The Breitling Watch Source Forums

My water resistant Breitling Aerospace watch just died after a swimming pool trip with the kids in Thailand so I just took it to the authorised dealer shop that guarantees it after they changed the battery and seals (and charging £55UKP to do so) a few months ago. They pressure tested it dry and wet and told me its is fine - all seals good to 5 bar and its perfectly watertight - even with the crown pulled out. However you can see the b water in it! Arghhh!

I've returned it to Breitling UK direct and hope they can explain the mystery water as the watch is now totally shot. I guess the good but ironic thing is that it proves no abuse on my part if the seals are good...

Anyone else had any such bizarre 'poltergeist water' denial dealings? Porous glass?! Very confused!

D

Well, I certainly wouldn't have expected it to admit water just surface swimming in a, BUT it's worth noting that a WR rating of 50m (or 5bar) is static water pressure, NOT the pressure when you either dive in, or move your hands when swimming. If you hold you hand still under water, the pressure you feel is infinitely less than if you move your hand through the water fast. Thus static water pressure is very different to "practical" water pressure when swimming/diving etc. Here is a useful article - http://www.breitlingsource.com/articles ... ance.shtml

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Driver 8 - thanks for the reply! The rating table confuses more as we are getting into physics and probabilities - is diving worse than snorkelling?! It leads me to conclude that you should probably risk leaving it on the poolside table really to be water safe (and hope its there when you get back).

All I know is the watch has been fine for years and that I didnt even dive with it this time or evcen jump in the water - it really was just splashing about in a pool with my toddlers which I would expect such a quality watch to cope with as in the past. Lets see what they come back with...

D

To me thats unacceptable. Going in a pool should not ruin your Ling. However I would never decide to go swimming in a pool with one on just for the fact that it can get scuffed while swimming......well of course unless there are a bunch of hot chicks and u wanna show them whats up

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Chronomat BF w/ Pilot
Sky Land Avenger w/ Pro II
Tag Heuer SLR

What are the odds your AD's workmanship was not up to par? Is this the first time you went swimming since the service? Could they have mussed it up during the last service?

I don't mean to be too cynical but it's a possibility.

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“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.” - Albert Einstein

They suggest not mate as it is 'watertight'. That's the rub - they cant have messed up the seals if the watch is still watertight...

I have to leave it to Breitling but I suspect I'll get blamed for playing baseball underwater at 50 metres below or something lifting a seal. That would be so unfair as it was genuinely paddling with a 4yr old and a 6 yr old I cant see how it will pan out.

This was its first dunk.

D

From your first post I get the impression the AD changed the battery themselves rather than sending it to Breitling. I'm pretty sure AD's are allowed to do that, perhaps only some of them. Price sounds about right, I've seen a previous invoice for £65 for an aerospace battery change.

I hope Breitling will be more sympathetic with your case than they have been with other water ingress cases.

Sounds to me like something faulty happened with that battery change.

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Breitling Navitimer 01 46mm
Breitling Chrono Avenger
Breitling Chronomat Evolution
Breitling Chrono SuperOcean
Breitling Avenger Seawolf
Omega Seamaster Pro James Bond LE Co-Axial Auto

They did change it themselves mate (they sent it to Breitling the previous time).

Cant help but feel I'm going to be shafted here and have to write the watch off. I've done a search here, but do you know of other water ingress cases I could view or checkout please?

Thanks

D

Normally the manuals for thees watches specifically state do not operate the push buttons or crown under water.

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This is a Rochefoucauld, the thinnest water-resistant watch in the world. Singularly unique, sculptured in design,hand-crafted in Switzerland.
In Philadelphia it's worth Fifty bucks.

Like I've said before: The only LING I would take with me to the pool is the SEAWOLF, Ti or SS....final answer

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Rolex DeepSea, GMT Master II TT, Pres 18038, DJ TT 16013
Breitling Chronomat 39mm (bullet+UTC), Starliner SS/MOP (wife)

back with ROLEX

I've tried the search on here and through Google, but could only find an old Navitimer case. Best to use the word 'moisture' in the search I think.

Having seen a few cases on here of water ingress, Breitling usually try to blame the customer, opertaing pushers etc. Sounds odd, but it would probably be a good thing if they find a seal that the AD has messed up.

Is it the older type snap fit case back or the newer one with 6 screws? Not saying either is worse, just interested

Its a snap fit back mate.

I do suspect they will try to blame me unfairly, but if they do that will be my last ever Breitling, and I'll have nothing good to say about them to anyone forever more. I'd suspect they will then lose a few thousand in income for what would be the cost of a few hundred (or even less if the movement is made in China by now!). Not good business and not the way I run mine.

But lets be positive and optimistic and await what they say. I have to trust their decency and fair play over their capitalism!

D

Just to wrap this up - they say (in writing from Swiss HQ) that I operated the buttons underwater, so its TOUGH. They also contnue to say it IS still waterproof.

This will be the end of my Breitling product purchases for life for my family and I will do my best to discredit them to all as returned bad karma.

Devastated as them calling a watch waterproof (as long as you don't maybe brush a button against an elbow???) is PATHETIC given the investment.

D

Wait - you were advised that your watch was "perfectly watertight even with the crown pulled out". Was the crown pulled out during water activities? Be honest.