The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hi folks,
I know this topic has surfaced in the past.....just want to provide an update for those that deal with Breitling USA.
Just got off the phone with a woman at Breitling USA [CT] to see if I can get a replacement COSC certificate for my Superocean [A17360]. She told me that you can not get a replacement certificate. It is only issued when the watch is purchased. She also mentioned that she has been there for 6 years and that has been the policy since she has worked there.

Can anyone verify this?

I contact the local ADs in my area and they seem to have never requested a replacement certificate before.

Going through past threads on this topic, it seems that others were able to get the certificate replaced through a local AD by paying a $30 - $50 [US] fee.

Any help or confirmation on this matter would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Bill

They are certainly available, and a number of members here have got them in the past. There are two types of certificate - the original detailed one issued to Breitling by the COSC - it's white and not particularlay attractive but details the results. That can't be reissued, although a duplicate can be provided (stamped duplicate) if requested by Breitling. The one that you are referring to (the yellow one) is actually issued by Breitling to attest to the fact that the COSC has certified the watch and is the one that can be replaced for a small fee. Either BUSA is out of step with other distributors or the contact was mistaken.

Is each individual movement certified or are each model type tested (i.e. a sample)?

The former.

Hence why the certificate has the serial number on it!

Thank you for the feedback!
Just spoke to someone else there and here is the latest I have:

- You can get a replacement certificate however you have to get it from the AD you purchased the watch from
- If you purchased the watch second hand and do not know who the AD is....you can send it to BUSA and they will look up the serial number to tell you where it was purchased from.
- I had asked if I send in the watch for service, will I be able to skip the step above and order the certificate at time of service....the answer I was given is No. The certificates are requested at the AD level. Request goes to Breitling directly. BUSA does not have them....they are just a repair center. I guess this process was put in place to deter folks from buying grey market goods.

Helps me now to know that if I really want to get the certificate, I will wait for the watch to need service, and ask at that time where the watch was originally purchased. Seems like a lot of leg work to get the document though.

Well BUSA definitely wouldn't have them, but that's silly. Breitling will likely want an AD to validate the watch but you should be able to contact Breitling in Switzerland directly and just have them ask you to go to any AD for verification. Never heard of having to go to a specific store - what if it closed?

Thanks Roff. I am going to email Breitling in Switzerland to hopefully get some better news. A very reputable AD in the states just got back to me after checking with his contact at BUSA and was told that you can't get the duplicate from them.
Very frustrating however I will send an email to Breitling as my final attempt to get the certificate. Is there a good contact or email over their that might be able to help?

In the UK, BUK ask that you send a watch it in to them for verification as the quality of some fakes would fool the average AD, so BUK want to be able to open the watch up. And it's about £30 for a replacement COSC doc over here.

_________________
Driver8

Site Moderator

Thanks. Do you know if Breitling UK would help someone in the US get this certificate or would they direct me to BUSA?

I'm pretty sure they'd direct you to BUSA, if for no other reason than the expense of moving the watch from the US to the UK and back again. You could always try firing off an email to Breitling SA in Switzerland and ask them about replacement COSC docs. If they say contact BUSA, then at least you'll have their email proving that they should provide one for you.

_________________
Driver8

Site Moderator