The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I have a breitling aerospace with a professional II titanium bracelet and have purchased a Diver Pro II Rubber Strap. im wanting to change over the straps but the diver pro strap dosent come with any spring bars, can i use the same ones that are already in my titanium bracelet? if not what will the correct ones to use be?

Thanks Tom.

Not sure of the reference nos as such but the bars are different: bracelets springbars are 1.5mm thick and strap bars 1.8mm thick. In short you want to ask a dealer for a pair of 22mm strap bars. That's if the bars for leather and rubber are the same...

As TomP said, you need thicker springbars for the strap. Ads seem to be a bit hit and miss for supplying them, but definitely worth asking.

I've read somewhere that you can use the bracelet spring bars with a strap but not the other way round.
The thicker strap bars will not fit through the end link holes on most (if not all) Breitling bracelets.
So you should be OK with the bracelet bars with a strap, I think.
A couple of months ago I asked Breitling service centre in Hong Kong for 5 sets of bracelet bars and 5 sets of strap bars. On closer inspection at home I discovered that they gave me 10 sets of bracelet bars.

_________________
"It is just a matter of time!"

Not recommended because the strap has excessive movement which can cause premature wear and also make it easier for the springbar to pop out - the style of the ends is also different.

Indeed - I have a spare pair of each at home and peered at them before posting last night: I couldn't really see the difference in thickness but the difference of the ends was noticeable.

Yes, the bracelet bar ends are different - pointed rather than flat.
Again, my understanding was that this was just to make the bracelet mounting easier as things are a bit tighter with the curved and tight fitting Breitling end links.
How would that make the springboard easier to pop out though?
Not challenging, just curious to understand better.
It often made me wonder why Breitling chose different spring bars for the straps and bracelets.

_________________
"It is just a matter of time!"

Not the ends that make it more likely to come out, the fact that the springbar can be subjected to more force because of the ill fitting strap - strap moves more generating more leverage on the bar.

Right, so for the strap i need to get some 1.8mm 22mm spring bar? any ideas where i can buy these online? cheers guys

http://www.ofrei.com has them, but try asking your AD first.

okay thanks, and are they manufactured by breitling or dose it not matter?

They won't be Breitling from Otto Frei but still good quality, and let's be honest 'Breitling' springbars are going to be sourced from a 3rd party anyway, I wouldn't be concerned.

okay thanks guys, been a big help. one more thing, are they the double flange spring bars that i want?

From memory, yes, but let someone else confirm, it's been a while since I checked.