The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I recently posted a service disappointment involving my Skyracer. I sent it in while still under warranty because the chronograph minute hand did not accurately set on each minute marker when the second hand read 60 seconds but was , in fact, about 12 seconds late in getting there. First, Breitling sent it back after making repairs . However, as I noted, it was worse. They had in fact, set the hands so that when reset to "zero" they did not exactly come to rest at 12 o'clock. This I was told was to somehow adjust for first problem. I received another phone call from BUSA yesterday from a supervisor in the repair dept. who apologized for the first watchmakers error in doing this. He told me that the minute hand won't be on each minute marker when the second hand reaches the 60 second mark but will be about 10 seconds late. This is due to normal slack in the gears and all Skyracer models work like this.
While this seems like a plausible explanation, I wish to verify it with other Skyracer owners . Is this the case with your watch as well?

Yes and no. The black dial I have has the same issue you noted(from day one I noticed it) and I'm none to pleased to hear BUSA's explaination as I was to send it in after getting my white dial back. However the Raven is spot on.

The white dial I bought used suffered from the hand not resetting exactly to zero. Yet it tracked perfectly when used, just reset slightly off. Now I'm wondering if BUSA may say the white dial reset is fine or else they will reset the hands and the minute totalizer will lag a hair.

Wow, totally unacceptable and my Raven model proves the fallacy in the BUSA position. Actually the black dial issue was so slight I still consider not sending it in. I cannot believe BUSA is telling you this. There are many brands with center totalizers and I've never heard of an inherent problem with those. And the black dial having the same problem brand new, using BUSA's position, means they built the movement to unaccaptable tolerances and adopted those crappy tolerances as OK.

Breitling has some explaining to do. The PRICE of the Skyracer supposedly reflects the finer movement it has, so this makes no sense.

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SHARKMAN

Here are the pics I posted of my black dial the day I brought it home. The second and 4th pics show the slight lag quite well. In fact it wasn't until I posted these pics that the issue came to my attention while looking at them.

"Natural slack in he gears?" Are you sh@#*ing me?!

http://breitlingsource.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17197&hilit=+Skyracer

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SHARKMAN

There will always be some natural 'play' in a mechanical movement - if there weren't it wouldn't run, but the explanation that the lag is because of that doesn't make sense - that's like saying that you could never have the running minutes on the minute marker when the running seconds is at 60.

it´s a piece of shit...turn it back in....

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Kiudog

Bit over stated and I certainly don't agree. The watch is great, keeps great time, the lag is barely noticable except in a macro image, and it fits my wrist better than any other Breitling. Plus, they are just beautiful watches.

But I have never read of some inherent weakness in this movement except this thread. And all we have now is the statement of some anonymous "Supervisor" at BUSA. And who knows, since this movement is unique to the Skyracer and they haven't exactly flown off the shelves, perhaps BUSA's knowledge of tweeking the movement isn't what it could be.

All in all I'll keep mine and don't regret getting them. Just thought the lag would be a no brainer, simple fix. Based on what I've read here - I'm not even going to address it.

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SHARKMAN

Thanks for the pic. Yep, mine is just like that or was til they screwed it up even more. You are right, I don't buy the b.s. about the slack , etc., . If as great as they claim to be in their brochures, this should have been designed better.
Any other experiences from readers might add clarity.

unaccepteable, if the minute hands continue to work like that i would ask BUSA to get your money back!

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Breitling Antares B10047
Breitling Chronomat B13050
Breitling Chronomat A13050.1 - pilot bracelet
Breitling Chronomat Blackbird A13050.1 - serie spéciale
Breitling Avenger Seawolf E17370
Breitling Chronomat EVO A13356 - pilot bracelet

My Skyracer does the same thing. That others have the same symptom would seem to indicate that it is not a problem at all but rather a characteristic of the movement.

Here's another one. When you start and stop the chrono, it makes the minute hand jump a bit. If you had the second hand synced with the minute hand, after using the chrono, it no longer will be.

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ffeelliixx,
Bentley Supersports Light Body | Bentley GT | Navitimer World | Navitimer 50th Anniversary | Montbrillant Datora

There's a tendency for all non column wheel chronos to do that.

I´ve just check my Skyracer and mine it perfectly accurate.

My white dial I purchased used had the reset problem. I sent it in to BUSA and it came back perfect. So if it was a problem - they figured out how to fix it. And it is running like a champ with no problems. I imagine the white dial on the ProII will always remain one of my favorite watches.

My first BUSA repair experience and I couldn't be happier.

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SHARKMAN

wow! this really gets people upset! I have never looked at my watch THAT close. plus with the complexity inside the watch, I wouldn't expect absolute perfection. just my.02

Even better than your Steelfishes Sharkey?

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- This is Ghost Rider requesting a fly-by. - Negative Ghost Rider. The pattern is full.

Yep, even better than the fishies. The case is more square but mainly the caseback is shallower.

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SHARKMAN