ETA-movements" by Breitling have been produced inhouse. Finally I got the answer from T. Ernst (watchtime.ch). He said, that from 1999 on Breitling have produced the majority (gear works, escapement and other important parts) on their own - e. i. inhouse. Recently - because ETA's parts delivery became very restrictive - many calibers had to be produced completely inhouse by Breitling. Regarding the B01 he says, that it had been developed and tested for 8 years. It will be assembly-compatible with the 7750 and can be assembled with both chrono counter designs (e. i. Tricompax and ordinary layout).

*drumrolls*

V.

Wow, good info!

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Driver8

Site Moderator

i guess in a normal situation, any company worth its salt will have a backup plan, knowing that things could be ugly if the carpet was pulled under them!

so, if Big B has been working on their movement for 8 years, preparing for the big day ETA stops supplying (for whatever reason) then

Hey, it's business!

Great job Vorrollo! Very interesting to read

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Happines is Good Health and a Bad Memory.
"Ingrid Bergman"

8 years is a heck of long time to be working on a single movement.

I can only assume (if this information is correct) that they were also honing and perfecting the manufacture of their 7750 components during that time too. Panerai spent 3 years (I think) developing their first Manifattura movement, and I'd assume they were starting from a worse position than Breitling if they weren't already making 7750 parts themselves.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

That's what Mr. Ernst was saying. And his source is serious.

The B13ies from the last few years are improved COSC-grade 7750ies. Not "only" fine-tuned and carefully assembled, no, they're inhouse produced (not developed of course). So, for me, the present Breitling range has to offer something very nice.

And the B17 is the best built 2824-2 ever. Not "only" a 2824. I know, for many out there it's just a 2824, but for me - personally - this is a real benefit.

V.

Good news indeed.

It sounds as though there is an element of modularity too the movement if it supports different chrono layouts, so that may also imply an ability for non chrono and potentially additional complications (although that will likely require plate redesign).

Watchtime is Swiss based so their contacts are doubtless very good.

In terms of the 7750 - I was shocked when I heard production figures of 50,000 for the B01 in the first year, but the production of 7750 parts would explain that - they are already geared up to produce many of the parts - and let's face it the gear train, escapement, etc are to some extent interchangeable - at least at an individual parts level if not at the subassembly level.

Interesting statements, Roff.
Well put thoughts.

V.

If you like, I forward the original reply from watchtime by email to those who are interested.
But the core statements are fully translated in my OP.

V.

Great to hear Breitling make a lot of the parts in-house.

Would this count for my calibre as well, the 49? I wonder how much of any Breitling watch movement is made soley in house? Sounds like it may be just the ebauches that are ETA and the rest Breitling?

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All the best.
Ian

Well not even the ebauches if they are replacing entire geartrains. Technically ebauches excludes escapement and mainspring / barrel, but include those.

I'm guessing that the focus has been on the B13 / 7750 simply because that's the nature of the new B01 - a three sub chrono.

The cockpit is a fundamentally different movement based on the modula 2896 platform. You'll undoubtedly find that common parts are used as part of the process of improving the movement - same diameter hour and minute wheels for example, but I doubt that they have been doing wholesale elements.

That said, if B01 has been in development for eight years then you have to assume that B02, B03, etc are already in the works - I can't see the second movement being in 2017, so there must be some elements underway.

Of course we don't know at this stage how much modularity exists in the B01 - i.e. is it closer to the integrated 7750 or the platform like 2892-A2, so we don't know how much need for a second mechanical caliber there is (though in house SQ has to be on the radar).

very interesting!!!