The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Just curious. I have heard so many horror. Stories. About omega service center in new jersey.
does anyone send them back to the factory etc for service?

Getting my sa shortly. Just got me thinking about it

BUSA is the only approved place, so I'd imagine 99% or people use BUSA. I will only use BUK over this side of the Atlantic.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I drop my Breitlings off in Wilton as I live near BUSA...always a nice excuse to pop in and say "hi" and have some tea with an old friend as well.

Are they as bad as u always here?

Do they completely pull the watch apart like in that. Video on youtube?
Repolish etc?

Well you hear a lot of good and bad stories. There are also some regional approved maintenance centres (FL and CA from memory) - listed on the Breitling site.

The videos are accurate, but the polishing is only included in the 'full' service, not the regular maintenance.

crod spaketh:
"Are they as bad as u always here?

Do they completely pull the watch apart like in that. Video on youtube?
Repolish etc?"

I am unsure if this was a general question or one directed at me. In any event, I will address it with the following;
BUSA watch makers will pull the watch apart, depending upon the service or repair request/need. In terms of what one "hears", as with all precise mechanisms and those that work on them, there are mistakes made and movements that should NEVER have exited QC in the first place. That is par for this type of course, if you will. Anything mechanical or electronic is prone to break down (after all, we live in an entropic universe, as one of my professors loved to point out...stuff breaks...)

I have also had computers and fire arms returned after I purchased them due to malfunctions or improper machining, etc., so the watch industry is not immune.

Having said that, we here @ Breitling Source do make it a point to bust chops when one of our watches is not up to par. This includes me as well (although I searched for an old post of mine taking BUSA to task over a repair, it seems to have evaporated into the ether...).

Despite the problems Breitling may have (and BUSA does have in particular...), I have found that the services offered are excellent, for the most part. Customer service could stand to be radically upgraded, though, but that is a personal grip of mine and should in no way reflect any customers decision making process when dealing with the , ahem, service that they offer.....

is busa intertwined with the service centers in NJ? such as omega? it seems like multiple watch brands all go to somewhere in NJ. just got me thinking, if it was just some production line type of "watch fixin" place. like anything else nowdays. just seems like a lot of these stories revolve around inexperienced techs/workers etc. In all honesty it makes me sick. $4k and up for a watch is pretty expensive in my book. if it leaves the service center. it should be working....

BUSA is independent.

My B-1 is at BUSA currently getting a battery change and basic service. The way I see it, if BUSA messes up my watch, they have the resources to make it right (i.e. new dial, new case, new movement, etc.) An idependent watchmaker may or maynot have the resources to make good on a mistake. And lets face it, humans make mistakes.

I sent my Airwolf in to the Jersey service center, and just got it back. I think it's just about as perfect as it can be. I sent it in because the co-pilot battery died during the warranty period, but while it was there, they did a full polish on it, and according to the receipt, replaced several parts as well. Looks and works awesome now, 2 years after purchase, and only cost to me was shipping to Jersey.

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Chris
Club Member #0070
2009 TT Chrono Evo w/Rose gold, blue face
2009 Airwolf w/black face, Co-Pilot module
2009 TT Lady Cockpit w/Mother-of-Pearl, Diamond face for the wife

There is a list of Breitling approved independent service centers on the web site. All of them will have access to whatever parts are necessary to repair the watch. Many of them stock parts that are replaced as a matter of routine maintenance. They will be able to provide as good or better service than BUSA.

Conversely, independent shops that are not approved by Breitling wll not have access to parts. They will have to use generic ETA parts if a replacement is needed. If the watch ever does to BUSA in the future, the generic parts will be removed and replaced with Breitling parts. The customer will be billed for the extra work.

I'm getting ready to send my Navi Olympus to Florida for service. The turnaround time is shorter and the workmanship is great.

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1809 Cosmonaute
1903 Navi
Navi Olympus
Super Avenger

Gotta say my first and only experience with BUSA was quite pleasent. The battery died in my three year old Chrono Avenger recently so I took it to my AD who sent it of to BUSA. 4 weeks later they called me to come pick it up, watch looked brand new and was in one of those nice travel cases. Best part...there was no charge from BUSA or the AD!

Hopefully I have the same level of service when the battery in my Areospace give out.

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Aerospace (blue dial)
Seawolf Avenger Ti (black dial)
Chrono Avenger M1 (yellow dial)
Super Avenger Blacksteel #1760

I had great luck and fast turnaround with horological in Philly. They sent me three to four emails along with two calls to keep me updated.

I sent an old Chronospace to BUSA that needed some refurbishment and got essentially a new watch back, beautifully polished, new dial and hands, running perfectly. My only complailnt was that it took a long time (7-8 weeks) but the refreshed dial and hands was more than a typical service. I recommend them. As for my Rolex, I had my long-time watch guy, who deals mostly in Rolex, do the work and it runs perfectly. Haven't serviced an Omega, so no help there.

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Scott

AP Royal Oak 15400, silver
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Classic Cars
Vintage gold Corum
Rolex DJ 36 TT, oyster dial, oyster/smooth
Baume & Mercier Riviera 200m, silver dial/aquamarine bezel
Breitling Superocean 57, rose/stainless

i wasnt really inquiring about the omega's. i was just wondering about the breitlings....

i noticed that sponsor at the top of the site. that almost sounds like a better service to me..

the watchrepair.net has anyone used them?