The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hi all,

Here's a quick one for you all.....

I recently put my Steelfish in for a 2 year maintenance service, which includes a polish of the entire watch. I was looking at the back of the watch this evening & noticed that there's no longer any serial # on the back!
The model # is there (A17390) but where the usual serial # is (just underneath the model #), there's nothing but a polished back.
Is this normal?

It's certainly not a normal thing to happen at a service, but it is possible to polish off the serial number as it is not engraved very deeply. (Some grey market dealers polish off serials as a matter of course but that's another story).

I've be very surprised if Breitling managed to do that as the serial number is a damn important thing to them when it comes to servicing! You will have problems at the next service as Breitling don't touch watches withough serial numbers.

If I was you I'd get on to Breitling (assuming it was Breitling who did the polishing?) ASAP and ask for this to be sorted out.

_________________
Driver8

Site Moderator

yes, because as far as i know, usually Breitling engrave again a serial number with laser.

_________________
Breitling Antares B10047
Breitling Chronomat B13050
Breitling Chronomat A13050.1 - pilot bracelet
Breitling Chronomat Blackbird A13050.1 - serie spéciale
Breitling Avenger Seawolf E17370
Breitling Chronomat EVO A13356 - pilot bracelet

Thanks, that echo's my thoughts exactly. The serial # seems to be 'etched' on to the back, rather than engraved. I've also got a Chronomat & a Montbrillant Datora, all have the same lighter serial # (compared to the model #) but without the polishing issue.

It was Breitling who completed the service (& polish), so I'll give them a call today.

Cheers.

Well, a quick update for those of you who are interested........

I went back to the only Authorised service centre in Australia for Breitling watches, DKSH in Sydney & informed them of my issue.
They were a little taken aback by my insistence that this was an issue. After much discussion, they agreed to have the serial # re-engraved. I agreed & left the watch with them.

After I got home, I checked the back of my Chronomat, which also received a basic service in Jan this year (like the Steelfish, this was the first service that either watch has had). Guess what.........? The serial # on that one is practically the same, just about impossible to read without a cleaning cloth (to rub off all of the oils from your skin) & a jewellers loupe (magnifying glass).

You can probably imagine that by now I'm getting a little tired of this.

I received a call from Breitling to state that my watch had come back in, so off I went to collect it.

When I got there, I inspected it & could not believe my eyes. It seriously looked like they had sent it to the local trophy engraver store to have the serial # hand engraved back on to the watch!!! The serial # was AT LEAST the same size as the model # font.
I looked at the service Manager and asked if she was having a practical joke at my expense. Once she noted how upset I was, she also agreed that this was unacceptable.

It was at this point that I thought I'd also show her the Chronomat, to prove that someone at their end is over-polishing these watches.
She rubbed & rubbed with her cleaning cloth & took a very long look through her magnifying glass and said "it is still there, you can still see the serial #". I almost fell over.

Well the short of it all is that they have now agreed to send the Steelfish off to Switzerland to have a new watch back made & put on the watch (at no cost) & have agreed to do the same to the Chronomat (at a small cost to me).

I'm now looking at being without 2 watches for a minumum of 6 weeks each for a problem that I never thought I'd face by having the watches serviced by the ONLY authorised Breitling service agent in the country.

I was also informed that "many watches come in without the serial # on the back, as it wears off over time. And this doesn't really matter as the serial # is also on the inside of the watch".

Wow, would this whole experience be acceptable to the parent company...........?

I'm curious as to whether anyone else has had similar issues with over enthusiastic polishing? Or similar experiences with this servicing agent.

I'm also s*** scared about sending my Montbrillant Datora in for an overdue full service.

I would be interested in seeing some pics please.

_________________
Al

“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes"

Well, I've tried to get a good photo for you, but this site will only allow a file size of up to a max of 256 kb.

Keep in mind that the 'butchered' Steelfish is now off to Switzerland, so I do not have this in my possession to take a photo of. So here's the Chronomat with the apparently 'visible' serial #. If you look hard enough, you can just see something in the black reflection, where the serial # should be. Take my word for it, it's not a whole lot better in the flesh.
I've also taken a photo of the older Datora to give you a comparison as to how the camera is capable of capturing the serial #.

You did the right thing.
It would help a lot to have a serial on the caseback if you wish to sell them.

Sorry to hear about this, I guess its a case of an over enthusiastic polisher. When i visited Breitling U.K's new service centre last year with the AMOC members, we spent some time in the polishing rooms and the staff assured us that the serial numbers were protected during the polishing stage. They did say the they could be re-engraved though i can't remember if they were done with lasers or engraving tools. Looks like you got the hamfisted employee, maybe on a Monday morning/Friday teatime shift. Steve

_________________
Quite a few Breitlings, most of them starting with the letter C.