The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I took my few weeks old Breitling SuperOcean Abyss on stainless steel in to my Breitling dealer last weekend to purchase a PRO II rubber strap then have the strap changed. Unfortunately, on returning home, I found that inner "chimney" bezel got scratched quite deeply and the case had numerous scratches as well.

This is not the first time and this happens. Everytime I go to a Breitling AD to have a simple service done on my Breitling watches it always ends up with scratches. I never encountered similar problems with Rolex.

Has anybody had a similar experience? Are the personnel working at AD's even trained by Breitling??!!!?????

Yes, an AD put some huge scratches on the underside of the lugs on my first Navi World when putting a new strap on it. Needless to say I ALWAYS changed my own straps from then on. And just check out member Stefan Tapp's recent experiences with his Navi 01 on here. Not pretty reading. It's not just Breitling either - IWC scratched by Big Pilot (or should that be Big POS) when it went in for it's pathetic timekeeping. It just seems that too many AD's and now service centres don't seem to care about the customer's property enough.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Many ADs have fairly untrained kids doing this job. IDK if it's the economy or what. Understand there are trained watch smiths and then there are strap changer/bracelet sizer/battery replacer kids. My Breitling AD has a Breitling Certified watch guy, but he isn't the fellow who will size your bracelet or polish your watch.


But some spring for master watch makers to do everything. My Panerai/IWC/JLC/Breguet AD has such a guy. A true wizard who happens to be Oriental and is known as the Watch Ninja.

When I bought a Sub recently they "couldn't" get one of the pins out of a link. They wanted to send it to Rolex!!! It took 15 minutes of insisting they bring me the watch, a screw driver, a soft pad, and some needle nose. It took 10 seconds. I had a similar experience with a guy trying to size a Defy bracelet.

So assume simple stuff will NOT be done by a real watch expert. As a result, keep screw drivers, needle nose, tweezers, spring bar, and Sunshine Clothes around and just do it yourself. It's not only easy, it is kinda fun.

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SHARKMAN

But I thought you were out? How can you have ADs if you're out?

BTW, the Montbrillant Olympus you sold me gets the most wrist time of all my watches. Thanks again.

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Breitling Montbrillant Olympus
Breitling Navitimer World
Breitling Chronomat
Breitling Colt GMT
Omega Seamaster GMT "Great White"
Omega Speedmaster X-33
Rolex GMT Master IIc
Bremont ALT1-ZT

I'm just sayin'! OK, my FORMER Paneria/IWC/JLC/Breguet AD. But I'd take a watch that needed a little work there first, for sure.

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SHARKMAN

I would never trust an AD to carry out a strap change on my SA for this very reason.
Even when I bought my Pro II bracelet, I removed the links myself.
I'm surprised you went back to them after they'd already scratched your watch previously.
Get yourself a Burgeon and change the straps yourself.

I change my straps like I change tops so would be hassles to take it to an AD.
Only takes a minute to change the straps with the correct tool.

You should bring the watch back to the AD and complain and get them to fix it.
A mate of mine had his U-Boat Flightdeck PVD scratched badly during a strap change. After complaining he got it re-coated free of charge.

Asian

Anyway, it's bad when an AD scratches your watch, but much worse when it comes from Breitling scratched. My Brand Spanking new Navi 01 had 2 fine hairline scratches under the lugs from the strap being installed at BUSA. My AD was very embarrassed and offered a polish but I left it alone since they were very fine and I rarely looked at them.

Does anyone here get annoyed or cringe at the way ADs handle your watch, even in front of you? I hate when they put it down so that the case back hits the bracelet underneath. I always lay my watches down sideways to avoid scratches.

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Regards,

Peter

BREITLING for Bentley Motors T & Mark VI, Aerospace
ROLEX Submariner Ceramic116610LN
OMEGA Plantet Ocean 8500 42mm Orange arabics
OCEAN7 LM-3

GOD! I actually sat there and thought about it for a moment before I typed it. My daughter scolded me over her semester break about the same thing and I still got it backwards. Thus I have no excuse. I apologize if I offended any of our ASIAN friends. Feel free to call me a Mick.....once.

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SHARKMAN

I have a very good relationship with my primary AD so I let them do minor things if it's convenient, but always their watchmaker - when I got my Navitimer B01 their watchmaker was in the store so he adjusted the clasp for me, the previous time he was at lunch so I did it myself. The AD recognises that they want to keep me happy so would never let anyone untrained do the work.

From the AD side:

Very often, normal sales staff tries to do things like bracelet sizing. That should be a job for the watchmaker.

I have a watchmaker in every store, but of course, our opening times are longer, than his working hours. So quite often, the simple salesstaff has to do the work themselfs. Most of them are very careful, but of course, they lack the experience of a professional watchmaker. The higher priced a watch is, the more likely the bracelet is difficult to size or exchange. I would recommend allways to ask for a watchmaker, before having anything done to the watch. If necessary, leave it in the store, until the watchmaker can personally do the repair.

The difference between a salesperson and a watchmaker doing the job is, that a watchmaker is specially trained for accuracy, and most don't care about how much time they use for a job to be accomplished.

BG
Alien

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http://www.ellert.at

Damn! That must be the reason I can't make any money doing this. Just kidding, of course. However, I've never heard a watchmaker say "Gee, that didn't take as long as I thought it would." Seriously, I will take as long as I need to do quality work.

With the abundance of different style case holders, there is absolutely no reason to scratch a case when removing/installing a battery, strap or bracelet. If I take in work with marks on a case, I take pictures of it prior to doing anything to it. I also notify the customer. That usually curtails any accusations later.

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1809 Cosmonaute
1903 Navi
Navi Olympus
Super Avenger

Absolutely. After buying a few Bergeron tools and a jeweler's screwdriver kit, I change all my own straps and bracelet links. Tag and Omega as well. It is kinda fun too! I had a tough time with a Tag link on a bracelet, but a little WD-40 did the trick. I just think that I will do a better job than most, and I like doing it at home.

When I got my SA BS from BUSA, I don't know if they put a nick in the case or if it was the AD.........from now on I will ship directly to BUSA myself.

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An ever changing collection.....

It is just a watch.... I get any kind of watch all scratched up anyways.. If they do it it makes it all the easier for me to beat up on it.

Interesting point of view, but for me the key is if it's MY watch and I scratch it, then thats MY own doing : I sure all hell don't expect someone else, and especially not an alleged professional, to scratch MY property.

Where do you draw the line? Is it OK for someone to scratch your car because you know you are going to get stone chips on it? And while I agree it is "just a watch", depending on the model it may potentially cost a lot more than a family car. And besides, irrespective of the price, as far as im concerned it's about respect and care for others peoples property.

Just my opinion of course.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Nail on the head, Driver8.