The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Straight to my question- Where can I get a second hand for my Breitling and who should fix it?

The story: I have had this watch since 1995. I love it, never a problem. I moved at one point and needed to get my battery replaced. Went to the local jeweler who has been in business for 30+ years and they replaced the battery 2 times over a 10 year period without incident.
A few weeks ago, I was cooking steaks on the grill, and hit the 2 O'Clock plunger to start my timer. I look, and it didn't move. So I stopped it and restarted it. The second hand falls off, and lays on the face. I immediately unscrew the large crown, pull it out and stop the watch entirely-- I didn't want the second hand that fell off to get caught up in any moving hands. I bring it to the same jeweler. "No problem, we'll fix it". A week goes by, I pick up the watch.. but wait... what the hell is that?! Dust. A LARGE piece of dust at the 5 second mark. They then have to wait for the "repair guy" to come back, another week and I get it back. 2 days later, I am looking and notice that the second hand is different... They STOLE my Breitling second hand, and replaced it with some second rate gold second hand that doesn't have the Breitling "B" at the bottom of it! So I am pissed. March my ass back into the "Jeweler" with a picture of my watch prior to my visit and ask: "Where is MY Breitling second hand, why was this one put on and who made the decision to do so?" "Oh geez, the girl says, I dont know but I will call and ask ... blah blah blah I am really sorry... blah blah blah." I turn the watch over, and I see that he either didnt have the correct tool, or slipped while taking off the backing, and there are 2 HUGE scratches across the back case as well. Now I'm even more pissed off... but still being nice to them, I hand the watch back to her and ask her to order the proper second hand and fix it-- properly this time.
This was just today that I brought it back.. But now I am second guessing my decision. Should I go there and retrieve my watch because obviously these people don't know what the hell they are doing, or do I insist that they send this to an authorized dealer for repair(which they are not)?

Attached my watch. Can you not even buy this second hand anymore and that's why they put another on? Why couldn't they just put back on the original?

Really sorry to hear about your troubles. However, this is the unfortunate gauntlet you run if you go outside of the Breitling approved network for repairs. Breitling do not sell or supply parts to non-Breitling AD's (and some of they time they don't even supply them as they often like watches to physically go back to Breitling for repairs), which would explain why your "jeweller" wasn't able to source a new genuine Breitling hand-set. The other thing to note is that hands are simply push-fit and are not designed to be replaced once they are removed. The mounting hole can stretch and not provide a tight fit when replaced : to all intents and purposes, Breitling hands are single use (although they can be reused some of the time if you are lucky). I'm guessing that as the hand fell off it had become stretched slightly, which means your "jeweller" was unable to reuse it.... and as they can't buy Breitling parts (above) they just refitted any old hand they had in the parts bin. Completely unacceptable in my book, but hey, that's how some people like to do business.

The scratches on the caseback are also symptomatic of idiots who don't have damn clue what they're doing, and even worse, don't care for customer's property.

The only way to properly solve this is to bite the bullet on the price and send your watch in to Breitling for proper repairs. I also personally think your "jewellers" should pick up the bill...... but good luck with that one BTW. You can either send the watch in via an official Breitling AD, or you can go direct to Breitling USA (assuming you are US based). Give them a call - number on the Breitling website - and ask them how best to send the watch in to them. Ask them to provide you with a quote before any work is done and then you can decide what to do. All the best, and good luck.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Well, that's all I needed to hear. Thank you for your time (no pun).

In (very slight) defence of the jeweller.........

The hands are designed to be single use. They are expansion fit and if the hand fell off then it was obviously too big to fit over the arbor (or cannon pinion I guess as it was the seconds hand) so it would not have been possible for it to have been reinstalled without it falling off again. As Driver8 says, they weren't able to get Breitling hands because they were non authorised so just provided a hand that would at least function.

Thanks. Understood and noted. I wasn't sure if I should have been as pissed as I was. I didn't make a scene or anything and I remained very pleasant to them, but inside I was boiling and didn't want to spend much time extra in the store due to that fact.

I think that my main bone of contention is that if you don't have the tools or the access to purchase Breitling parts, then fess up up front and don't accept the watch for repair... Rather than scratching the back casing and putting on a part that isnt OEM.
I at least should have been called and notified that the original couldn't be put back on.

Should I ask for my original second hand back?

Completely agree



It won't hurt, but it's essentially useless.

Do you have any idea what the going rate is for that second hand? Is it a $20 part, or is it a $100 part?

I think that Breitling charges about $120 or so for a full set of hands.

Of course, nothing for a good watch is $10 anymore

Maybe a spring bar.....

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Driver8

Site Moderator

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SHARKMAN

Update for those interested...
I spoke with the owner today, she tells me that she has been using this repair person for 20+ years, he is a Swiss born watch maker and handles all of her high end watch repairs. She has full confidence in this person. Me, well, not so much...
Anyway, he says that he wants to take another look at it, and if he cant do anything himself, he will work with Breitling directly to "Make this right for you".
I am a bit scared, but I figure what the hell... Go for it.
My fingers are crossed.
Thanks to Tony for giving me some additional information in a PM. You guys are great.

Good for you, everyone has a bad day or makes a mistake. I guess we need to remember, no matter how good a watchmaker is, it's not his/her watch and just one of hundreds he will work on during the year. What's your baby is just another Breitling or Rolex. If they make good on it, all the better for thier reputation.

I came into this one a little late.

There is absolutely no excuse for the scratches on the case back. If I don't have the proper tool, I either don't take the work or purchase the tool.

It sounds like the chrono sweep hand is the one that fell off. Was the watch ever serviced other than the battery replacement? If the hand were removed for some reason, it would be a loose fit when reinstalled. Although it can be done, it is difficult (impossible for some watchmakers) to close the hole on that type of hand. That is why Breitling replaces them. It is a simple step to install a new hand, but much more time consuming to close the hole in the original; with less than 100% chance of success. Time is money and the hand is less expensive than the time it takes to successfully reinstall the original. Additionall, they get to charge you for the new one so there is almost zero cost to them.

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1809 Cosmonaute
1903 Navi
Navi Olympus
Super Avenger

Nope. I never have serviced the watch except for replacing the battery. Never knew I needed to. The scratches on the back of the case really bother me. Not only for the fact that the watch is now badly scratched, but it doesnt instill much confidence...
Anyway, the watch is still with them, my fingers are still crossed, and I havbeen expecting a phone call from them, but now that I think of it, I'm not sure why I am expecting this