The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Need some tips or help.
I have a Blackbird that I purchased in 2004. My first watch did not work at all so it was sent back. The second watch worked OK but really did not keep time that well, not as well as my TAG. 2 years ago the watch stopped completely and I had to have it serviced. After a $700 service charge my watch was back and was working better than it had before.
I am one week from deployment and last night I looked at my watch and sure enough it had stopped. I re-set it with a severe sense of dread in my mind and the watch began to run. It stopped again briefly this morning, my fears are coming true.
It has been fine for several hours now. But........I am REALLY disappointed. I mean seriously, what the heck is going on here with this product?! After the last incident and repair I wrote a letter to the president of Brietling telling him I was unhappy with his product and that I would not recommend it to anyone and I got NO response from the man. Nice customer service.
Like I said, I deploy to Afghanistan in a week, and I might be without my watch, which really pisses me off. These products are supposed to perform under harsh conditions, what gives?
If anyone has any advice, other than that I have a very expensive door stop, I would sure appreciate it.
Thanks, Birdog

Sorry to hear of the problems, it's tough to know what's wrong just from description, but I am assuming that the watch has a full power reserve / it's worn frequently / etc so it's not simply run down. A problem with intermitten stopping can be caused by a number of factors, and there isn't usually a quick and easy solution that will see you get the watch back within a week.

If the watch tends to run while wearing and then stop when taken off then it may be a balance amplitude problem and there isn't much that you can do as the user. If it's more random then it may be a lack of lubrication / dirt. It's not a fix, but occasionally running the chrono will move arbors about enough to keep the watch running.

If it's the rotor winding that isn't working - effectively the watch is always 'running on empty' then it will also stop when you are inactive - you can test that by manually winding the watch and seeing if it makes any difference.

I really apreciate te quick reply and the ideas.
I wear it every day and almost never take it off. As I mentioned it has been spot on since I recieved it back from the repair, I check it often with the GPS on my airplane and with the Naval Observatory and it has been almost always with in 15 sec. Last night was the first time I have noticed a degradation and stoppage.
I can't recall any hard impacts (i.e. dropping it) to the watch and not sure if that would have an affect anyway.
I will however try your suggestions and then see if I have further problems. I hate being in the theater without my timepeice and having a substitute makes me feel naked, strange but true.
I also hate to think that I need another $700 repair job so quickly after the last one.
Birdog

I can appreciate your feelings on your watch. If you do have to send it in, you might be able to have it mailed to your APO, so you'd have it for the rest of your deployment.

Shouldn't it be warrantied if you just had it repaired?

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12 months. The repairs were two years ago.

OK.
So I have tried the tips throughout the weekend and they have worked somewhat. The watch stopped last night at 01:35. I had to rewind it to get it going. I ran the stopwatch periodically throughout the weekend and I think that might have helped it along. I am still pretty dissappointed though. I am dreading the crazy cost for the repair...2 years after I just had it worked on...ARGH!
Thanks for the help.

I guess after thinking I had one further question. Is there a repair facility other than Brietling that one would recommend? Or should I just send it back to Brietling?
Any comments would be apreciated.
Thanks!
Birdog

Has to be a Breitling authorised centre to get access to the parts. There is one in California - JD Watchworks from memory.