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Thread: Breitling Aerospace Avantage - what do you think

  1. #1
    Master
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    Breitling Aerospace Avantage - what do you think

    I keep looking at the Avantage but can never press the trigger and the more I research them the more I go around in circles

    I worry about the battery life, change and service.......... so is a recent service by Breitling advisable as I have read that if the battery is not changed properly the watch can be damaged - are they expensive to service?

    They seem to be sold new at 30% discount of RRP - so I'm never sure whats what

    I don't like the look of the Breitling rubber but the Titanium Bracelets seems to be expensive even used

    They appear used on Ebay for £600 upwards......... but not sure I can trust such

    Reasonable used models are maybe £1,000 + thru to £2,000 - not that I am buying it as an investment, but they do seem to lose a lot of value from new quite quickly

    Comments really appreciated - I just fancy adding a watch to my small collection and the Avantage is different from what I have

    (I have a 7" wrist size)
    Last edited by BillN; 14th January 2019 at 11:53.

  2. #2
    Master
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    The Avantage is my favourite model of the whole Aerospace range, produced only during 2005 and 2006, so now 13 or 14 years old, but still very modern in appearance. I prefer it because of the plainer dial. I've had at least three of them and since then I've had two of the later, tuxedo dial Aerospace, which apart from the dial is the same watch. I currently have one that I picked up very reasonably on this forum. If you can find a good one, on a bracelet, for around £1k go for it. Changing the battery is no more difficult than any other quartz watch. The only concern is the cost of the movement, if you are hamfisted enough to destroy it.

  3. #3
    Master blackal's Avatar
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    Battery should last about 5yrs, and if you send back to BUK - cost will be app £150 for battery change, new seals and pressure test.

    Titanium bracelet marks easily (esp around clasp)

  4. #4
    Master Christian's Avatar
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    Watch out buying secondhand. I bought one pre-owned, battery reached its end of life and sent it to Breitling for what should have been a minor battery change service. Turned out the previous owner had a battery change done either by himself or a third party. Brietling could tell and refused to do a simple
    battery change, they wanted a full service because they said they couldn’t pass the movement through their quality checks having been previously worked on by a third party.

  5. #5
    Master
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    I have a blue one on bracelet. Definitely the sweet spot both in terms of diameter (at 42 it's bigger than the original 40 and smaller than the Evo at 43) and dial - applied at the quadrants but only batons between, rather than the printed lume. And of course, no tuxedo - has never looked right to me. Bracelet wise I prefer Pro II to the others - angled links better than Pro I and flat rather than the more rounded Pro III links.

    As has been said, if you can get one at £1k or close then you won't regret it.

  6. #6
    Master Routers's Avatar
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    Have a tux dial Aerospace as my daily wearer and find it super comfy and stylish on Breitling rubber.
    Super quartz accuracy too of course and a perfect size.


  7. #7
    Grand Master MartynJC (UK)'s Avatar
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    The only thing putting me off (ok two) is - the that all function changes are by spinning / pushing the crown and it’s rather small and stiff (oooh err) to spin quickly without removing the watch from wrist. The other is the almost inaudible alarm (at least compared to the Omega X-33, but it is louder then Casio).

    But it great design otherwise. There are online videos on how to change the battery yourself or instructions on this very forum if you look carefully.

    If you buy second hand around £1K to £1.5K you won’t loose too much if you sell on. Give it a try!


    Martyn.

  8. #8
    Master
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    One of my favourite all time watches. Very versatile for both a suit and jeans, slim enough to slide under the cuff, and it often drew positive comments from non-watch people. I miss mine and hope to add it back to the collection at some point.


  9. #9
    Master
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    Thanks guys for your replies

  10. #10
    Master mycroft's Avatar
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    At one point in time a couple of years ago I owned 4 Breitlings (so I’m a genuine fan of the brand), one of which was an Avantage. In short, I didn’t like it. I felt it was very underwhelming, too light (so that it felt very insubstantial) and frankly all that crown twiddling drove me nuts. I really wanted to like it, but I couldn’t and so it was quickly sold on.

    I know that my view is very much a minority one here - the Aerospace is something of a forum favourite, so please don’t let me put you off (I’m addicted to large heavy watches so I really don’t fit the profile of an Aerospace owner ).

