- Overview
- Your BREITLING chronometer
-
Preparing the watch for use
- Winding - Time-setting
- Using the chronograph
- Special characteristics
- Slide-Rule
- Maintenance
Overview
- Hour hand
- Minute hand
- Seconds hand
- Chronograph’s hours totalizer
- Chronograph’s minutes totalizer
- Chronograph’s seconds hand
- Pushpiece Start / Stop
- Pushpiece Reset
- Screw-locked crown
- Date
- Slide rule
- Bi-directional rotating bezel
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 wristwatches with sprung balance oscillators, according to the ISO 3159 norm, consists of observing each movement for 15 days and 15 nights, in 5 positions and at 3 different temperatures (8°, 23°C, 38°C). In order to earn the prestigious chronometer label, a movement’s performances must meet 7 very strict criteria, including a daily variation in rate ranging between only –4/+6 seconds.
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”.
Winding - Time-Setting
- Unscrew the water-resistant crown in an anti-clockwise direction. Wind the watch by 40 clockwise turns of the crown.
- Pull the crown out to position 3 and move the hands forwards and backwards between 8 pm and midnight so as to set the calendar to the last day before the correct day (in progress/current).
- Turn the hands until the appearance of the exact date, which jumps at midnight. Then adjust the hours and minutes.
- Push the crown back to position 1. Press it gently, turning it gently in a clockwise direction, then tighten it again until you feel some resistance. Do not force!
Measuring a single short time
- Press pushpiece A to start the chronograph. Hand 3 shows the measurement in seconds.
- Stop the measurement by pressing pushpiece A once more. The measurement is done in hours (totalizer 1), minutes (totalizer 2), seconds and 1/4ths of a second (hand 3).
- Return the chronograph to zero by pressing pushpiece B.
Measuring an interrupted short time
- Press pushpiece A to start the chronograph. Hand 3 allows you to follow the measurement in seconds.
- To interrupt the measurement, press pushpiece A once more. To restart the time measurement, press pushpiece A. This procedure makes it possible to add several short times.
- The chronograph is reset to zero by pressing pushpiece B, once the final measurement has been stopped.
Sun compass
Your BREITLING chronometer may be used as a sun compass, thus enabling you to determine the Northerly-Southerly direction. For regions that have instated daylight saving time, subtract one hour when directing the watch.
In the Northern hemisphere
Point the hour hand precisely towards 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 towards 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.
Slide-Rule
The computer portion of the watch will require a little time and patience to master, if the pilot is unfamiliar with standard flight computers. It is actually a circular slide rule and will make accurate computations involving multiplication and division in terms of time, distance, fuel consumption and other normal flight and navigation computations dealing with speed, time and distance.
Inspection of the watch will reveal that there is an outer scale on which will be found numbers running from 10 to 10 (the figure «10» may be 1.0, 10, 100.). On the outer perimeter of the dial of the watch is a second similar scale. Note that the outer scale will always be related to miles, or miles per hour, feet, or feet per minute, gallons, or gallons per hour, or any quantity which varies with time. The inner scale deals with minutes or hours in all problems involving time.
At 60 minutes on the inner scale there is an arrow which is marked «MPH». This is sometimes known as the «ground speed index» or «hour index». This index is used in problems involving any quantity per hour.
Multiplication
To multiply with the Navitimer use the unit index (number «10» in red on the inner scale). Always set the multiplier (the number by which another is multiplied) opposite the unit index on the inner scale and read the answer on the outer scale opposite the multiplicand (number to be multiplied by another) appearing on the inner scale.
Example
To multiply 7 x 12, set 12 (the multiplier) on outer scale opposite unite index («10») on the inner scale.
Opposite 7 (the multiplicand) on the inner scale, read the answer 84 on the mobile dial.
Division
To divide with Navitimer also use the unit index (red 10). Place the dividend (the quantity to be divided by another number) on the outer scale opposite the divisor (quantity by which another is divided) on the inner scale. Opposite the unit index (numeral «10» on inner scale), read answer on outer scale.
Example
Divide 120 by 4. Place 120 on outer scale opposite 4 on the inner scale.
Read answer, 30, on outer scale opposite unit index (numeral «10» on inner scale).
Exchange rates
Along with aviation, the slide rule has any number of other applications including for instance complete exchange-rate tables between two currencies.
Example
To convert amounts expressed in euros into U.S. dollars at the (supposed) rate of 1 USD = 1,10€, simply place the figure 11 (= 1.10) on the outside mobile scale opposite the “10” marking on the inside scale.
Amounts expressed in dollars can now be read on the inside scale and their equivalents in marks on the outside scale: US$40 = 44€
Calculating ground speed
The mobile outer and fixed inner scales are used for determination of ground speed problems. Two of the following quantities are available for its solution: time, distance, ground speed.
Example
Known: Distance and speed.
