I didn't know if there was something wrong with the series or there was someting wrong with the vender I was buying them from.

The faults were:

1st one had part of a number on the dial missing (no bottom of a 5)
2nd one had an issue where the seconds hand would jump 1 or 2 seconds at a time (between 20 and 30 second marker) when held perpendicular to the ground
3rd one had scratches on the dial

I think that it was absolutely the vendor's fault!

Jomashop are grey market - they bought watches cheap from an AD that couldn't sell the watches through regular channels and there's no guarantee that they weren't warranty returns / refurbs.

Yet another reason to stick with an AD

Glad that you finally managed to get a watch that you like, and welcome to BreitlingSource!

Sorry, again I don't agree.

How many posts do we see on here where people use the quick set date in the danger zone, break the date mechanism and then return the watch to Breitling who fix it 'under warranty'. Warranty repairs don't always mean manufacturing problems.

Some of these watches had 'odd' issues, and while I can understand that the occasional defect makes it past Breitling QC, I have a very hard time believing that a watch left the factory with bits missing from the dial! As for dial scratches - well somone clearly worked on that one after the fact. The jumping hands is a not uncommon movement issue and I can see that being a factory problem.

Sorry, again I don't agree.

How many posts do we see on here where people use the quick set date in the danger zone, break the date mechanism and then return the watch to Breitling who fix it 'under warranty'. Warranty repairs don't always mean manufacturing problems.

Some of these watches had 'odd' issues, and while I can understand that the occasional defect makes it past Breitling QC, I have a very hard time believing that a watch left the factory with bits missing from the dial! As for dial scratches - well somone clearly worked on that one after the fact.

The jumping hands is a not uncommon movement issue and I can see that being a factory problem.

But I don’t think it’s OK for any watch which costs thousands of dollars to have a “not uncommon movement issue”. That sounds like a design defect, or what may be termed a “latent defect” across the range. A company like Breitling should research and remedy that defect – maybe a change of materials for a key component, slight design change…whatever. There are plenty of movements which don’t have such “not uncommon movement issues” as jumping hands. Sure, a yardstick, like a Rolex Sub may occasionally present with jumping hands – but it will be uncommon.

It's not a Breitling issue, it's an inherent issue with mechanical watches that 300 plus years of research and design by the greatest minds haven't been able to solve adequately. Some movement designs can minimise the likelihood, but they can never eliminate it.

To suggest that some brands don't have this issue is just plain wrong.

If you don't want the issue buy a quartz.

I don’t know how many Breitlings are returned due to misuse – but people can be stupid, so I accept quite a few.



Fair enough – maybe a non-authorised repair guy did some dodgy work and knocked off of a number on one, scratched the dial on another, but presumably in each case the watch was originally returned due to a problem. Maybe in both instances the watch was originally returned due to the owner improperly setting the date – but maybe not. In absence of further evidence, I’m not sure why one would consider it more likely that the original problem was due to operator error and not a manufacturing defect. And this ties into the next point.



Yeah, there is such a thing as manufacturing defects – and it’s not just Breitling. I’ve heard of serious problems with Omega & Rolex, so it does happen. But I don’t think it’s OK for any watch which costs thousands of dollars to have a “not uncommon movement issue”. That sounds like a design defect, or what may be termed a “latent defect” across the range. A company like Breitling should research and remedy that defect – maybe a change of materials for a key component, slight design change…whatever. There are plenty of movements which don’t have such “not uncommon movement issues” as jumping hands. Sure, a yardstick, like a Rolex Sub may occasionally present with jumping hands – but it will be uncommon.

I had a look at some TW Steel watches for a few hundred bucks the other day. No scratched dials, missing numbers, and if I bought one, I’d still be rightly annoyed if it didn’t work properly and the sales guy said “it’s a not uncommon movement issue”. If I’d just spent five grand, I’d be hostile.

Anyone who gets into mechanical watches needs to appreciate that things can go wrong, but I don’t see why consumers should have much tolerance for it in anything but very rare circumstances.

I think all we can say for sure here is that this reads as a tale of caution concerning the online purchase of Breitling watches. But as for any of these things having a "not uncommon movement issue" - not for my hard earned cash thanks!

I once considered buying a Breitling from a non AD. I wondered how they could warranty the watch. They said they have a service company that takes care of it. But I have to ask myself, do they have a complete set of new hands on every model they service? and all the parts, gaskets, etc.? You might save a few bucks, but considering the investment, I decided against.

The way to look at in IMO is that the saving you make on-line could end up being offset against having to pay Breitling for a non-warrantied repair IF something goes wrong. Of course there is every chance that nothing will go wrong and you'll have a saved a few pounds/dollars. But that's the gamble isn't it............