Today, after returning from an out-of-town conference, I retrieved the Breitling B-Class instruction booklet from the mail that had come while I was away. For anyone who may own the model watch I have, but who is without the instruction booklet for it, the following are the main areas covered in the booklet.
"YOUR BREITLING CHRONOMETER
A chronometer is a high-precision instrument that has successfully passed the entire battery of tests imposed by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute), a neutral and independent body which individually tests each movement according to the prescriptions in force.
The certification test for wristwatch chronographs with quartz oscillators consists in observing each movement for eleven days and eleven nights, in several positions and at three different temperatures (8 degrees C [or 46.4 degrees F], 23 degrees C [or 73.4 degrees F], 38 degrees C [or 100.4 degrees F]). To earn the prestigious chronometer label, a movement's performances must meet 7 very strict criteria, including a daily variation in rate of within plus or minus 0.07 seconds, corresponding to an annual precision of plus or minus 25 seconds. The variation in rate of the SUPERQUARTZ trademark caliber fitted in your BREITLING (B-CLASS) watch far and above exceeds these demands, achieving a rate of plus or minus 15 seconds a year.
The term "chronometer" should not be confused with that of "chronograph", which is a complicated watch fitted with an additional mechanism enabling the measurement of the duration of an event. A chronograph is not necessarily chronometer-certified, but all BREITLING chronographs carry the much-coveted title of "chronometers"."
My note: It appears to me it would not be recommended to wear the watch face of this watch on the underside of the wrist where it would be subjected to a greater potential for shock and jarring due to the possibility of the banging of the watch face against a hard surface and that could result in the scratching of the watch crystal.
The instructions describe the compass in the watch as a "SUN COMPASS". To use the "SUN COMPASS", the instructions in the booklet are as follows:
"In the northern hemisphere
Point the hour hand precisely toward the sun. In relation to the watch dial, the point located midway between the current time and 12 o'clock indicates the South, the North being exactly opposite.
In the southern hemisphere
Point the hour marker located at 12 o'clock on the dial precisely toward the sun. In relation to the watch dial, the point located midway between the current time and 12 o'clock indicates the North, the South being exactly opposite."
My note: People who become lost without the aid of a compass will end up naturally walking in a circle unless sun and/or moon cues are present. For more on that, please read the information at this link,
http://news.discovery.com/human/evoluti ... ircles.htmMy note: Navigating using the moon as reference:
A full moon rises in the east, so at midnight it's in the south, and it sets in the west, however the direction of the rising and setting of the moon is less reliable than the sun due to the angle of the moon's orbit.
If there's a crescent moon, you can visualize a line running from tip-to-tip of the moon's crescent; where the line touches the horizon is roughly south.
If the moon rises before sunset, the illuminated side of the moon will face west. If the moon rises after midnight, the bright side will face east.
Navigating using the stars
Using the Pole Star
The main star that aids navigation is Polaris, the Pole Star. It is one of the brightest stars in the sky, sits over the North Pole and never veers beyond 1 degree of true north, so it's possible to approximately judge the cardinal points (north, south, east, west) from its location in the sky.
To find Polaris, first find the easily-recognizable Big Dipper group of seven stars, part of the Ursa Major constellation. The two stars that form the bottom of the scoop shape point straight to the pole star.
The number of degrees that the Pole Star is above the horizon is equal to your latitude. To measure this accurately you need a sextant, but you can estimate by holding a fist out in front of you, each fist being equal to 10 degrees of latitude.
Using Orion's Belt
The group of stars known as Orion's Belt (or Jacob's Rod) is made up of three bright stars in the constellation of Orion. The 'belt' (3 stars in a row) runs from east to west. Orion's sword which hangs down from the belt points south.
Movement of the stars
Stars move in the night sky in relation to the earth. Like the moon, stars rise in the east and set in the west, so it's possible to roughly find directions by fixing the current position of a star and then measuring which direction it moves in. To use this method:
1) Put a stick in the ground and put another longer stick 2-3 feet in front of it.
2) Line up a bright star as if it were in a rifle sight aligned with the top of the two sticks.
3) Keep looking at the sticks for about 15-30 minutes. Check whether the star moves up, down or to the right or left of the line made by the two sticks.
4) If the star moves right, you'll be facing roughly south, and if it moves left, you're facing north. If it moves up you're facing east, and down you're facing west. It's more likely that the star will have moved vertically and horizontally, so for example up and right, in which case you'd be facing south east.
The instruction booklet contains the section, "BATTERY END-OF-LIFE INDICATOR" that says; "The watch movement is fitted with a battery end-of-life detector, signalled by the small seconds hands which begin to jump every 4 seconds. The battery must be replaced within the next few days by an authorized BREITLING agent. Also ask for a water resistance test to be performed on the watch."
Under "MAINTENANCE" in the instruction booklet it says, "Your BREITLING chronometer is a sophisticated instrument which is constantly subjected to a wide variety of stresses and strains. Within a very small volume, a large number of components contribute to handling all the functions. Their mechanical action inevitably leads to a certain amount of wear and tear, which may be controlled by maintenance consisting of renewing the lubrication and replacing worn components. Like any precision measurement instrument, your watch must be regularly maintained in order to function at its highest level of potential: we recommend a regular service every two years, while the complete overhaul should be scheduled about every five years. Your authorized BREITLING dealer will be pleased to handle this for you."
Under "WATER-RESISTANCE" the instruction booklet says; "The movement of your chronometer is protected by a complex case fitted with gaskets to insure its water-resistance. Under the influence of various external agents - perspiration, chlorinated or salt water, cosmetics, fragrances, or dust - these gaskets gradually deteriorate and must be regularly replaced. If used intensively in water, we recommend this be done once a year as part of a service. If the watch is only occasionally used in water, this operation may be carried out every two years. Moreover, a water-resistance test should be done every year. It takes only a few minutes and can be performed by your authorized BREITLING dealer.
BREITLING models are water-resistant to varying degrees. The extent of the water-resistance is expressed in meters (M) on the back of each case. This indication is a standard value and does not indicate an absolute depth of immersion. The crown must not under any circumstances be operated under water or when the watch is wet. ..."
My note based on the chart in the instruction booklet for my watch: Women's Breitling watch model A67365 B-Class water-resistant activities are splashing, shower, swimming, surface water sports, water-skiing, dives, snorkeling, but NOT diving.
"WHAT TO AVOID
Like any valuable objects, BREITLING chronometers deserve special care. It is important to protect them from jarring and knocks by hard objects. and not to expose them to chemical products, solvents, dangerous gasses, or magnetic fields. Moreover, your BREITLING chronometer is designed to run smoothly at temperatures ranging between 0 degrees C [32 degrees F] and 50 degrees C [122 degrees F]."
My hope is that some people reading this will benefit from my posting of instructions for this particular Breitling A67365 B-Class watch model since the instruction booklet for it is so hard to come by.