Breitling Aerospace Avantage Service Query

[TomGW]

Sounds to me like the shortening links are removable links - and they seem it essential to replace those for some unfathomable reason.

On the dial - interesting - mine has orange-ing (copper?) between 10 and 12 - almost identical to yours but slightly different place. Not noticeable in daily use.

I wonder if this is a manufacturing defect?

And yours (previously mine) is also blue, with the discolouration/paint loss extending onto the chapter ring in a similar manner. Really weird.

@OP. BUK are asking £1145 to carry out all the work, which is close to the territory of a nice, used later model Avantage - the one with the striped dial. Yours will probably be cosmetically as new and warrantied, so maybe not too bad, but will you be able to wear it in the same casual manner having spent that much and now having a minty watch? On the other hand, the only issue you were having was the stiffness in spinning the crown - it’s not screw down and it’s into a quartz movement, so I expect that an ultrasound clean should sort that.
I’d be seriously tempted to tell them to forget about it. BTW, a 2 piece Zuludiver canvas in black/blue with a red stripe is the nicest strap for this. Add an eBay butterfly deployant and brush the ‘bridge’ for a killer combo and sell the bracelet as is.

https://www.watchgecko.com/products/...4aAvAeEALw_wcB

I think the 3 links business is about restoring the bracelet to its full, original length. That way the watch leaves BUK in its original specification - that’s what they mean by “the original functional and aesthetic specification.” Too bad if you have to remove them again to fit you.