Breitling Rubber Strap: Spot the fake!

[Dewey Dog]

Good morning RWI!

Earlier this Fall, I participated in the D4me Breitling purchase. LOVE THIS WATCH! Anyway, was too anxious opening the bubble wrap on the watch with scissors and somehow slightly snipped the rubber strap. Yikes! Decided to purchase a gen strap and new clasp even at the $110 USD price. How anyone gets away charging $110 for something that probably cost them $1.50 to produce with customers jonesing to purchase their product is a business I want to own!

My own perceptions of the two straps are this: the gen is a bit more supple, there are small differences between the fonts and the depth of the letters and the finish on the clasps is slightly different. If I were presented with the 2 different straps and asked to pick the better made one, I would be at a loss to do so. IMHO, they are both equally fine. Below are the pics. Can you spot the fake?

 

[Dewey Dog]

Man, I'm so sorry for the size of the pics (they came across very small above and I'm editing them now). When I copy them over from photobucket, what size should I make them there before posting the IMG link here? I went with small (160 x 120) thinking that I had to stay in this size range. Should I have chosen larger? Will try again.

 

[Vigil]

The second one, not on the watch is the fake?

 

[Dewey Dog]

Anyone else? Please give your reasons. Better pics now but still learning!!

 

[Pix]

IMO the fake is the one that has the engraved breitling logo (against embossed for the other). Also, compared to my strap, I would say that the one with more quare ends (on the top on the second pic) is gen.

 

[skyline_g35]

I'd say that the one on the watch is the real one. The one not on the watch is the fake. I'd say its the fake because the letter "G" looks smushed. Also the holes in the strap don't appear to be punched in the center of the raised area's.

 

[doctorron]

Bad fake Breitling rubber straps are bad. Good ones are very good. The top one is the gen. I could get gen Breitling rubber straps for 75 bux a few months ago. Now, its hard to find any in stock and they are 100 bux. With that said, its hard to find high quality fake rubber straps.

 

[guru]

The one on the watch is the rep, no further comments, you can see it on the rubber which is around the holes and also at the end of the starp.

 

[doctorron]

Gen is on the watch. What a debate! lol

 

[horologie_unitas]

i like the UNMOUNTED strap better, thats why i vote for the it to be the gen.

 

[indyberetta]

Looks like the end of the band on the hole side is shaped different (one is more rounded and the other is more pointed). The gen is on the watch...

 

[sconehead]

The surefire tell of a gen rubber strap to date is the raised Breitling logo on the metal clasp...that's unless the rep makers have improved them lately... :wink:

 

[Dewey Dog]

Drum roll........ Pix is right of course, the gen is on the watch. In real life, there is so little measurable feel-good difference between the two that it is ridiculous. The engraving on the clasp is better but not by much. H-U is right though, the rep is damn nice.

Thanks for playing and sorry for taking so long to re-post. Just got back from the club where I was sad to see me Redskings get kicked by the Giants. Looks to me like the Skins have far to go and the Giants can cruise to their 2nd SB in a row. Plaxico who???

 

[skyline_g35]

I agree with your sig! Go BEARS!!!! LOL!