The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Recently I took two watches, a Colt 2 Auto, and a Chronomat Evo, along to a high street jewellers for some work. The Colt was not working, either manual or auto winding made no difference in would not run. It was like the main spring had failed. The Chronomat was not auto winding. I asked for a full overhaul for the Chronomat, it has never been serviced since new ~2006, and just a repair for the Colt as it has been on my wrist only a dozen or so times since the last overhaul in 2011. That was when the stem snapped when I was winding the watch. Typically, Breitling come back with 'the Colt needs a complete overhaul, we've not seen it since 2011, we need to guarantee the quality of workmanship, the polishing is a complementary service, blah blah blah, £450 please'. After some toing and froing by email, I had the Colt repaired and the Chronomat back as-is. I could not justify up to £1300 for the two of them at present. Since then I have timed the Chronomat and it is within 1 second after 24hours face up, so it is not having any service work at present. Go on tell me how wrong I am with that attitude, but read on first....

Now the Colt. I did time it when I got it back and it gained just under 6 seconds in 24 hours face up. Only just within COSC spec. That was a week ago. They are not on winders but do get wound quite regularly. I wound the Colt this morning and it will not run, again. Exactly the same issue I took it for repair in the first place. So much for '...we need to guarantee the quality of workmanship...'. So yes, it is going back to the same high street jewellers, who are blameless in this and just caught in the middle having their reputation tarnished, and this time I expect a 2 years warrantee on the work. I wonder what the Breitling service centre's reaction to that will be?? How do they expect me to have confidence in that movement or their work?

Every time I have contact with Breitling service it is just painful. To the point I am seriously thinking about disposing of my entire Breitling collection and sticking to Omega and Rolex.

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Emergency + Co-Pilot
Navitimer Heritage
Chronomat Evolution
SuperOcean Heritage 46
Avenger Seawolf Ti
Colt 2 Automatic

I have not received great and reliable service from Breitling, which is exactly why I moved on from the brand. I feel your pain.

I own one SO a17360, that was serviced by Breitling Switzerland and i am positive about it. The only i can say: i had the case changed due to a major ding and they were not willing to give me a price before having the watch in hands. That was disappointing but a lot of other brands would have do this way too.


Maybe service center in UK is the issue...

Envoyé de mon SM-A300F en utilisant Tapatalk

I’ve sent 3 different watches to BUK for service or repair and have only ever had great results albeit at eye watering costs. The detail of the pricing breakdowns leave a lot to be desired and it can be hard to get a proper detailed invoice. I stick with them as the risk of damage by inexperienced third party repairers is too great for my liking.

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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

I have brought my Chronomat to the service Centre in Singapore a few times for different issues over the last 5 years, mostly minor case because I wanted to ensure that my watch was tip top before the warranty expired. I am personally quite impressed with their service and they got all my issues resolved with no recurrence of the same issues so far. In the latest case recently, the chronograph hour hand could not reset. I don't blame the watch and I understood why it happened because I whacked the watch real hard. Worst still the warranty had expired for a mth. I was so glad that the staff agreed to service the watch at no cost. Therefore I personally have no complaints about them.

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Breitling Chronomat 01 Limited Edition
Breitling Navitimer 01 46mm

I understand your frustration. I'm also disappointed with the brand. i came in drinking the "instruments for professional" koolaid but 6 years after getting my navitimer I have pretty much discovered they have quality control issues at their factory and service centers (US in my case).

In a 2 year period I had to send my watch for repairs 3 times, all for the same issue. They just could not hack it. The boutique ended up giving me a new piece. With in turn was also defective within 2 years.

Overall not the story you want to see when you talk about a "reputable brand".

My recent experience with a B50 Cockpit and BUSA’s refusal to adjust the rate on the watch (Losing 30 seconds a year out of the box) quite frankly soured me on the brand for the time being. I still have my Aerospace that has been rock solid reliable so far.

Standards seem to be slipping at BUK, and it's certainly stopped me buying any more.

The service quality seems also to have deteriorated on this side of pond. Lucky I have a sanctioned locally based Breitling service center that is independently owned whose servicing standards are better than those of BUSA

Can you share the details of this service center?

Swiss Watch Service in Bay Harbor Islands. Owned by Mr. Alexander Moyse which I have the pleasure of dealing with personally. He is an authorized Breitling Service Center since 1993.

Mr. Moyse has been in business for well over 25 years and enjoys a sterling reputation.


http://swisswatchserviceus.dudaone.com

I am having similar poor experience with BUSA. I sent my Windrider in for service, and it had 2 rider tabs missing. I approved the replacement of all 4, specifying, in writing, that if I could not get the 2 existing rider tabs back I did not want the service. A BUSA customer service rep did not understand (must have had 5 emails from her). I called and spoke to her manager who did explain that they typically don't return parts. I didn't want to sell the darn tab, I just wanted it in case one fell out in the future. She kindly agreed to an exception and to send me back my 2 old tabs. Great. Well, I get the watch yesterday, and of course, my old tabs are not with the watch. I called the manager yesterday, and she remembered our conversation and agreed to send the tabs back (but needed to confirm the repair desk still had them).

Of course, I have heard nothing back.

I either want my two tabs back or do not want to pay the $150 for tabs that didn't need replaced. And, of course, I cannot dispute it on AMEX because they don't take AMEX for repairs. Does anyone have a specific leader's name at BUSA to whom I can write a letter?

Thanks

Techie