Required: Time
A pilot wants to know how long it will take to go 486 miles at a ground speed of 156 miles per hour.
Solution: On the mobile scale set 156 opposite the hour index on the fixed scale.
On the inner scale opposite 486 on the mobile scale read 187 minutes (or 3 hours and 7 minutes).
Calculating miles per minute
This may be read after the speed in miles per hour has been obtained. The speed given in miles per hour on the mobile scale when set opposite the hour index on the fixed scale can be readily converted into miles per minute by reading the number on the mobile scale appearing opposite the figure «10» on the fixed scale. The figure «10» is often referred to as the unit index.
Example
In Example "Calculating ground speed", the ground speed was 156 miles per hour. With the 156 on the mobile scale set opposite the hour index, what is the speed in miles per minute?
Solution: With 156 miles on the mobile scale
set opposite the hour index read the speed in miles per minute, or the figure on the mobile scale which appears above the figure «10» on the fixed scale which is 2.6 miles per minute.
There are times when a pilot may want to know the time required to travel a short distance, such as the distance from the cone of silence to the edge of an airport, or between the inner marker and range station. Since the distance is short, the time required may be less than a minute, in which case the time has more significance when expressed in seconds. In such cases the «second» index is used. This is the figure «36» on the inner scale (there are 3600 seconds in an hour).
Calculating gasoline consumption
Two of the following quantities are available for gasoline consumption problems: Total gallons used, time, rate of consumption.
Example
Known: Time and rate of consumption.
Required: Total gallons used.
A pilot wishes to know how many gallons are necessary to fly 3.5 hours at an average rate of consumption of 11.5 gallons per hour.
Solution: Opposite the «hour index» set 11.5 on the mobile scale.
Then, opposite 210 minutes on inner scale on the mobile scale read 40.25 gallons.
Calculating the rate of climb or descent
Two of the following quantities are available for solution: total altitude or descent, time and rate of descent (or climb).
Example
Known: Rate of ascent and total elevation in ascent.
Required: Time.
A pilot climbs to 7400 feet above his starting point at the average rate of 500 feet per minute. How long will this require?
Solution: Set 500 on the mobile scale opposite the «unit index» («10» on the fixed scale).
Opposite 7400 on the mobile scale, read answer, 14,8 minutes on the fixed scale.
Calculating the distance of climb or descent
Two of the following quantities are available: Distance, time, speed. The method used in examples "Calculating ground speed" and "Calculating miles per minute" should be used.
Example
The pilot in example "Calculating the rate of climb or descent" wishes to know how far he will have travelled when his climb is finished. His average true air speed is 120 miles per hour and he is aided by a tail wind of 20 miles per hour.
Solution: Set 140 miles per hour (120 + 20) on mobile scale opposite «hour index» on fixed scale.
Opposite 14.8 minutes (computed from example "Calculating the rate of climb or descent") on fixed scale read 34.5 miles on mobile scale.
Nautical and statue mile conversion
On the fixed scale both nautical (Naut) and statute (Stat) miles are shown, also kilometers (KM) (red mark just to the right of MPH).
The conversion from statute to nautical or nautical to statute miles is read directly on the mobile scale.
Example
Known: 60 statute miles.
Required: Nautical miles.
Solution: Set 60 on mobile scale opposite «Stat» on fixed scale.
Opposite «Naut» on fixed scale, read 52 nautical miles on mobile scale.
Maintenance
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.
Water resistance
The movement of your chronometer is protected by a complex case fitted with gaskets to ensure 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 that 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, expressed in meters (M) is a standard value and does not indicate an absolute depth of immersion. The crown and pushpieces must not under any circumstances be operated under water or when the watch is wet. The table below indicates the conditions in which your watch may reasonably be used, according to its degree of water-resistance.
| Activities / degree of water-resistance | 3bars / 30M / 100FT | 5bars / 50M / 165FT | 10bars / 100M / 330FT | 50bars / 500M / 1650FT+ |
| Splashing | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Shower, swimming, surface water sports | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Water-skiing, dives, snorkeling | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Diving | ✔ |
Useful tips
BREITLING genuine leather straps are crafted with the most refined materials and represent extremely high-quality products. Like all objects in natural skin (shoes, gloves, etc.), their length of life varies considerably, according to the conditions in which they are worn. In particular, water, cosmetics and perspiration accelerate the aging process. A metal or synthetic BREITLING bracelet is thus better suited to activities involving frequent contact with water or humidity.
BREITLING metal cases and bracelets are made from the finest alloys and guarantee sturdiness and wearer comfort. Regular cleaning by rinsing and brushing in clear water will keep your watch shiny. This operation is strongly recommended after each immersion in salty or chlorinated water. For watches fitted with a leather strap, proceed in the same manner, while avoiding getting the strap wet.
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 gases, or magnetic fields. Moreover, your BREITLING chronometer is designed to run smoothly at temperatures ranging between 0°C and 50°C.