Preface: I would just like to apologise for the quality of the photos. As I turned my camera on in the restaurant the battery light started flashing. I managed three or four fairly ugly photos with the screen turned off before it died completely. I then switched to my mobile phone. I must thank one of our party, Mark Hollingsworth, for sending me the photos he took. You'll be able to tell which are his: They're the good ones
I would also like to warn you that this is a very long article. I would recommend taking it in in two or three sittings. I fear I may have you all dropping off otherwise. However, I am pleased that the article has turned out so long winded because this is a reflection of the sheer amount of fascinating points of interest that we witnessed during our tour. Please stick with it.
As always, any comments are very welcome.
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First of all I would like to take this opportunity to thank Andrew and Sam at Andrew Michaels Jewellers of Newark for inviting me on this interesting and educational trip to the UK Breitling Service Centre in Royal Tunbridge Wells.
Secondly, I would also like thank all the welcoming and gracious staff at the Service Centre who were a key part to my enjoyment of the visit.
Finally, before I get on to the review of the day, I would like to say how wonderful it was to meet fellow BreitlingSource members during this expedition.
The day started at the Hotel Du Vin, about 3 miles away from the Service Centre. A delicious three course meal was served up by the professional staff, courtesy of Andrew Michaels Jewellers. A welcome source of nourishment after a four hour drive. Also served up was a collection of Breitling’s latest Limited Edition timepieces, some of which I wasn’t even aware of. We were all allowed to handle these exquisite and exciting new products. Also, in true WIS fashion, we handed round our own timepieces for others to look at and enjoy. I had the opportunity to get seriously hands on with a B1 for the very first time. Thank You Mr Willows.
The party met at Hotel Du Vin before the Service Centre tour.
The new Limited Edition Black Steel Flying B Chrono was one of about 10 watches presented on the day.
After the short drive to the impressive looking Service Centre we signed in at reception.
We were then all directed to the presentation room. We were all genuinely surprised and delighted to receive a rather generous goody bag comprising a T-shirt, pen and pocket knife.
Paul Young (no not that one) gave us a 30 minute presentation on Breitling’s reasons and aspirations for expanding the Service Centre in the UK.
Our group were delighted to hear that we were the first private party of guests that the Service Centre had welcomed. If they were using us as Guinea Pigs I’m sure they were very pleased, if not entirely surprised, by the positive reaction everyone maintained throughout the visit.
Breitling UK had done a lot of pro-active work before the centre’s expansion was started. This included a brief survey handed out to sales staff and customers at ADs across the country. What was concluded was that customers of the service centre most wanted Quality of Service, at a Good Price and with Quick Delivery times. Therefore, these are the three criteria that have been predominantly focused on.
It is Breitling’s worldwide aspiration to have the best after sales service available. Cheap words you may think. Also a mighty task given the levels of other brands’ service levels. However, the over-riding sensation I got from my afternoon there is one of professionalism and passion. I honestly believe they could succeed in their self derived dream.
Breitling differ from just about every other brand in that most of their watches are chronographs. These movements require an extra level of training, spare parts, testing, etc. Breitling, therefore, have their own training regime. They also support the UK Watchmakers School in Manchester. The British school of watchmaking is the only school in the UK that focus purely on Swiss watchmaker training running the WOSTEP curriculum. In fact, it was gratifying to hear that Breitling are trying to re-introduce this kind of education within the UK. A country which has lost its once prominent position as the watch making centre of the world.
Breitling now have the capability of producing 40,000 to 50,000 in-house movements each year. One of only a handful of brands that have this capability. Yet again this has a significant effect on the Service Centre where they currently work on about 90 watches per day. There are currently 34 individual watchmaker’s benches within the 10,000 sq foot facility. This can be expanded to 50 in the future. There are currently 24 experienced watchmakers and repairers at this location. There are 32 technical staff in total contributing to production. These are made up of Polishers, case technicians and watchmakers. The Service Centre is a 10 to 15 year project. By the end of this period they will have a capability and capacity to service and repair all movements, including any vintage and new in-house movements. Incidentally, only two of the watchmakers are qualified to work on the vintage models. The centre also keeps all relevant spare parts for their vintage watches.
I asked about the introduction of any new in-house movements for the future and was told that it was top secret and even the staff at the service centre did not know.
