The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I'm really not having much luck with my Chrono Evo (full boring saga here) and it obviously has to go back to the AD but I'm wondering what the opinion of the wise old heads on here is.

Since getting my Breitling back from a warranty service it's keeping okay time (well, +5 secs a day on average but that's within COSC and it's only been a few weeks so may need to settle down again) but I've now noticed a different problem.*

I use the chrono quite a lot (for timing silly things like how long it takes to get to places, parking, cooking etc. - so multiple times per day) and last week I noticed that, when I thought I'd engaged the chrono - i.e. felt the 'click' of the top pusher but not visually checked it had started - it hadn't actually started. I thought this was strange but no real concern until I checked my watch's accuracy later that day and noticed it had lost 3mins. Then, yesterday, the same thing happened but when I looked at the face I noticed that the watch had actually stopped. The small seconds weren't moving. Pressing the top chrono button did nothing and pressing the reset button started the watch again.

I haven't been able to recreate this despite trying so I'll see if get a video of it if/when it happens again. It's under warranty so it's not a big deal but I hate being without my watch and I just wish the damn thing would work! Apologies for needing help from this great place again so soon but I hope the problem (whatever it is) can get sorted relatively painlessly and I can get back to enjoying my Breitling.


As anyone heard of such a problem before? Is it even possible given how the internal working relate to each other?






*Actually, thinking about it, this may well be the same problem as before as it might explain the stoppages and occasional large losses of time.

There is something very strange going on inside that watch.

There is clearly something that is mechanically interfering with the movement, it definitely needs to be taken apart and investigated.

Thanks for that Roff - I will be taking it in asap (although I could do with some proof before I do and it's been fine the last few days... oh, and I can't bear to part with it!).

Is the problem I'm describing even possible given the internal workings of a Caliber 13 or are the chronograph and the chronometer entirely separate?

Well I'm still very new to watchmaking, but I can't think of a way that it could happen if everything was as it should be. It's definitely possible that a watch that needs servicing can be affected by the chrono running / not running - I had a watch that would run fine all the time that the chrono was working and would stop if the chrono was stopped - a fractionally different arbor angle was the problem (identified by onewatchnut - that man's a genius), but nothing like what you have described.

Have you seen my post - viewtopic.php?f=12&t=15622

Your story is pretty similar to mind. Watch stopped while wearing - chrono wouldn't run / work properly.

Breitling reported the crown stem was stripped from being "jammed in". I suppose when I wound the watch I created a binding which effected the chronograph. I don't pretend to know anything about the internals of the watch work, but the symptoms are similar.

Thanks for the link javasko - I hadn't seen that. Is everything fixed now?

Roff: I'll take it to the AD when I next get a chance - although I hate being without my watch - and I'll see what they say. It just sounds so weird that I'm half-hoping it happens again so that I have proof in case they don't believe me.

I'll post the outcome if/when it happens...

Thanks again both of you.

Right - the phantom stopping happened again! Which, in one way, is a good thing as I was beginning to think I'd imagined it...

But, still

Have a look at this. You can see that the second hand is stopped on 38 seconds: this happened when I pushed the chrono start button. When I press the chrono start button again (about 5 secs in) the second hand starts and then when I press it a third time (17 secs) the chrono starts. This only happens intermittently and under normal operating conditions.

How weird is that?

Apologies for the dodgy videoing but it's hard to hold an iPhone and operate a chrono at the same time!

That's just weird.

SHow the AD the video so that they can see what happens, I have no idea what's going on.

Thanks for your response Roff - I'm taking it in this weekend so will see what they say.

I'm just glad I got the video as I think they may have struggled to believe me without it.

Cheers,