The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hi all - I'm slowly building up my collection of Breitlings but being relatively new to all this, I hadn't realised that, for the majority of their pieces, they use ETA base movements.

I'm told that they use completely off the shelf ETA movements for some of their range - in particular the Colt. ANd indeed the Evo is just an ETA with a better quartz crystal and display (which I hope they make more functional when the new Evo arrives).

It's easy to see why some people don't like Brietlings (other than those that use the B01 etc movements) as they can purchase a ETA movement quite cheaply, put some branded metal around it and sell it for £000s...

My question however is, except for this excellent forum, where can I find factual information about the movements used and more importantly exactly what Brietling do to them before fitting them in their cases?

I'm just interested in learning as much as I can about the technicalities of all this so that I can understand (and appreciate) my watches.

Thanks all!

Yes it’s true a majority of their watches use ETA movements. I am pretty sure that most of their movements are modified. To what extent will need to be answered by a member with more knowledge than me. What I do want to say is that there is absolutely nothing wrong with ETA movements. They are robust and trustworthy. A lot of companies have and still use them, Tudor and Panerai come to mind. If you like the watch I say go head and buy it. If movements are really your thing you’re looking at the wrong brand. You need to pull out some money and look into Patek, Vacheron, Audemar Piguet, Jaegaer le Coutre or maybe even Richard Mille. Trust me when I say this, you’re not walking into any WIS watch circles and blowing away anyone with a Breitling watch.

Buy a Breitling for what it is, a great entry level luxury watch.


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WIS?

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Breitling B-1 1999
Breitling Chrono Superocean 2004
Casio G Shock
Citizen Eco Drive AT4000-02E (for gardening)
Seiko 5 SNZG15J1
Hamilton X Wind LE

Google is your friend for this kind of stuff. It means watch idiot savant. Basically a watch geek. Trust me when I say this, no one is blown away with these Breitling movements.


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I did google it but got some very strange results….

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Breitling B-1 1999
Breitling Chrono Superocean 2004
Casio G Shock
Citizen Eco Drive AT4000-02E (for gardening)
Seiko 5 SNZG15J1
Hamilton X Wind LE

You can find quite a lot of information here. Once you know the base movement just search on the calibre designation and any number of websites will give you the technical information. In general, however, ETA ebauches are supplied with different levels of finishes, and Breitling would undertake a level of decoration and modification depending on the market level they want to inject the watch into. At a minimum, they usually decorate the counterweight with the Breitling brand name.

Finally, I just want to say that there is nothing wrong with an ETA movement as they are well proven and reliable. In fact, until Breitling released the B01 in 2017, the company had built their solid reputation on the back of many different third-party movements, especially the Venus cal. 178 that was the backbone of many well known models during the 60s and 70s.

Personally I’m not a fan of in-house movements unless they serve a particular purpose with their complication or size. I don’t like being charged $1000 and waiting 6 months to get my watch serviced, when my independent watchmakers does the same in 2 weeks for $250. The manufacturers restrict the supply of parts solely as a money maker for themselves. If your in house movement doesn’t offer anything really meaningful, then what’s the point other than snobbery?

You have a typo, it was released in 2009.

Sorry, you are quite correct.

I think its ridiculous for any watch company to charge $3,000+ for a watch with a $200. ETA movement. But people will buy them.

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GORT

Current watches:
None of your business!

You see, I'm the total opposite!

I'm of the opinion that a mechanical watch is a total anachronism that nobody in today's world actually needs, so therefore the "tool" element is completely redundant. So what we're left with is something that is basically functional jewellery. To me it's like owning a Ferrari - no-one really needs one, and it just wouldn't be the same for me if it had a Ford engine in it, even if the Ford power-plant was more powerful, more reliable, and/or cheaper to service than the Ferrari unit.

I'm not dismissing the ruggedness or serviceability (or even the performance) of ETA movements - not at all. I'm just of the opinion that I like my watches to be more than just fancy cases for generic, outsourced movements, even if that comes with more expensive servicing. ETAs and Sellitas have their place..., it's just not in anything over a couple of thousand IMO.

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Driver8

Site Moderator