The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Am I the only one who feels a a flash of indignation every-time someone wants to buy their first Breitling from a prestigetime.com or deliciouswatches.co.uk or some other internet dealer?

I mean, WHAT'S THE POINT OF OWNING SOMETHING AND PROFESSING YOUR UNDYING ADMIRATION FOR IT IF YOU ARE NOT 100% SURE IT IS GENUINE? I mean ONE HUNDRED PERCENT SURE?

Don't tell me you guys who have bought or considered buying from these sites have never had a small niggling voice in the head - "What if it is refurbished? What if it has a different movement inside? What if it is stolen?"

Especially when the first thing you see when you log into http://www.breitling.com/ is "Beware of Frauds/ Internet Sites that sell Breitlings"

Come On People! Spend that $500 bucks extra - spend that $1500 bucks extra and buy from the authorized source! If you don't want to - buy an Oris or a Tag!

Owning a Breitling is not about what others think when they see it - It is about what you feel everytime you see it!

Wooooooooooo! Controversial comments there Mercury!

Until very recently I've been a fully paid up AD only man! However, just recently I had to step outside of the AD network to buy my Bentley Le Mans as it's production run ended in 2004. I bought from a watch trader/dealer, but with the current exchange rate I think there's ever chance that my next Breitling will be an on-line purchase.

A friend of mine recently bought a Chronomat from Jomashop and he was suffering a few of those niggling doubts you speak of, so he sent it in to Breitling UK for authentication. It was done free of charge by Breitling, and took less than a week before it was back on his wrist. Oh yeah, and it is 100% genuine. So there we are.... a 100% genuine Chronomat bought for around 50% of what he'd have paid here in Rip Off Britain. Tends to clarify my thinking a little for next time........

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Driver8

Site Moderator

If you don't feel comfortable buying online, I would absolutely encourage you to buy from an AD. However... if you want to save yourself a few dollars, and don't care about establishing a relationship with your AD, then its quite safe buying from reliable online sources.

I think its different strokes for different folks. I personally don't feel the need to convince anyone to buy one way or another.. we're all Breitling Enthusiasts here, and that's what matters!

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

I wish had enough money and nerves to buy it online, but concidering this is my first Breitling im about to buy.. and ive saved up some money over a while, im not gonna risk it on ordering online.. maybe my second one I could just picture myself walking aroung all day thinking if its the real deal or not..

But like you said..different strokes for different folks, some like pepsi / some like coke

Hey Mercury!
I really do feel exactly the same as you do. Plus, I have had such great service from my AD, I would feel disloyal purchasing elsewhere. To me, having the confidence in my AD, and the support I get if something goes wrong, is almost as important as the watch itself. Just as though it really is a part of the watch! It just gives me a totally great feeling about the watch that I know would not be there if I bought online.
Cheers,
Carl

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'63 Omega Seamaster, 2014 Omega Speedmaster MarkII

"Those who possess a sense of entitlement are seldom satisfied"

Same feeling here Carl... To each his own I suppose, but I have always been treated above and beyond by AD's and love knowing that if any watch I own, Breitling, Rolex, Tag, etc. needs servicing it's going back to an authorized service center.

Remember folks these internet dealers that have their own repair facilities are not in most cases able to get genuine parts to repair or replace anything that might be required for proper repair. Trust me, they hope like hell nothing happens during the warranty period, because when it does, it can turn into a cluster...

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BC

I think I am just becoming a little more jaded with AD's in this country as after a decade of loyalty, I'm starting to question what I've been getting for all the additional thousands of pounds that I've spent with them.

The UK is a ridiculously expensive place to live at the moment and it's just started to annoy me a little when you speak to AD's about their "best price" and they suck in a breath in true builder style and say "I just can't do anything for you". Then you look on on-line and see the same piece for up to 50% less.

I probably wouldn't recommend an on-line purchase for a first time buyer, but I've been buying watches (and especially Breitlings) for 12 years and I'd like to think I could spot a fake. I'm not about to buy from a guy in a pub or anything, but I'm pretty sure that places like Interwatches (who have a proper shop in a Florida mall!) are totally above board. Additionally as I have said in another thread you can have Breitling authenticate a watch for you free of charge, so even if you have a niggling doubt it's easily fixed..... (unless it's fake of course)!

And as for the warranty..... well, if something went wrong I'd just send it in to Breitling anyway and bite the bullet on the cost. (I wouldn't rust anyone other than Breitling to touch my watches!) A full service and clean of my Bentley is costing me £300, so I'd be more than happy to take the gamble warranty wise if I was saving 40 to 50% over UK list in the first place.

Maybe I'll change my mind depending on the level of service I get when I finally buy an on-line piece, but for now I am seriously considering it.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Great post, Driver!

That reflects exactly how I feel and think.

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Collection: http://s540.photobucket.com/albums/gg32 ... mview=grid

I would recommend an AD 100% for a first time buyer. Thats what I did, and have zero regrets. After a purchase or two, and a million hours on forums, you begin to get eerily familiar with the brand, and I think a non-AD purchase may be more justified. The warranty issue is probably the one that will either keep me at my AD, or have me buying used with factory warranty.

Funniest thing, is that even though I bought from an AD, I still wondered if maybe it was a return and somebody slipped a fake past the dealer and I ended up with it. I couldnt imagine if it wasnt from an AD.

Funny you mention that.. didn't a fellow here buy a Chronomat Evo from Tourneau that he had authenticated and turned out to be fake? I mean... obviously anything could have happened but those guys working at places like Tourneau are not always the brightest... I would think nowadays they would get the in-house watchmaker to check everything out first.

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

I would imagine it would have been an inside job. Its probably not too hard for an employee to swap out a fake one with a real one.

That guy bought a blue dial Evo and the thread was a few pages long. From what I recall, he paid like $3500 on ebay, he took it to Tourneau, they said it was real. He sent it in to Breitling, and he was told it was the best fake they had ever seen. I think he got a full refund from the seller on ebay also.

I'd prefer to only buy from an AD. With a little searching, you can find deals similar to the on-line retailers. 25% seems to be pretty easy to get, and I think most on-line retailers are right around there and most ADs would most likely throw in free overnight shipping on a Breitling anyway.

That's kind of where I am at - my AD gives me pricing that is comparable to one of the online retailers so it's a no brainer for me to use the AD. That said I certainly wouldn't rule out an online dealer if the price was substantially better - as is the case for many of our European friends, or if I couldn't get the piece through my AD.

Is this the same guy that initially said that he BOUGHT the watch from Tourneau? I recall someone saying that they actually bought a watch from Tourneau and it turned out to be fake... unless the guy was lying.

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

In the US it is not hard to find an AD that will beat Internet prices. You get all the papers, fittings and an even better discount on the next watch.