The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I also had excellent experience with Panerai. Took a while for the catalog to arrive, but I got it along with a price list and a hand-signed letter and just a short while back, they sent me their '09 catalog so I guess I'll be getting them from now on, which is great.

Had the same good experience with Bell & Ross and Sinn. And don't even get me started on Chronoswiss.... The owner, Mr. Lang signs every letter that you get when you order the catalog. You get his book, current price list, a watch-shaped bookmark, and all the extra leaflets of models that aren't in the main book, plus a list of local dealer, all printed on very nice paper and packaged very well.

The worst experience I had was with Omega... they ignored me completely. Oh, and IWC doesn't "support" sending catalogs to my country.
As far as Breitling goes, I get all my stuff from my AD.

As far as B merchandise goes, you guys in the States are very lucky! The stuff I see on here that they give you... wow. I can't even get one little glass-based stand, because my AD says that their B distributor sends them a limited number and they can't miss even one. So far, I've gotten a cap and last years dealer catalog, which was cool. But very few people over here in Europe get stands, t-shirts, gloves, lighters, pens, knives, jackets.... I'm jealous.

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Super Avenger (Black, arabics, big logo, Pro II bracelet)
SuperOcean Heritage 46 (Black, Ocean Classic bracelet)
B-1 SuperQuartz (Grey, Fighter bracelet)
Chronomat B01 (Onyx black, Pilot bracelet)
SuperOcean Steelfish (Black, Diver Pro II, tang buckle)

It's strange the variety of customer service experiences people have with the different manufacturers. As others have said, the "first contact" with a potential customer should probably always be a company's BEST EVER customer service, as it's a way of hooking a sale and possibly creating brand loyalty in that customer. Annoy them from the start and many people will just say "s*d them" and go and buy elsewhere.

Anyway, I emailed Zenith to ask if they'd received my request and if there was maybe a delay or something, and to their credit they emailed me back within a day, apologised for the delay and asked me to send my address (again) so they can send one to me. Odd that their "Catalogue Request" section doesn't appear to result in a catalogue being dispatched , but hopefully one will now arrive soon.

But as for good old Panerai - 3 requests via their website since early December and 2 emails (the last of which I had to bite my tongue to remain professional) have so far not even elicited a response. Not an email, nothing.

How UTTERLY pathetic that a potential customer's first interface with the brand is one of consummate unprofessionalism.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Update -

Zenith's Customer Service - good if you email them. Less so if you go via the "Request a catalogue" link.

Panerai's Customer Service - akin to the stuff that comes out of a horse's rear end! 3 requests, 2 emails, not even the simple courtesy of a reply.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Must be a regional thing... Panerai has sent me 3 catalogs in the mail, immediately. No problems whatsoever.

IWC on the other hand will not send me one.. I have to go to Brinkhaus (Patek, IWC, etc dealer) to get one in person.

Zenith one I got from Brinkhaus when I was there a while back. Never tried ordering online.

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BreitlingSource Admin
http://www.breitlingsource.com - http://blog.breitlingsource.com

I have neither received a catalogue from Breitling NL nor from Breitling Germany.

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Groetjes Mike

Breitling Windrider Blackbird

I asked for Chronolog 09 on friday because my AD received only one copy.
Mailed them at info@breitling.com. No reply.

My Hublot catalog came in today. Not bad at all, three days after sending an email I get one at my door!

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I requested a Ball catalog about 2 weeks ago and still haven't gotten anything.

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Justin
Please contact me via PM for the contact details for Govberg Jewelers
Govberg is an AD for over 50 fine Swiss and German watch brands.
Visit them on the web at http://www.govbergwatches.com or call 800-528-8463

Just goes to show you it is totally random, Panerai sent me a box of Swiss chocolates and a Panerai history book with their catalogue within a day via DHL when I called them up. Breitling told me to get to the closest AD to pick one up personaly and IWC say they do not service my countrey, to be fair the local IWC dealer dropped the brand because they could not sell them, so I can see why they might be a bit bitter. So its a small hop to Bahrain to get my IWC stuff.

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Certified watch nut.

Let me know if you want Panerai catalogs, i'll send them to you asap

Cheers, but you're US based aren't you, krlyuzh? It might be easier and cheaper if I get on the phone to a UK based AD instead. If I don't get any joy from them I may very well come back to you. Cheers again!

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Hopefully the Panerai catalogues are now on their way! Hurrah!

Zenith catalogue arrived OK, but it's a bit of an underwhelming publication actually. There's not an enormous amount of technical information which is a shame as I like that kind of thing, and a lot of the pictures are a bit too "arty". I like my catalogues like Breitling and IWC!

However, it does succeed in having the most expensive watch in any catalogue I've ever had my hands on. It's a platinum minute repeater of some sort (I don't have the catalogue with me to give the exact name right now), but it weighs in at a cool £430,000!

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Driver8

Site Moderator

So, I am just filling in the online form for the Zenith catalogue and they ask the question "Do you own a luxury watch?" ..... and Breitling is not listed.

I don't care I love my watch.

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Groetjes Mike

Breitling Windrider Blackbird

Got my Chronolog 09 within one week from my request through sales@breitlingusa.com

Also wanted to add that a bentley catelog was also included.