The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Evidently that applies to Arizonans, too.

But unlike the Swiss, we don't have a 2 month mandatory vacation law or whatever it is. I haven't taken a week off in over 4 years! That can't be good.


OK, bozman, the thread is yours again.

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SHARKMAN

We have our European holidays, as you have yours. Monday June 13 is also a holiday. These two holidays depend on Easter dates.

I don't think that has anything to do with you owning a B01.

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- This is Ghost Rider requesting a fly-by. - Negative Ghost Rider. The pattern is full.

As Breitling SA opened back up this week after what I'm sure was a much needed week off, I gave them a call. I couldn't get the customer service person to transfer me to a service manager and she would only provide me with Breitling's generic customer service email address. Obviously, I was less than pleased with this kind of attitude, especially since I advised her of the inability of BUSA to fix my problem. I called BUSA back yesterday and voiced my displeasure with both Breitling locations and was told the technical director of the After Sales Service dept. would be giving me a call. Again, I have to give kudos to BUSA for at least pretending to give an S about my problem.

Low and behold, I just got off the phone with the technical director. I learned a few things from all of this. First, he's really helpful and said he would personally see that my watch got back to Switzerland and into the hands of his counterpart over there. Second, BUSA does not have complete replacement B01 movements on hand, so if it is decided that the movement needs replaced, the watch must go back to Switzerland. Third, Switzerland is closed from mid-July to mid-August, as is the entire Swiss watch industry, apparently. Fourth, I will perpetually ask myself why I was not born in Europe because the vacation time is out of control.

This all wouldn't be a huge issue aside from the personal constraints I have. I'm getting married on July 30th, and as my fiance gave me this watch, I want to wear it for my wedding. This means I could send the watch back to Switzerland after my wedding, but due to my next constraint, this is problematic as well. I am moving to the UK at the end of August and the technical director told me that if I ship the watch from the US, it must be returned to the US. If I want Switzerland to ship it to the UK, I'll have to pay some sort of import tax. As an aside, I'm quickly learning that Britain is VERY good at taxing everyone and everything, even if one is actually entering the country to attend its grand university in Cambridge. Locals may not mind paying for the Queen's sweet digs, but I'm not as compelled to pay for them.

Anyway, as everything could go sideways if the watch goes to Switzerland now, I may have to wait until I get to the UK to send it to Breitling SA. Can the Brits on here comment on how reputable Breitling UK is, as the watch will likely need to be routed through them?

The plan for now is for me to send my watch back to BUSA tomorrow. However, it will go straight to the technical director this time around. If he feels he can properly fix the chronograph, he will give it a shot. If not, I'm basically screwed until I get to the UK. Unfortunately, my 2-year warranty expires next month, although the technical director promised me I'd be taken care of even after the expiration. I sure hope he's right because I have a strong feeling this issue will not be resolved by BUSA.

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Chronomat 01- Sierra Silver/Steel
Navitimer 01- Limited Edition #1337/2000

Does service performed under the warranty still come with its own one-year warranty?

Good luck with all of this. What a mess.

I was advised that all services carry a one-year warranty on the work performed. Theoretically, I should be fine, but I'm not sure how the warranty will transfer from BUSA to Breitling SA, as I'll clearly have to send this watch to Switzerland after I move to the UK.

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Chronomat 01- Sierra Silver/Steel
Navitimer 01- Limited Edition #1337/2000

Here is my advice. It's harsh...but this seems to be consuming you. It's a watch....you're alarmingly stressed out over this..

Maybe you should chill out. You're getting married and relocating to the UK within 2 months from now...That's a lot to do. The watch is running, it is just skipping here and there when you run the chronos....otherwise it works fine, right?

So why don't you get married (wear the watch), move to the UK and get your watch sorted out (including sending it to Switzerland) after all the big life stuff goes down....I wouldn't even bother sending it to BUSA again. They obviously can't fix it and don't have the movements to replace it if they determine it needs that....You're just fishing for disappointment dealing with BUSA again..

Sensible advice. It is clearly important to you that you wear the watch at the wedding. So unless you want to time the vows, who cares if the chrono isn't working perfectly? Get through the big stuff, then deal with it on your (new) home turf, when you have the time and energy.

I'm fully aware of how OCD I've become about this watch, but you did help to put this in perspective. There are much bigger things I need to be worrying about at this point, but it's almost become a pride thing at this point. This is a really expensive watch and I want it to be right. However, if BUSA can't remedy it this last time, I'm definitely going to wait until I get to the UK. At that point, I may even take a little day trip down to Breitling SA and get my watch fixed in person.

Other than the chrono issue, the watch is perfect. The movement is nearly dead accurate as far as gaining/losing time per day.

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Chronomat 01- Sierra Silver/Steel
Navitimer 01- Limited Edition #1337/2000

I just might. Don't give me any ideas

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Chronomat 01- Sierra Silver/Steel
Navitimer 01- Limited Edition #1337/2000

I don't think anyone here is suggesting you accept the watch in its current state. But considering the pains you are going through to get it fixed, along with everything else you've got to worry about at the moment, what's the harm in waiting a couple months until you're in a better place to deal with it? You can still be proud going over BUSA's head to someone who can get the job done right. That's not giving in and admitting defeat. That's just being smart about how you achieve victory. I'm not telling you what to do - just offering a perspective.


You do realize that you might get a new movement with a perfectly working chronograph that keeps crappy time, right? I'm just sayin'...

I'd throw the watch into a lake, take the insurance money and buy a Zenith El Primerio.

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Chronomat 01- Sierra Silver/Steel
Navitimer 01- Limited Edition #1337/2000

Given the facts you gave us, I would:

1) Wear my B01 to my wedding
2) Get married
3) Enjoy my new situation
4) Move over to the UK
5) Contact A. Michaels or Lyons with a full report of the issue
6) Hear what they have to say
7 Ask them to send the watch to Switzerland

Note: you can eventually do point 5 before point 4.

If that doesn't work to satisfaction, you will soon be within 60' flight to Geneva and another 120' drive to Breitling Switzerland. I can even drive you over there. Best period probably is after the summer closure.

As for the guarantee, the issue is not yet resolved, so I would doubt that Breitling would deny you the right to it.



Note:


I often ask that myself but for the US of A

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- This is Ghost Rider requesting a fly-by. - Negative Ghost Rider. The pattern is full.

Tomcat, good call on A. Michaels and Lyons. Naturally, I've heard good things about both of them from the forum, I just didn't think to contact them about this. They can be my Govbergs while I'm in the UK.

The B01 is still heading off to BUSA today, so we'll see where that goes. It would be great if this whole mess could be resolved before I move, as this is not something I want to deal with while in an MBA program.

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Chronomat 01- Sierra Silver/Steel
Navitimer 01- Limited Edition #1337/2000

Hope you have it back for the wedding

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- This is Ghost Rider requesting a fly-by. - Negative Ghost Rider. The pattern is full.