Reply With QuoteShould that much dirt usually get under the caseback?
My MB2's off for a spa treatment today, so i thought just before i drop it off i'd get the caseback off and have a look at what makes it tick. Afterall what's the worse that can happen :p
Quite a bit of dirt ingress , good thing those gaskets are working!
Should be back to looking new in a couple of weeks, although there's nowt wrong with a few battle scars.
Should that much dirt usually get under the caseback?
And the bezel scratches? Hmmm...Originally Posted by Guitarfan
"Hardened steel bezel element, containing the sapphire crystal. The majority of Bremont models in the core range are treated for hardness with B-EBE2000® technology. During this special stage in the case production, the metal is heat-treated and diffused with carbon, then bombarded with electrons. The process dramatically increases the hardness and scratch resistance of the stainless steel. On the Vickers' scale of hardness, for example, B-EBE2000® produces a watch case with a value of 2000Hv - approximately seven times that of the normal stainless steel used for watch cases."
Logic would dictate no, but the sealing gasket sits inside the orange ring so the movement is sealed but the outer barrel is not.
Marketing fluff...
My Rolexes haves all faired better... whapped my sub into a doorframe last night whilst moving stuff about and there's not a mark on it (and its not the first time either)
I have to say that I am quite surprised to see that.
It will be interesting to see an after Spa photo if that's possible,
scooter
This process does work well, however.......its what known as an egg shell effect. In practice the outer layer is indeed very well capable of shrugging off scrapes and scratches better than most, however as its only the outer layer that is hardened, then if the case sustains a hard enough knock it will dent the same as any other. The problems is then that it cannot be refinished effectively without removing outer hardened layer, as there is a slight colour difference between the hardened outer layer and the inner softer core.
It cannot be helped.
The gasket has to be inside the bolt ring diameter, and the bolts cannot be sealed against moisture ingress. And, with moisture there will be dirt. As long as the dirt stops at the gasket, you're good.
As to "after" pictures. I would advise against it, as removing the back breaks the seal and voids the WR warranty…
I'll post some pics up once it's back, but really they won't be that exciting since they just replace the case/bezel/barrel, rather than refinishing the existing case.
Should come back looking fresh out of the box :D (ready for another round of punishment!)
Shall be leaving the caseback on though ;)
The entire case is replaced everytime during service? Wow...
This ^^ Really?? I don't want my case replaced on a watch when it goes in unless it's faulty or cracked through.
Nice looking rotor they've done anyway.
Out of interest, how old is the MB2?
I have the U2 blue but it's not yet 4 months!
I'd agree if we were talking Rolex or anything that had the original case serial number or had unique features to a particular period of production.
But it doesn't. Serial is on the case back which doesnt get changed, and the watch is as current as you can get (bar the original/old logo on the dial, crown etc. which I've requested not be changed)
It is nice that even though the movement is hidden, it's still finished to the same level as other Bremonts (not thst i expected any less, i was just curious)
Around 4 years or so now
Thanks very much for the explanation. I was inclined to consider it "marketing fluff" given Bremont's form for that sort of thing.
It has to be marketing fluff in regard to the bezel. I've been wearing my fully tegimented U1 pretty much 24/7since August and it is absolutely mint. Not the tiniest mark, whereas any Rolex worn for even a few days will have a few swirlies on the case sides. Not sure how teg differs from what bremont do to their cases but it sounds similar?
I've seen a surprising number of torn up Bremonts, given the hardened cases - way more than Damasko despite their longer availability and cheaper prices (both of which would reasonably increase apparent wear).
My door frames are made of wood, I wouldn't expect a watch to come off second best in a fight with one.
This piece doesn't have their own "in house" movement in it (chuckle chuckle)
As I understand it...
Teg tech that Sinn uses is much the same as Bremonts process but only registers 1200 on the vickers scale . Damaskos process hardens right through the core, this however is still only to 1500 on the vickers scale so still away from Bremonts 2000 vickers score . However the ice hardening process that Damasko uses makes the steel very brittle and should it sustain a hard enough blow it can crack like ceramic watches can . To give you an idea , 2000 on the vickers scale is about the same as sapphire Crystals , and they still get scratched .
In my mind having owned several Bremonts , and had first hand experience with them and Sinn, I would give the nod to Bremont just. I've not owned a Damasko.