Our well informed and passionate guides, Cedric Chamaillard and Franz La Rosée then took us on tour of the facility.
Our first stop was the Spares Department. 5000 individual spares are kept at any one time. A stock for 28 days worth of usage is kept on site. The stock system automatically calculates busy seasonal periods and orders accordingly ensuring we have adequate inventory. This is a controlled room. The watchmakers receive the parts they require through an aperture in the wall between the two rooms. The only parts not kept at the Service Centre are case middles, backs and Chronometre dials. These components are all on exchange policy items with the factory in Grenchen
We then moved on to the amazing service area itself.
This incredibly high-ceilinged, airy and well lit repair area is state of the art. Sadly, but understandably, we were not allowed to take any pictures of the service area itself. In this immaculately kept work space the air is constantly recycled and has a slight positive pressure so that dust particles will be blown away from the work areas. Anti Static precautions are in situ with special flooring, earthed benches and special overalls worn by the repairers. Each bench is exactly 5mm from its neighbour and they are all bolted to the floor. This very rigid platform is required for each technician as any movements caused by colleagues getting up from their own stations, etc, would make the job of a watch repairer nigh on impossible.
All tools and equipment are state of the art and, in fact, some are state of the art and unique to the watchmaking industry. Everything from auto-torque, easy pickup screw drivers to multi-position regulation testers are provided. Incidentally, the technicians are all allowed to listen to their own music whilst they work. Once again this is to reduce the risk of disturbances from work colleagues. This time from unexpected noises.
We were introduced to Neil who was one of the highest graded technicians. This allowed him the envious task of working on the in-house 01 movement. He gave us a fascinating insight into how he laid out the 346 components before commencing a total re-build. This would normally take him between about 4.5 hours. He explained how he built the watch up in modules and then performed a regulation test after each assembly stage. Everything is reduced to its component parts, incuding the jewels (synthetic rubies) except the main spring which is kept within the barrel. If a problem occurs with the main spring the whole barrel is replaced.
Water Resistancy testing is automated. Each model has it’s own barcode which is scanned in to the machine. The pressure testing (Breitling rate their WR in bar, unlike most brands, because this is more relevant to divers) is then automatically set up. Watch cases are slightly over tested. So the Sea Wolf is tested at over 300 bar!
Our next stop was in the Polishing Room. This staff of just five trained employees is just as important within the Service Centre as the Watchmakers. As our guide explained: Breitling cover 99% of their movements up with a metal case back. The customer is only interested in the final accuracy this achieves. However, the case has to be finished to perfection and must remain as comfortable to wear. These are the main inputs to the senses of any Breitling owner. The Polishers will not compromise any design element of the case, etc, when trying to remove scratches. Neither will they remove any of the markings on the case back. Except the serial number. This is reasonably shallow and they have the capabilities of re-engraving this identification, which is matched to the movement serial number.
We were also given a quick external view of the Final Quality Control Department. A final Visual Inspection and Regulation Test are performed here before the watch is packaged up ready for shipping.
Training is given in both theoretical and practical modules in the Service Centre’s own specifically designed class room.
About 12 students can get hands on in this purposeful environment with real movements and cases used specifically for training purposes. Breitling has 4 levels of Certification, each one following a very specific training course. Watchmakers having successfully passed one level can progress and join the next training course for the level above. Only watchmakers having successfully gained the Certification Level 4 will be authorised to work on the Calibre 01. This ensure the highest quality of service. Newly trained personnel will start on the quartz movements and will gradually gain more responsibilities and technical duties on mechanical watches. The service centre also helps to train students from schools in Switzerland. The students may stay from 1 month work experience to a total of 5 months spread through the school year as part of their curriculum.
Our incredibly interesting day ended back in the conference room with a 45 minute video highlighting Breitling’s impressive history and it’s aspirations for, what I am sure will be, an equally impressive future.
So, in conclusion all I can say is that I implore anyone with even the slightest interest in how their watch is worked on during its repair/service and how it is put together should investigate visiting the centre. I now have even greater confidence in Breitling’s abilities to create and maintain very accurate and complicated wrist watches.
I cannot thank the staff of the Service Centre enough for their time and patience in answering our questions and making this visit truly memorable. Given the opportunity I would definitely like to return.
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- and a nice shot of my fledgling bald-patch in one of the photos 
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