The Breitling Watch Source Forums

This has been a poor timekeeper on and off since I bought it in 1999, which is not what I would hope for from a Breitling B17 (ETA 2842-2) movement. For all that I still like it a lot!

It went back to BUK for a full service/regulation in 2003 and went back to them almost immediately after it was returned, as it was still loosing about 1-2 minutes per day.

Even after they had it for another two weeks, when it came back, it was still out of -4/+6 specification, loosing perhaps 1-2 minutes per week, but I was fed up with sending it back at that point.

It has started to misbehave again over the last year, and is now loosing 1-2 minutes per day and occasionally stopping. BUK want over £200 now for a full service - which is about 20% of what I paid for it, and I don't have the income I once did.

Should I expect a watch of this price to need a full service at that price very few years - my old Tudor has only ever had one service since I inherited it about 30 years ago, and has always kept very good time (maybe I got lucky).

So instead of sending it to BUK, I'm considering using an independent watchmaker to service it. The question is who to trust with it? Does anyone have recommendations for a good independent in the UK?

I'd also (if possible) like to get the numerals and hour markers re-luminised - is that possible, or do I have to buy a replacement face?

Please advise ...

Many thanks
Dave Partridge

Contact BUK and ask them to sort it free and yes i know a Uk based person who will relume it for about £100 two week turnaround though

_________________

Do you really think there's much chance they will do that - they didn't sound much like they were going to budge very far when I spoke to them on the 'phone the other day. It felt very much like "that's what we charge, and if you don't like it ..."

Cheers
Dave

Who did you speak to as I just pmed you the best person to deal with this for you.

_________________

Thanks for the PM, I've emailed the lady at BUK directly. Let's see what they say.

Dave

_________________

I'm sorry, but why should this service be free?

The watch hasn't been serviced since 2003 so it should need servicing (recommendation is 5 years). If it didn't keep time within COSC specs, well, it's not COSC certified - it's too old.

If you can get it for free then great, but I'm not really sure why.

I didnt see that it hadn't been done since 2003 I asmued it was done recently I dont think it should be done for free either

_________________

I wasn't expecting any freebies - mostly looking for recommendations of good independent watchsmiths who I hope would be cheaper than BUK for servicing.

I've had a recommendation of Stephen Burrage of Ryte Time, and found Chris Heal of chealwatch.com.

I'd appreciate input on experiences with either, or any others.

Thanks
Dave

No experience with either, but I would never use them.......

If you don't use Breitling you don't get Breitling parts. You paid a heavy premium for a Breitling modified movement over the generic ETA movement. If you don't use a Breitling service centre then you are going to be replacing those Breitling modified parts with generic ETA parts and reducing the quality of the watch, damaging resale value and making it harder to sell in the future. Additionally, the independent watchmaker will have to reuse the hands which are designed to be single use and they won't fit so well second time.

Finally, if the watch has a problem in the future and needs to go to Breitling then Breitling will either charge you a lot more to undo what the non authorised watchmaker has done or potentially refuse to work on the watch.

FWIW I believe that the movement didn't change at all when Breitling decided to put the SuperOceans in for COSC certification. In other words it was just a matter of paperwork.

I am of course open to correction on this.

Dave

I'm not sure that this is necessarily true, certainly Chris Heal has a parts account with Breitling, and I'd hazard a guess that Stephen Burrage does too.

Dave

I seriously doubt that any of them can get offical breitling parts as BUK wont supply them

_________________

The reference number of 17045 indicates that it's a non-chronometer certified watch . I'm not sure of what the timing parameters are for these (I would hope it would be better than the 1-2 minutes per week that you are experiencing) but Breitling will be under no obligation to regulate it to cosc specs.

Elwyn

The movement was not automatically modified, the move to COSC resulted in tighter tolerances on parts - in other words pasrts that were passed for 0 reference watches may have failed on 3 reference watches. No way of knowing whether each individual watch would have been affected, but as Elwyn says, no obligation on Breitling's part.

Breitling do not supply Breitling parts to non authorised watchmakers for pieces that they still support.