An arduous task: strap change on a Breguet Classique (or, "Don't try this at home").
This past week I was either exceptionally brave or seized by madness, as I went ahead to change the strap on my Breguet Classique Réveil du Tsar grand feu dial, Ref. 5707ER/29/9V6 - one of those things about which they might say " Don't try this at home. ...
I know the feeling
Of looking for screws with a flashlight on the living room floor! The breitling aerospace uses some of the smallest screws I've seen in a bracelet and is a real challenge to adjust: ...
Everyone has to do that at least once - right?
I'm hoping I've learned my lesson. By the way, judging by the scale of the bracelet links in your photo, those Breitling screws are far, far bigger than the Breguet set screws (1 mm or so long, maybe .5 mm diameter at the head) - and I presume they're not...
Wow looks great!
Your whole thread explains why I’m still too scared to change the strap on my tradition 😂
Yeah, I'm not sure what I was thinking.
I consider myself very lucky not to have gouged the polished lugs. There's a reason saner people leave this kind of thing to the professionals.
I don’t trust my local dealers at all
Most of them do not even know watches and it seems like the sales associates handle strap changes… kinda scary lol
Understood.
We used to have a Breguet AD in town, but they went the way of the dodo (along with most of the other luxury retail in Seattle) during the pandemic. Then again, it was the Breguet factory that destroyed the first strap to begin with...
I think you did the right thing.
Considering what you just mentioned about the factory being the ones that ruined your strap to start with. And now that you have the experience under your belt you may be emboldened to perform similar tasks on other watches. I say BRAVO!
Well done!!
But reading your description already makes me feeling stressed and numbing.....definitely not something I will try....
These dangerous strap manipulations are so stressful.
Congratulations on your successful attempt. I managed a similar attempt with me Patek 5098P, but decided not to try again: the PP Salon does the job very well and, even if I live very far from it, I prefer to wait until my next visit! Best, Emmanuel
This very ordinary vise came with a watch repair kit that I've had lying around for years. I can't find a brand name anywhere in the set.
Here's some of the equipment I used: ...
I applaud your skills and thoroughness!
Fifteen years in the hobby and all I've mastered is bracelets sizing!