    Simon

  11. #11
    Master Christian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mycroft View Post
    At one point in time a couple of years ago I owned 4 Breitlings (so I’m a genuine fan of the brand), one of which was an Avantage. In short, I didn’t like it. I felt it was very underwhelming, too light (so that it felt very insubstantial) and frankly all that crown twiddling drove me nuts. I really wanted to like it, but I couldn’t and so it was quickly sold on.

    I know that my view is very much a minority one here - the Aerospace is something of a forum favourite, so please don’t let me put you off (I’m addicted to large heavy watches so I really don’t fit the profile of an Aerospace owner ).

    Simon
    Kind of agree with this. The crown twiddling irritated me.

  12. #12
    Master blackal's Avatar
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    Let’s be honest now....... Who really uses the stopwatch facility on a Daytona? (other than to tell everyone that they timed their poached eggs on it........ and frankly - that is seriously-pathetic)

    The principal secondary feature of the Aerospace - is the dual time-zone. It is quite reasonable, that since you don’t suddenly require to change that - that you take the watch off, to do this.

    Most of us - sit on the plane, and either plan to change to TZ2 on departure, mid-flight or on arrival - but none of those fall into the category of “FFS! I need to change time-zone!”

    The Aerospace is a great dual time zone watch, which weighs the thick end of nothing (75g for the original model?)

  13. #13
    I have three abs digitalis by BUK

    I love the look of all of them

    The B50 is awesome - you can re charge the battery!

    Battery replacement is a BUK necessity for me

    I stupidly paid a “jeweller” in the Jewell’s quarter to change the one in my B1


    Didn’t fit the seals right.... water got in
    Bill of £1600

    If the module goes it’s big money

    Buy one that’s had a service maybe?

    They’re pretty bombproof

  14. #14
    Master
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    I've had one for a couple of years and although it's not worn all that often, (it's still on BST!), I do love it. It's completely different to anything else I've got. Really light and comfortable too.

    Strap wise, I got mine on the military canvas but put it on an olive nylon straight away.


  15. #15
    I had an Avantage, briefly, but I preferred the older model (e75362) as it was a bit smaller and I preferred the italicised dial numerals.
    The crown on all can be a bit of a pain to use but the one thing that frustrates me most about all the Aerospace range is the NVG displays, which, while I understand why they are what they are, I would prefer to be brighter (or at least be given the option to increase or reduce brightness).

  16. #16
    Grand Master Onelasttime's Avatar
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    I do miss my blue tux dial. It was a great holiday watch because it was so versatile. I didn't need anything else.



    And it looks good on bracelet, canvas, leather, rubber … anything really. Damn! Now I want one again.

  17. #17
    Master
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    SUPER watches , love mine , but my poor eyes can no longer read the lcd panels, so probably appear on the Sales Corner soon..

    As a day to day they are fantastic and light, a full high end pick up and go watch...

    should have got mine 5 years earlier before the eyes started to fail....

    Highly recommend

  18. #18
    I be an Evo and I love it. Even though the single crown operation is pretty awful. Great looking watch, which feels like you're wearing nothing at all, even in the bracelet. I've no idea what the difference is between it and the advantage.

  19. #19
    Master helidoc's Avatar
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    I have an Evo rather than Avantage, but I love it, and along with my Explorer II and work G-Shock, it dominates my wrist time.

    It is in many ways a very illogical watch, 1980s tech, battery dependent, and expensive to service. Before I had one, I had some very well rehearsed arguments for not buying one! They look cool though, so I bought one, and then fell in love with it. They look great, are immensely accurate (1 second gain in 9 months), easy to wear, and have some useful functions.

    The crown spinning is actually OK, and if you overshoot, you can go back, unlike a lot of G-Shocks where you have to cycle through everything, and then stop at the right function next time around.

    I find the more complex B55 lust-worthy, but expensive and over-complex; the Aerospace makes more sense.

    Rather unexpectedly, I find myself a fan




    Dave


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  20. #20
    Apprentice
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    im new to the site and hope ive done this right . Ive had a bi metal 40mm aerospace since 2009 and I still love it . its a 2002 model . I have various other watches but this is the watch I wear 99% of the time . its light , the dial is the most readable ive ever had , lume is way better than any watch ive ever owned , the anti glare coating is the best ive had . I paid 800 for it in 09 . fantastic .

  21. #21
    I have two Aerospaces, an Avantage and older/smaller Repetition Minutes version. They are brilliant watches and an excellent addition to any collection.

    I find myself using various functions on my travels.

    Big thumbs up!

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