The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I bought a preowned Transocean 38 in April. It kept great time +/- 5 seconds day for two months. Now it's running about five minutes fast per day. Should I send it to Breitling for service? Any idea (ballpark) what they would charge to regulate it?


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Would surprise me that the watch would need service already as this model is quite new... If the watch hasn't been "misused", I think there is no need for service but there could be another problem. Magnetism maybe?

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A sudden change to that much gain is almost certainly a case of it being magnetised. Take the watch to any watchmaker and they can demagnetise it in a matter of seconds. If it's still gaining after that then it can get service attention.

What would cause it to become magnetized?


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A magnet... Did you place it next to you iPad for example which has a protection cover with a magnet in it to keep,it closed? Or any other things you use at home or the office which have one or more magnets in it.

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It's possible my IPad cover did it. I didn't think that small of a magnet could have such an effect.


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I pretty much alternate days with the Breitling and a Tag Heuer I've worn for 10 years. I never had an issue with the Tag becoming magnetized.

Thank you for your advice.


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Is the TAG an automatic? If not, that's the reason

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You'll be amazed what can magnetise a watch- it's no sign of quality though- if that's what you meant regarding your tag. I put my watch on my phone magnet cover 5 days ago- didn't realise until the morning after when it was 7 mins fast! Took it to watch mender- he asked if I'd hit it on anything but put it through de magnetiser anyway - voila- back to normal.

Absolutely. A mechanical watch is 99% metal, with some extremely small and delicate pieces - the hairspring being one, and it is the hairspring that causes the poor timekeeping in the event of the watch being magetised. Some watches are specifically designed to cope with magnetic fields better than other - soft iron inner cases that surround the movement for example - but the vast majority do not have any specific shielding. An automatic Breitling is just as likely to become magnetised as an automatic AP or Patek.

For more info on magnetism in watches, have a read of this excellent post by Ian on here -

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16539

(PS - the rest of that thread degenerates a little, so best to keep to the first few posts I think! )

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Any recommendations for purchase of an inexpensive degausser?

Well they are all pretty inexpensive! I prefer the pass through style but they are pretty darn simple so if you want to buy your own just buy whatever the deal is on eBay.

The only thing I see on Ebay that look like a "pass through" is a degaussing coil for TV. Will this work?

I have no idea, never heard of it. Just take the watch to any watchmaker.

You may want to take a look at my post from a few months ago:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=53393&p=382384#p382384

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"It is just a matter of time!"