The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Has anyone noticed a drop in quality from Brietling USA Service?

Over a 1.5yrs ago I sent in my Airwolf with Co-Pilot bracelet for a service to BUSA. It came back several months later...on the day I was to leave for an international trip...and the pushers on the Co-Pilot module wouldn't work or change any functions. I sent it back, and a few months later I received it back again. This time the Co-Pilot functioned for a few pusher cycles, before once again ceasing to work.

I promptly got in touch and sent it back to be repaired AGAIN. I few weeks later I also sent in my Chrono Avenger with UTC bracelet for a service.

I received the Airwolf with Co-Pilot a few months ago, and (touch wood) so far so good. It's operating the way I would have expected from the first service over a year prior!

Today I received the Chrono avenger with UTC back, and low and behold it doesn't function at all!
I can hear the rotor moving, I can set the time and date, but the watch won't run at all! No movement on any subdial, no function from either pusher. I manually wound the crown more than 40 times, and it didn't provide as much as a single beat.

Needless to say I'll be on the phone to Service tomorrow, requesting a return shipping label to return the watch back to them for repair.
I'm crossing my fingers that I'll see it back in my hands, and fully functional before Christmas.

I've previously had BUSA service the Chrono Avenger+UTC and Cosmonaut, and never had an issue. But that was many years ago.

These recent experiences really have me concerned. A watch should not be released or sent back to the customer not functioning. They should also be robust enough to handle any misshandling that may or may not occur in transit! (I doubt that has been a factor in either case) Especially not for the money one pays to have the assurance that it's being maintained by the manufacturer.

Has anyone else had similar experiences?

I have certainly had limited, but similar very poor service experiences with Breitling the last year or two. My B01 Chronomat 44 Limited Edition was NOS, but a very old NOS, about 10 years. Warranty activated when I bought it in 2022. Sent to Breitling, because the power reserve was only 12 hours. They fixed that problem, but it took about 3 months. However, then the chronograph hands would not reset to zero. Back to Breitling June 20. They promised 4 month turnaround. I have still not received the watch and 4 months, 10 days, and counting.

Recent reports from others talk about 4-6 month times, and poor workmanship and returns time after time on the same watch. I own and use many Breitling watches, but I may never buy another one. Poor service and workmanship is simply not acceptable to me.

I just contacted Breitling yesterday about the long service time on my B01 Chronomat 44 in warranty. They now say my mid October promised date has been pushed to the end of November. No reason given except "unavoidable delays". If I get it back by November 30, this new purchased watch, under warranty, has spent 1/2 of its time since I have owned it either not working properly, or actually in their service department. This is not acceptable and will not keep Breitling customers in the fold.

I did receive the warrantied Chronomat back a week ago. Chronograph seems to be working correctly and resetting hands properly. We will hope it stays working as it should.