The Breitling Watch Source Forums

This is my first post on this forum, though I've been reading for the past few days. Sorry if I'm rehashing an old topic. I did several searches, but I haven't run across any similar posts.

My wife bought me a Tabarly as a wedding. She purchased it in December and didn't really look at it until she gave it to me on our wedding day, July 7th. When I opened the box, I found that the watch wasn't working. Having a quartz movement as it does, I assumed that the problem was a dead battery, so, after our honeymoon, I took it to have the battery changed. As you can probably guess, I was told that the movement had frozen and that it would need to be repaired or replaced.

The real problem is that the movement is no longer being manufactured. I've called Breitling US Customer Service as well as the California service center, but I haven't really had any luck tracking down a movement. I was referred to the person Breitling uses for their vintage work, but he's out of town for the next week or so. So far, no one seems to be willing to fix the existing movement, either.

I was hoping that someone on this board might have a lead on where to get a Tabarly fixed or where to buy the Quartz movement that it uses.

In the meantime, I've emailed RueLaLa, which is where my wife bought the watch, but they're as yet unwilling to accept the watch as a return, given that I'm outside the 30 day return policy.

Thanks for any help that you can give me!

-Jason

The problem with these relatively early quartz movements is that they are generally onsolete. I don't think that Mark Heist works on quartz pieces and if Breitling are saying that they can't service it either then the only option may be to try and find another watch with a donor movement.

I've replaced lots of the early quartz movements in watches of this age. The original movements generally aren't available but they were usually superceded by a later movement. What movement is in it?

Thanks for the replies!

It looks like the movement is ESA 965 312.

Let me know if you need further information and I'll see what I can do to get it to you.

-Jason

Try these guys.

http://www.stsupplyonline.com/catalog/watch-movement-965312-date-p-11595.html

Thanks for the link!

I'm new to what the letters and numbers signify in watch movements. The one on the site you linked starts with ETA and the one that Breitling lists starts with ESA. Is that a branding thing, or does that mark a functional difference? I asked roughly the same question of the person selling that movement, but it can't hurt to ask this forum as well.

Thanks again.

-Jason

ESA and ETA merged in 1979 and everything is now sold under the ETA brand name.

Thanks for all your help, everyone!

It turns out, the ETA version of the movement is compatible. I bought one for $25 from ST Supply. Before having it installed, I contacted Breitling one more time, just to make sure this was okay, and I was told that they could in fact service my watch, but I'd have to ship it to Breitling USA, who would then forward it to Switzerland for repairs. So, if you have a Breitling with a broken and outdated quartz movement, learn from my example. It will save you a headache.

-Jason