The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Bought my first used Breitling. Came with full box/papers. The seller told me he bought it about 1.5 years ago. The purchase date and dealer stamp was not filled out. However, there was a nice folder inside with the rest of the paper work to hold the receipt. The sort of thing that says "thanks for being such a great customer, keep important documents inside of me". Seller had removed receipt. There was no card with the paperwork to send out to BUSA. Guess it could be a gray market watch, right? But seems unlikely since holes on last page were stamped Ross Simons and the receipt folder was from them.

Did some searching and reading about blank papers and seems like not all ADs fill them out completely if at all. Both of my two new Breitlings and my Omega along with Cartier all were filled out by the two ADs I have done business with, so can't really speak to the ADs not filling them out first hand.

So I email Breitling USA and ask if they can look up the serial number and tell me when the watch was actually purchased. They tell me they "can't" look up the SN without watch there...more likely won't I imagine. Not trying to pull anything funny, just curious how old the watch is. Great seller, no reason to doubt him.

What do you all make of this? Seems strange they can't take 5 minutes to look up the SN of my watch. What could be their reason not to? Guess it does not really matter just thought it odd. Watch is running great, but I guess if it were to need something it would be under warranty if it was purchased at AD and not if gray market.

BUSA response below:

Because less honest people could theoretically use that to generate fake papers - same reason that watches are asked for when ordering replacement COSCs. An AD enquiry would likely be more successful if you can get a tame one to ask on your behalf.

Just check the date code between the 6 oclock lugs if you want to know how old the watch is.

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-RJ

May not help much on warranty though because watch may have been sitting at an AD for some time prior to sale.

The great thing is the warranty follows the watch if purchased from an AD.

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Breitling Chronomat 44 Evolution C13356 Rose Gold/SS
Breitling Chronomat 44 B01 LE Black Pearl Rose Gold/SS
Breitling Chronomat 44 B01 White Pearl Rose Gold/SS
Rolex Daytona TT White Face

True. He mentioned that he wanted to know how old the watch was though, so I thought that might give him an answer.

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-RJ

the numbers letters stamped on the case are a rough guide they are stamped when the case was made, it could have been sitting around for years both at brietling till it all got put together, and at a AD's till it was sold the warranty card gives the date the watch was sold.

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Breitling SOH chrono on + ProII soon to be Pro III
B1 + UTC on Fighter A877
Navitimer World GMT on Navi + leather
SO 46mm on OR + Mesh
Avenger M1 Regatta on Pro 1

I get that, but its still a pretty good indicator of the general period that watch was made.

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-RJ

Yes the watch could have been in production from say 2002 - 2002 like the shadow fly-back and sold in 2005, but as long as the date code between the lugs indicates 2000-2002 all is cool.

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Breitling SOH chrono on + ProII soon to be Pro III
B1 + UTC on Fighter A877
Navitimer World GMT on Navi + leather
SO 46mm on OR + Mesh
Avenger M1 Regatta on Pro 1

Breitling in Singapore won't even give you the free springbars without bringing in the watch with you. And no, you cannot come in wearing an SA and ask for 22mm springbars for your Emergency Mission which is at home... So Breitling not giving any info by phone seemed consistent with their global policy.

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a few Pams...

And while it's a PIA for you as a genuine enquirer, I'm actually pleased to see that Breitling are doing at least something to help prevent the proliferation of fakes in this regard.

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Driver8

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