The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hi all

i have just got a new skyland avenger, grey dial on dark brown calf

anyway, in general my preference is for deployants rather than pin buckles as imo pin buckles cause too much wear on the strap.

Two questions:

a) probably a dumb qn, but can you use the oem deployant with a pin buckle strap (i know there are two different strap types but would it work?)

b) if not, can anyone recommend a good quality 20mm deployant preferably with an angular looking top part (where it folds over the strap) as a lot of them are curvier and it doesnt look as well imo

Yes you can put a DPL on a buckle strap. You have to remove the buckle and the pin then fit the DPL to where it came off. Feed the hole side through as you would with a DLP strap. It works ok but you have holes seen and you can also see the strap anchor.
Regards the non Breitling DLP Sharkman may give you the specifics of the ones he uses.

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Breanach78

A Few Breitlings.

Just a quick correction on this - the OP asked if an OEM deployant would fit a tang and buckle strap, and the answer to that is no it wouldn't. Yes you can find non-OEM (i.e. different style) deployants to fit a tang and buckle strap, but the Breitling OEM deployant works in a totally different way and needs a different type of strap.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Are you sure on that Driver8?

Don't have any to hand right now, but the tail end will definitely fit through the deployant - it's more or less the same as the deploy tail except for the holes. The lug end of the tang side will also fit so the only issue is whether the deployant springbar will fit through the slot for the tang when the buckle is removed and I thought that it would.

There will be an issue with the location of the clasp on the wrist because the tang and deployant straps are cut differently - longer tail and shorter head on tang.

Well I'm not 100% sure, and I must confess I don't own any tang and buckle Breitling straps (all mine are deployant), but I thought there'd be an issue with the thickness - i.e. the tang and buckle strap wouldn't be thick enough to hold all that securely in the adjustable end of the deployant. That, and a possible length difference issue. Of course, without trying it, then I may be wrong.

I was also thinking that it would look a bit odd too, but I guess looks weren't what the OP was asking.

I think we need someone to try it! And, as always, if I am wrong then apologies to the OP and breanach78.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

It will work for sure BUT I tried it with a Croco strap which is a fair bit thicker than the Calf which may slip more as D8 suggests. I had no issues with the Croco in this regard. Another issue is the fitting of the spring bar onto the DPL which was very tight to get in as the TB strap end is slightly wider than the DPL strap. The set up was as comfortable as a OEM DPL set-up IMO but I was unhappy with the TB holes seen and the redundant TB anchor which I was not willing to cut away!

No need for apologies of course D8!

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Breanach78

A Few Breitlings.

I think these would be the two big cosmetic issues for me

I have a Breitling Croc pin strap that I have mated with an aftermarket, good quality, deployant made for just that type of trap.
I had a oem croc w/deployant but a problem with that wrist lined up with the deployant and was just too uncomfortable. These
aftermarket buckles are so comfortable I have bought two more for my pin dive straps. If you wish I will find the order form
and get the web site address for you. At one time I had a series of photo's showing the strap/buckle combo but that computer
crashed and I lost a bunch of photo's.
Be safe, Frank.

I always use aftermarket bi-fold deploys on my Breitling tang straps (the Breitling deploy doesn't suit me and is a tad long and bulky for me), to the point where I don't even order the buckle now - saves about $40 which, in turn, pays for a decent deploy. The ones I use do not have a perfectly flat piece that shows when it is on the wrist - it is somewhat rounded, barely curved - if that is what the OP was referring to. I like the ones I use because the clasp pin is rather thin, which allows me to use a pair of 1 mm punch pliers to place a smaller hole between two existing holes and "dial in" the fit.

Usually, I order from http://www.mywatchmaker.net , but there are plenty of other good quality ones, some beefier and a bit better quality and barely more expensive (http://www.watchstyles.com). But some of those have thicker pins which means a larger hole to punch if I need it to suit my needs which then makes me a little nervous about the long term integrity of the strap. So I stick with the ones I know best meet my needs. (http://www.fredawatchstrap.com has a wide variety as well)

Breitling's tang buckle has near razor sharp edges which, over time, tend to rip up the leather, especially if you are using the shortest position. Rather p###es me off.

You will find the bi-folds on a Breitling tang strap very comfortable, not too bulky, and sitting centered on the underside of the wrist. You can go for the higher priced (if you consider $65 or so, higher priced!) and experiment from there, as I did. Ultimately I opted for the $40 ones for the reasons noted. Not only easier putting the watch on the wrist, but a hell of a lot easier putting back on the winder cuff. And I've never had one fail - as in fall apart!

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SHARKMAN

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Breanach78

A Few Breitlings.