Another point of conjecture will always be perception . I mean my mint condition when assessing a watch can be very different from another's . So it will be with what you deem as normal wear and tear or everyday use . All the above vickers scores are a long way off normal 316 stainless steel though . However I know which is easier to refinish !
Last edited by BryanEbru1512; 10th January 2015 at 01:22.
The only hardened Sinn I've ever seen with a flaw as large as this Bremont was intentionally damaged to test toughness. There was a huge thread on WUS about it iirc. Someone should really have their Bremont case tested on a Rockwell machine prior to replacement. I'd love to see the actual number.
That all makes sense - I do wonder if the 'submarine steel' used by Sinn is harder in the first place before the teg process is applied and that also makes a difference. When I say mint, I mean perfect even under a loupe - and I've changed the strap a few times and not really looked after it especially. You could literally sell it as brand new and no ist would know!
I used a Bremont SM500 for a year in the South of France teaching outdoor activities to the MOD. White water rafting , canoeing, mountain biking ,climbing and caving, the watch looked great after a year, not perfect but almost. I had a Sinn U1 prior to that the year before doing the same thing, and I dropped that in the shower onto the ceramic tiled floor and dented the bezel and side case. The finish on that was bead blasted and looked far worse than the damage sustained to my Bremont. Loved both, but for me in the real world the Bremont just worked a little better and seemed to sustain less damage over the same period and looked better after a similar life span in the same environment.
I also damaged a ALT1-C on a river rescue{ emergency} and scratched the bezel and smashed the crystal, these things aren't indestructible , how could they ever be. But for me Bremonts process seemed to work better, plus things like the doomed crystal deflecting crystal marks better, better anti reflective coating{ Sinns marks really easily}, the side case being DLC coated and the general case design all seemed to work better imo than the Sinn's I have, and I am a Sinn fan. ..........how this relates to Rockwell Machine testing, I really can't say, but I do know what I've experienced with both these brands in the real world, so yes id be interested to see the results of that test too.
Let's not forget that unless it's a U1T only the bezel is tegimented. I can understand how it's just an eggshell of hardened steel and I'd expect a really hard whack such as a fall onto a tiled floor to leave some damage I guess - but the scuffs on the bezel of that Bremont look like regular scratches, without looking up close I guess it's hard to tell for sure but it looks much less susceptible to scratching in terms of design to eg a Sinn U1 bezel, which is the first part of that watch likely to be damaged in day to day use. Maybe I'm just a light wearer though as the AR coating on my U1 is also pristine. This is my first experience with Sinn or hardening processes and I'm impressed so far - if that bremont was mine, less so. Mind you I have g shocks for rough and tough activities and you could drop them on a tiled floor al day with no evidence, so it's all relative. Heavy steel + hard floor = dent, light plastic + resin + hard floor = 0!
I find that amazing that Bremont replace the whole case when they service a watch, can anyone actually confirm that that is actually what happens for a routine service?
Does that mean it costs more to polish a case than replace it? Or maybe the process Bremont puts there steel to doesn't cope well with polishing? Or cynically that they want to get as much money from you for a service that they say they have to do this to guarantee the watch?
Boggles the mind. Especially since they make such song and dance about their "triptyque" case or whatever it is... Obviously a made in china effort if they can just replace it under normal service charges...
Wow, that's quite an assertion
Yes your right it was a standard U1 with only the bezel hardened. Same thing applies to Bremont I believe only the bezel is hardened .
As I said before everyone has a different lifestyle and perceptions can be different for each individual. I cannot say what the OP's use is or what sort of abuse the case has sustained to get the marks it clearly has in his pictures. My own experience with both Bremont and Sinn is good.
Certainly on the Bremont watches I've had serviced and repaired, they did not replace the cases, and yes if you read all the posts above you will see that polishing a hardened case is indeed more difficult . I do not believe they replace cases unless they are asked or if there is a problem that would mean replacement is required.
My Mrs put my Supermarine through the washing machine by mistake.. came out looking better than when it went in!
On my old Alt1-P, I was told that they replace the top case/lug assembly at service.
The case designs on Bremont's lends itself to that if you think about it, being made of so many parts.
Cost for a service was £400 ish IIRC, which included the top case replacement.
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