The Breitling Watch Source Forums

And just to add to the confusion......

Watches aren't COSC certified, movements are - before they are put into a watch.

Thanks for the explanation.

With all these conditions, definitions, requirements, etc......wouldn't it be easy if Breitling simply gave a recommendation in the user's manual for when you should get your watch regulated (i.e. more than 8 sec/day?, etc.)? I know there was a timeframe recommendation (2 years, I think?) for getting my watch serviced. But, it sounds like it's common for a watch to need regulation more frequently than servicing, no?
What if a watch loses 30 seconds/day? Would Breitling expect you to live with that?

I would expect the watch to perform close to, if not within, COSC specs for the period between service. As Roff said earlier, it does take a little while for the rate to settle in a brand new watch. IMHO, 30 seconds/day would have me at the AD immediately. My point is this. If it is borderline, leave it alone for a while and see what it does. If it is more than borderline, I would make the decision based on the magnitude of the error and when it is due for service. No point in taking it to the AD for regulation and then sending it in for service a month later.

These things are mechanical. They are tested under controlled conditions. Then they are exposed to the constantly changing conditions of being worn, stored, shocked, etc.

We all would like for the thing to keep perfect (no such thing) time, but the reality is they usually perfrom remarkably well considering what they endure.

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Ok, good advise. Being that I just got it back after 6 weeks without it, I think I'll live with the 7 or 8 sec fast/day for a while. And, I'll see what happens.

Breilting do give a recommendation, and that is by way of saying that their watches are chronometer rated - i.e. -4/+6 seconds per day. If it's not running to those tolerances (and those are "real world" achievable numbers, not some sort of hypothetical unattainable ideal) and it bothers you, then get it regulated. Sure, it's worth giving a new watch a few weeks to settle down, but if after that it's not running to COSC specification, take it in for regulation.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

i would never send any watches away...especially for 4+ weeks, if it's running -5sec/day. imo some people are too obsessed with the COSC thing on mech watches. my tolerance threshold is probably around 15sec, and even then i'd probably try to find a source close to home first before sending it away.

lately i just buy watches w/o the second hand so i don't have to worry about it

The main reason why they sent mine away was the issue with the clasp, on my Ocean Racer strap.
The fact that it was running 5 sed/day slow, was a secondary complaint. But, now it seems that I shouldn't have said anything about the watch running slow, because after their regulation, it runs 8 sec/day fast. Hence, the subject of this post "Not Impressed with....."

Now you see 15 secs on a chronometer rated watch would bother me.... A LOT. I'd feel like I was letting them off by accepting sub-standard goods. At the end of the day you definitely pay more for a Chronometer rated watch, so I damn well expect it to run within Chronometer tolerance.

15 secs on a watch is around 3 times what it should be. It'd be like buying a car with a manufacturer stated 0 - 60 time of 6 seconds, only to find that it actually takes 18 seconds!

Personally, I find that shoddy standards irritate me, so if a company is going to ask for more money for it's products by "big-noting" a specific tolerance, then I'm sure as hell going to hold them to it.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Welcome to the club, BrentS. This was my exact complaint in another post. Sent my watch in for regulation, came back with a service and no regulation. Returned the watch, performed another basic service.....................god knows why, timing was worse. Third time spoke directly with the technician, sent the watch directly to him and what do you know.........finally came back regulated.

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Never deny anyone hope..........it may be all they have.